Disagreements Between the Artist and Choreographer in the Ballet "Kuyruchuk"
In evaluating the music of the ballet "Kuyruchuk" as a whole, it should be emphasized that it is quite distinctive. K. Moldobasanov and G. Okunev use well-known motifs from Kyrgyz folk songs (for example, the romantic song by D. Sheraliyev "Tushumdo" ("In a Dream")). At the same time, the composers boldly tackle the problem of creating original melodies that reflect national color.
The musical language of the ballet has another characteristic. It conveys a grotesqueness defined by the content of the depicted action. This primarily relates to the theme of Sarybay. The whimsical notes give it an ugly-comic shade. The grotesqueness is also enhanced by the exaggeratedly comic sound of the music accompanying Kuyruchuk's antics with the bay. Although the theme of Kuyruchuk itself sounds lively, humorous, and cheerful... In scenes where he encounters opponents, sharp, mocking notes can be heard. The leitmotif of Kuyruchuk's theme changes in scenes with friends. Here, there is a softness and warmth that are the main musical and ideological characteristics of Kuyruchuk.
Expressiveness and clarity of the musical style are manifested in the characterization of other parts. A delicate, penetrating lyrical theme accompanies the line of Zeynep and Sadik. Rich in poetic lightness, it has its logical transitions, clearly conveying excitement, anxiety, elements of genuine drama, and even despair, but concluding with a bright, joyful theme of jubilation.
The composers managed to give a distinctiveness to the music and mass scenes, saturating them with motifs from folk songs, cheerful, lively, and playful national melodies.
When we speak of insufficient danceability in "Kuyruchuk," we mean the inadequate development of the choreographic scenario by the director N. Avaliani. The solo variations in the ballet are extremely limited.
They are mainly contained in the love duet of Zeynep and Sadik in the first act. The dance is done in a style reminiscent of the classical. The duet of R. Chokoeva and U. Sarbagishev (as well as B. Alibayev) is filled with the aroma of romantic inspiration and deep tender feeling. For a moment, quiet, almost serene delight is filled with expression. Then the heroes again experience tender moments, when it seems as if the sun shines only for the two of them.
Unfortunately, such moments in the ballet are few. This somewhat impoverishes the roles of the main solo group, particularly the roles of Zeynep and Sadik. However, in the ballet "Kuyruchuk," there are significantly more mass dances reminiscent of folk dances, thereby inspiring the performance with national distinctiveness. A typically domestic dance-game (pantomime) can be named at the beginning of the first act — the merriment of girls and kelins (married women), especially the episode with the infant, followed by a mass dance in which the girls form two circles. In one is Zeynep, in the other is Sadik. Both reach out to each other but cannot break through the circle, which seems to encourage the girls, and they continue to merrily celebrate.
The performance has been redesigned by artist A. Moldokhmatov. In his work, he sought to free himself from heaviness by using a form of conditional design. For this purpose, for example, he removed many objects, such as the yurt, which occupied part of the stage. The conditional nature now characterizes the design of the cemetery. The mountain landscape on the backdrop has been replaced by a plain wall, creating an impression of distant perspective.
The use of a conditional style in the design of a domestic performance indicates the artist's desire to move away from clichés. This is noteworthy, as is all that is new. However, the work of the artist and choreographer was not coordinated.
There is no stylistic unity between the choreography and the design. In this regard, undoubtedly, additional work should be done to further improve the performance.
The Work of N. Tugelov and N. Avaliani on the Staging of the Performance