Obvious shortcomings in the performance "Spring in Ala-Too"
After the fairy-tale plots encountered in "Cholpon," "Swan Lake," and other ballets, the work on the performance "Spring in Ala-Too" attracted attention with its modern theme. The team enthusiastically took on the task. However, although the work under the guidance of V. Litvinenko and N. Tugelov was carried out with sufficient enthusiasm, a clear schematic nature, some contrived elements, and simplification of the action were felt. Everything was resolved in a somewhat too straightforward manner. The enemies were presented as overly foolish. A significant theme received a lightweight solution. But perhaps the main factor in its failure was the colorless, unoriginal choreography of the ballet. The directors V. Litvinenko and N. Tugelov did not introduce anything new, limiting themselves to old techniques and variations known from previous productions. Take, for example, the duet of Asan and Sayra. The actors repeated variations familiar to the audience from both "Anar" and "Cholpon," and other similar situations. Yet the music of this duet lent itself to the creation of a lyrical dance.
As for the music, in many of its numbers, it repeated already known ballets by the same authors, although there were some individual successes that attracted attention. First and foremost was the emotional and expressive overture. It introduced the audience to the world of ideas and feelings of the forthcoming action. The dance of Mukhamed and the bandits, as well as Russian, Kyrgyz, Uzbek, and Georgian dances, were very characteristic. Undoubtedly, the variations of Aisha and especially the strikingly sounding suite are among the merits of the musical material of the ballet.
Although the staging of the ballet limited the performers' possibilities, many of them delighted the audience with their dances. For instance, B. Beishenaliev, S. Djokobaeva, and O. Shirai, who performed the role of Sayra, managed to express the enthusiasm so characteristic of first love. U. Sarbagishev and B. Suslov also emphasized in Asan the spiritual nature of youthful feelings.
In the role of Aisha, performed by Ch. Djamanova and A. Khandranova, an important place was occupied by the episode of the fourth scene.
The story of the bandits who broke into their native aiyl and the courage displayed by Bugrov in front of the enemy contributed to the meaningful variations of Aisha.
In the fourth scene, a vivid spectacle was presented by the temperamental folk dances, expressing the unity of the people with the Red Army and the international solidarity of the workers. The cheerfulness of this scene contrasted with the dance of the bandits, expressing the frenzy of desperate people deprived of support from the people.
The final scene left a festive impression. The joy of the people in honor of the victory of the Red Army found its expression in mass dances. In bright national costumes with scarves in their hands, the girls seemed to soar in a graceful dance, symbolizing gratitude to the liberators who brought the Kyrgyz people the spring of true liberation.
But these individual successes did not save the performance as a whole, nor did they eliminate the gap between its musical and choreographic design.
It is quite natural that the ballet "Spring in Ala-Too" did not establish itself in the theater's repertoire, enduring only 19 performances. And this once again manifested the increased demands of the theater, which is no longer inclined to be satisfied with dubious successes. Compromises in art are very dangerous, and the ballet company has matured enough to face this truth, not to shy away from new, albeit very difficult searches.
Much attracted attention in the ballet "Spring in Ala-Too." But when the performance was played, its shortcomings became more apparent, and the theater decided to abandon it. Despite the known difficulties of creating an original repertoire, no one in the theater doubted that the searches would inevitably be crowned with success. Unfortunately, the periods between one original performance and another often drag on. But how joyful it is to realize that the efforts expended were not in vain, that hard work has been rewarded. Such a reward should be considered the staging of the ballet "Kuyruchuk," realized in 1960.
The birth of the new ballet "Spring in Ala-Too" in 1955