Update of the performers in the 1950 production
Ten years after the first production of "Anar," a second version was realized in 1950.
What explains the fact that many performances of the Kyrgyz theater were staged in new editions? Variants of the same performance exist in many national theaters. However, there are known cases where subsequent stage versions do not improve but rather worsen the performance. For example, this was the case with the ballet "Kambar and Nazym" by composer V. Velikanov at the Kazakh Theater of Opera and Ballet named after Abay. Staged in 1950 with serious ideological miscalculations, the ballet required reworking, but the second stage edition was never realized, and the third was unsuccessful. The issue is that there are performances that have won the audience's love, yet in professional terms, they no longer correspond to the increased level of contemporary mastery.
Overcoming this gap is a matter of life and death for many, even quite popular productions. The rise in the overall level of dance culture became possible only with the growth of personnel and the emergence of talented youth skilled in dance technique.
The plot of the ballet "Anar," as previously emphasized, did not undergo fundamental changes in the productions of 1950 and 1957.
The refinement of the performance mainly took place through the improvement of dance and the strengthening of classical traditions.
This, of course, required a revision of the ballet's score, which the composers did. In subsequent editions, composers V. Vlasov, V. Fere, and the new director Nurdin Tugelov, based on folk melodies and national-play elements of movement characteristic of the first edition of "Anar," boldly began to introduce elements of classical ballet. Even in the first production of 1940, N. S. Kholfin attempted to introduce movement on the tips of the toes. However, at that time, this was not the main concern—the director aimed to showcase everyday movements based on playful and labor processes.
In the new edition, work was done on mastering and implementing classical adagio, complicated movements, and, of course, the ability to move on the toes. The choreographer had new personnel, which allowed for a more technically proficient performance. Now, the national-play elements in the performance were no longer dominant. The introduction of characteristic movements of classical ballet contributed to the increase in the professional level of the performance.
However, even in the 1950 production of "Anar," much still bore the character of exploration and required verification. For instance, in the first production, women danced in ichigi (light boots). They tried to dance on the tips of their toes. During the second production, light ballet shoes were added to the ichigi. This created additional difficulties for the ballerina.
Later, during the third production, the ichigi were abandoned.
Pirouettes, tours, and lifts were boldly introduced into the national ballet, and all this not only did not weaken the national character but, on the contrary, gave it rich expressiveness and paved the way for the performers toward technical maturity.
The cast of performers in the 1950 production was updated compared to the 1940 production. In the role of Anar performed B. Beishenalieva, then K. Mademilova, and later A. Khandranova. N. Tugelov and S. Kabekov performed the role of Kadyir, while Sh. Gafarov and later A. Karasev performed the role of Bagysh.
The artist A. V. Arefyev, who designed the second version of the performance, treated the creative ideas of his predecessor, the prematurely deceased artist Ya. Z. Shtoffer, with great care. For his part, A. V. Arefyev enhanced the contrast between good and evil.
The gloomy slopes of the mountains and the roaring waterfall created somber images of the cruel dominance of the manap Bagysh. The artist depicts fir trees—heavy, almost black, elongated like the guards of the unlimited lord.
The dark shades of light contrast with the bright ones, expressing the strength of the people. The light, lace-like intertwining of greenery and the bright tones of Kyrgyz nature symbolize youth, love, and all that is beautiful. The delicate, slender trees around the wedding yurt of Anar and Kadyir represent nature itself awakening to life. And it belongs to the future. Such is the meaning of the performance, its ideological resonance, which is actively supported by the artistic design.
A. V. Arefyev significantly simplified and lightened the ballet costume. The wide trousers completely disappeared: the actors gained greater mobility. Yet, the costumes were far from perfection.
In 1957, the ballet "Anar" was restored for the third time in connection with the theater's preparation for the decade of Kyrgyz art in Moscow. Specially invited for this new production, N. S. Kholfin enriched the ballet with new variations; the professional culture of dance and the complexity of technique became even more noticeable; solo and ensemble episodes were staged more inventively.
The main role of Anar was still performed by B. Beishenalieva and A. Khandranova (recently A. Bayetova was introduced to this role). The role of Kadyir was performed by U. Sarbagishev; Bagysh by B. Suslov and A. Karasev.
The artist of the performance became Asanbek Moldokmatov. In his work, he remained true to the ideas of his predecessors, also emphasizing the contrast of opposing forces.
The conductor of the first performance of "Anar" was Valentin Ivanovich Chernov, who established himself as an excellent musician. R. G. Mironovich actively participated in the realization of the second version. The preparation of the third production of the ballet was led by conductor and composer Kalyy Moldobasanov. In recent years, conductor Nasyr Davlesov—a graduate of the Moscow Conservatory—has been conducting.
As if reborn, the ballet played with fresh colors. Although the libretto's edition remained the same, the creative handwriting of the authors of the new production positively affected its artistic and professional level.
In October 1958, the ballet "Anar" was shown in Moscow. The performance received positive feedback from the audience, and the press wrote: "The performance 'Anar' delights with its original freshness, acting successes, and creative maturity. The merit of this 'overall bright, good, and danceable performance' was noted by "Komsomolskaya Pravda." In the newspaper "Soviet Culture," the critic praised the bright colors of the dances and the richness of the melodic and rhythmic musical pattern. In a summarizing article about Kyrgyz ballet in the magazine "Musical Life," it was rightly stated: "The ballet performances of the decade showed that the national choreographic art in the republic is on the path to true flourishing."
In 1965, the anniversary of the first Kyrgyz ballet took place. Over 25 years, its popularity did not diminish. It was staged about two hundred times, and tens of thousands of viewers watched it.
Whatever the future achievements of the theater may be, the production of the ballet "Anar" will remain a significant step in its history, which the young Kyrgyz ballet theater took a quarter of a century ago on the path to the heights of realistic art.
Perhaps, in the history of any national theater, there are productions that forever remain milestones on the path of its formation and development. Such a milestone in the history of the Kyrgyz Opera and Ballet Theater has been established by the production of "Anar," which has not lost its charm for the audience even after a quarter of a century.
Performers of the first version of the ballet "Anar"