Bibisara Beishenaliev and her partner Uran Sarbagishev as Juliet and Romeo
In 1961, the Kyrgyz Theater once again turned to contemporary performance, staging the ballet "On the Path of Thunder" by Kara Karayev (based on the novel by Peter Abrahams), but the true celebration of theater came with the next landmark production — the ballet "Romeo and Juliet" by S. Prokofiev — a deeply innovative work by the remarkable Soviet composer (staged by L. Lavrovsky).
Staging "Romeo and Juliet" is not an easy task for any theater. Its realization on the Kyrgyz stage is a bold step and simultaneously a testament to the Kyrgyz ballet theater's ability to tackle the most complex challenges.
The ballet captivated the theater not only with its deep psychological insight and the spirituality of feelings but also with its complexity.
Choreographer N. Tugelov built the performance in which the conflict expressed not fatal inevitability but the struggle of the new against the outdated, which the Renaissance era brought with it. And although the events occurring in Verona are separated from us by centuries, their philosophical meaning, revealed through the staging, found a lively response from contemporary audiences.
The performance features many bright scenes and acting successes. Among them are undoubtedly the mass scenes (the ball at the Capulets, the carnival celebration in the square of Verona), the duel scene between Tybalt and Mercutio, and the episode of the main characters' deaths.
These scenes make a strong impression with their drama, the unity of music and dance, and the mastery of execution. Bibisara Beishenaliev performed the role of Juliet virtuously. Her partner was Uran Sarbagishev.
For the sake of objectivity, it must be said that the talented dancer did not reveal all his potential in this role. A reviewer of the performance noted: "His Romeo does not have an individual face — he is generally lyrical and contemplative until he meets Juliet, and passionate and agitated after their meeting. To some extent, the blame for this lies with the choreographer, who, it seems to me, did not find a sufficiently bright characteristic dance leitmotif for Romeo."
Indeed, the music itself suggested the behavioral line for Romeo.
S. Prokofiev remarkably highlighted the leitmotifs of the characters, in particular — a tender and graceful one for Juliet, and a masculine one for Romeo. Instead, as the reviewer rightly pointed out, Romeo-Sarbagishev is overly contemplative and lyrical and to a lesser extent — masculine.
The musical characterization of Tybalt is given in ominously sounding rhythms. Boris Suslov presents Tybalt as rough, vengeful, cruel, and merciless. He often resorts to elements of dramatization, which enhance the impression of the character.
The success of the main performers was shared by the capable dancer Saparbek Abdujalilov (understudy — E. Voievodkin). His Mercutio is such a bright and charming image that the audience could not help but love the young man from the very first minutes. His steps are so light, his smile so sunny, and his mischief so endearing that one understands how full of life he is, how in love with it. Mortally wounded in the duel, Mercutio does not stop joking. In his hands is a sword. He does not lean on it, even though his legs can barely support him. He "plays" on the sword as if it were a guitar. And swaying in his death agony, losing strength, he still tries one last time to dance, to smile at the sun.
Almost the entire ballet troupe of the theater is involved in the performance, which may be why the mass scenes are so successfully executed. They give a sense of genuine breadth of action, expressing the optimism that characterizes the entire performance.
The carnival scene is particularly memorable. Bursting with joy, mischievous dances in the spirit of tarantella, games, carnival masks — all this created a vivid spectacle filled with a joyful sense of life. The entire performance, despite its tragic ending, was perceived as a triumph of good over cruelty, light over darkness.
The Transition of the Kyrgyz Ballet Theater from Classical to Contemporary Repertoire