Ballet "SPRING IN ALA-TOO"
The continuous growth of the young professional ballet and its quite successful search for an organic fusion of national and classical forms raised the question of creating an original national repertoire. And it must be said that the first steps in this direction were marked by significant successes: in a relatively short time, three ballets appeared — "Anar," "Selkinchek," and "Cholpon," two of which became outstanding events in the life of the Kyrgyz State Opera and Ballet Theater. However, this path was not without failures.
After the creation of the opera "Kokul," and then the ballet "Cholpon," composer M. Raukhverger wrote a new ballet on a Kyrgyz theme in 1948 — "Twins" in three acts and six scenes (libretto by S. A. Tsenin).
It could be expected that the composer's experience in the field of Kyrgyz art would help him create a work of high quality. However, this did not happen. The ballet written by M. Raukhverger was never staged. In 1960, the artistic council of the theater also rejected D. Klebanov's ballet "My Heroine" based on the libretto by N. S. Kholfin. The council's resolution stated that "the images repeat long-familiar clichés of unsuccessful leaders, unsuccessful suitors, frantic cinematographers, and reporters... All the energy of the heroine and her beloved is directed at playing tricks on all the other characters, presented in a caricatured and absurd manner. One cannot so thoroughly dumb down Soviet reality and the images of Soviet people as done by the author of the libretto." It was also noted that a number of techniques in the presented work repeated those already known from the productions of the ballets "Cholpon" and "Kuyruchuk" (phantom maidens tied with a rope, the hero's masquerade with a detachable beard, the substitution of one character for another).
At the same time, the council spoke highly of D. Klebanov's music. However, "for the theater to accept the work as a whole, it is necessary to fundamentally revise and rethink the libretto and, above all, clearly define its ideological direction."
Not infrequently, serious criticism was directed at not only the ballet as a whole but also the ballet music in operatic works within the theater collective. Serious shortcomings in ballet music were pointed out during the discussion of L. Knipper's opera "Murad."
All this once again reminds us that ballet is a synthetic art. The weakness and inadequacy of one of the elements of this complex art leads to the failure of the work as a whole.
Inevitably, in any living endeavor, especially in the field of creativity, mistakes, unfortunately, temporarily slowed down the work on the original repertoire. Apparently, the inertia of the theater's leaders played a role here. One after another, classical ballets such as "Swan Lake," "The Fountain of Bakhchisarai," "Red Poppy," and others were staged, which, although fulfilling their creative tasks, did not relieve the Kyrgyz ballet theater of its important duty — to work on creating national performances.
In 1950, the ballet "Anar" (second version) was revived, and in 1953 — "Cholpon" (second version). But it was only in 1955 that a new original ballet "Spring in Ala-Too" by V. Vlasov and V. Fere (libretto by P. Abolimov) appeared.
The action takes place in Kyrgyzstan during the struggle against the Basmachis. The lyrical introduction tells the story of the love between the poor girl Sayra and the poor man Asan. A detachment of Red Army soldiers under the command of Bugrov approaches the fast mountain river where the lovers have met. Suddenly, a numerous band of Basmachis led by Abubakir attacks, capturing Bugrov and taking him away for punishment. The next scene takes place in aail, where the bai collects debts from the poor. A detachment of Basmachis bursts in. The bai joyfully greets them. Then a scene of Bugrov's interrogation is depicted. The steadfastness and courage of the Red Army soldier impress the people. Having achieved nothing from him, the Basmachis throw him into a pit. Abubakir seeks a guide to the Red Army camp. To everyone's bewilderment, especially Sayra's, Asan agrees to become the guide. The Basmachis leave, and Sayra and her friend Aisha manage to free Bugrov. Together, they flee from the aail. In the third scene, Aisha and Bugrov confess their love, while Sayra falls into the hands of the bai's son, who pursued the fugitives.
In the fourth scene, Aisha and Bugrov reach the Red Army camp. The commander of the detachment, Petrov, sounds the alarm, and the detachment sets out to intercept the Basmachis. The fifth scene takes the audience to a mountain gorge. Here, Asan has led the Basmachis. Beside themselves with rage, the Basmachis prepare to punish Asan, but at that moment, they are surrounded by a detachment of the Red Army. A short skirmish occurs, and the Basmachis are defeated. Mortally wounded, the commander of the detachment, Petrov, hands command over to Bugrov. The rescued Asan receives a weapon from Bugrov and becomes a fighter of the Red Army.
The final, sixth scene returns the audience to Sayra. Gripped by fear for Asan's life, whom she still loves, she languishes, knowing nothing of his fate. Moreover, she is being forced to marry the bai's son. But at the moment when it seemed that her fate was sealed, Bugrov's detachment enters the aail. The bai, fearing retribution, flees.
Sayra and Asan joyfully reunite. The people rejoice, celebrating the victory of the Red Army. Thus, liberation comes to the ancient mountains of Ala-Too, and spring is embraced as a renewal of nature and life.
Ballet