The Range of Creative Possibilities of B. Beishenalievа

The Roles of Raimonda and Zarema as Performed by Beyshenalieva

The role of Raimonda established B. Beyshenalieva's leading position in the Kyrgyz ballet theater. She had already performed a number of excellently played parts and held the title of Honored Artist of the Republic. However, the actress decided to continue her education, which had been interrupted by the war. In 1948, B. Beyshenalieva returned to the Leningrad Choreographic School. This time, her direct teacher was Agrippina Yakovlevna Vaganova — a renowned master of Russian ballet.

Once again, the usual training lessons and classes "at the barre" resumed. Bibisara was attentive, just as she had been many years ago when she first crossed the threshold of the large dance hall where the lessons took place. The ballerina worked on her technique, listening carefully to Agrippina Yakovlevna's meticulous comments.

How happy she was when she noticed the approving gaze of her mentor. Perhaps that is why she did not allow herself any breaks, and the classes continued with double the load.

In 1949, Bibisara Beyshenalieva returned to her native Frunze with a diploma from the Leningrad Choreographic School. A new stage in her life began on the path to the heights of art. It was marked by work on the main roles in the ballets "The Fountain of Bakhchisarai" by B. Asafiev and "Swan Lake" by P. I. Tchaikovsky.

The range of creative possibilities of Beyshenalieva is so wide that it is even difficult to say which roles suit her best. For lyrical roles, there is such a flow of soft feeling within her that it seems only they express the character of the actress's talent. However, among the roles she has played, perhaps most are dramatic.

Evidently, the actress herself is inclined towards the latter. For example, in the ballet "Cholpon," Beyshenalieva initially performed the titular role of a lyrical nature, and then was inspired by the contrasting role of Aydai. The same happened in her work on the ballet "The Fountain of Bakhchisarai." After the role of Maria, she soon began to dance the part of Zarema, which brought her significantly greater creative joy.

For Beyshenalieva, Zarema was interesting not only because she was a woman of the East. She saw in her a strong person and revealed the character of the heroine in a Pushkin-like manner — multifaceted and profound.

In this role, Beyshenalieva demonstrated exceptional plasticity. All her behavior, from the first glance cast at her rival to the decisive gesture with which she pierces Maria's chest, is marked by extraordinary emotionality.

During the preparation for the role, Beyshenalieva did not part with a volume of A. S. Pushkin's poetry. By immersing herself in the precise lines of his poem, she tried to convey the fullness of Pushkin's poetry and the passionate feeling that characterizes the image of Zarema in her dance. The fiery Georgian is so integral in her worldview that the very thought of compromise is unbearable for her. She cannot reconcile herself with the cooling of Girey — she rises up against both him and the "interfering" Maria. She rises up against the fact that "the timid wives of Girey, neither daring to think nor to desire, bloom in gloomy silence." This became the starting point for Beyshenalieva's interpretation of Zarema's character. Zarema does not immediately resolve to take the extreme step, but she rises up immediately against Girey's betrayal.

She cannot be satisfied with scraps from the feast of love; for Zarema — it is all or nothing.

At first, she strives to regain the favor and love of the khan. Zarema-Beyshenalieva expresses all the passion of her soul. Her movements are impulsive, full of expression and fervent feeling. She still hopes that his frowning brows will clear, and he will rush to her as before, to embrace her warmly.

But Girey does not see her, does not notice Zarema's torments. And then despair seizes the abandoned woman, burning in the fire of unrequited love.

At the very moment when Zarema-Beyshenalieva expects that Khan Girey will soften and at least glance at her, he leaves, leaving Zarema alone — in confusion, engulfed in suffering. For a moment she remains completely still, as if she cannot come to her senses, then rises on her pointe shoes and stretches to her full height, raising her arms. In despair, she begins to perform swift, dizzying turns.

The third act in Maria's bedroom is the climax of the performance. Based on Pushkin's text, the ballerina shows the conflicting feelings of her heroine. The proud Zarema involuntarily kneels and, with her outstretched hands towards Maria, pleads: "Have mercy on me, do not reject my prayers!" Zarema sees the frightened gaze of the sad captive directed at her. This inspires her to tell a long story about herself, about Girey, about their love, which is now stretched under a cloud of indifference and betrayal. And again Zarema falls to her knees before trembling Maria — "leave Girey to me: he is mine; his kisses burn on me..." In her soul, the most contradictory feelings change: hope, despair, anger, and determination. Beyshenalieva shows that Zarema is driven to extremes. She kills Maria because everything in her protests against injustice. The awareness of her right to revenge for the violated love supports her even before her execution; even in the face of death, she does not bow her head.

B. Beyshenalieva created a sculptural image of Zarema. In her dance, there was a visible clarity of thought and feeling that did not require "translation." In the vividness with which the actress portrayed her role, the fidelity to the realistic laws of art, the naturalness of behavior, and the absence of pretentiousness that obscures meaning were evident.

The First Roles of Bibisara Beyshenalieva