B. Beishenalieva as Tao Hoa
For a long time, B. Beishenalieva had to perform in ballet productions that had a fairy-tale character. The heroines in these performances mostly expressed a conventional nature. This was the case in "Raymonda," "Swan Lake," and "Cholpon." This cannot be said about "The Fountain of Bakhchisarai" or the ballet "Anar," where the ballerina faced not an abstract plot, but a specific life situation. However, even here, the fates of the heroines were far from the present day.
There is no greater joy for an actor than to play the role of a contemporary. Such a role did not come to Beishenalieva for a long time.
Perhaps this is what troubled her the most. That is why she enthusiastically took on the role of Tao Hoa in R. M. Glière's ballet "The Red Poppy." This role allowed her to step from the fairy tale into the real world.
If we can speak of an internal logical connection between Beishenalieva's previous roles—defined by the similarity of plot lines and the very essence of the depicted characters—then the role of Tao Hoa was fundamentally new, unlike any other parts of the ballerina. Beishenalieva felt that she had seen this young girl somewhere, that she knew and understood her with all her being. In the small, shuffling steps and in the way she turns her head, covers her face with her hands, and lowers her eyes, we see the traits of a Kyrgyz girl’s behavior.
Internally, she is modest, although she has to be flirtatious, as is expected of a hired restaurant dancer.
We meet Tao Hoa at the moment when she, beaten and frightened, is entirely under the control of her master. But as the action unfolds, the oppressed woman gradually straightens her shoulders. In the end, we see a new person in her, reborn in the course of revolutionary events—the liberation struggle of her people.
Revealing the logic of Tao Hoa's actions, Beishenalieva shows how her heroine gradually gains insight.
At the same time, her external mannerisms change. The small, stiff, cautious movements of the obviously frightened woman acquire a different plasticity, in which both confidence and determination of the awakened consciousness emerge. At the moment when she decides to tell the captain of the Soviet ship that the cup he is about to drink from is poisoned, there is a sense of inner strength in her behavior, a capacity for open protest.
The second important episode, indicating that Tao is no longer who she was at the beginning, is the scene of the assassination attempt on the people's leader Ma Lichen, whom she saves by shielding him and taking a bullet for him. No, Tao-Beishenalieva does not fall immediately. She slowly sinks down, first to her knees and only then, leaning to the side, falls to the ground.
All this time, she holds a red flower tightly with both hands, pressing it to herself, not letting it go from her weakening grip.
For her, a Kyrgyz actress, the inner world of the heroine resonated deeply. A beaten, enslaved woman rises to the level of a conscious participant in the liberation movement—this is the path of women in the East in general and Kyrgyz women in particular. Thus, an important condition that determined the success of Beishenalieva's performance was the ideological closeness of the inner world of the actress and her heroine.
The ballerina managed to deeply reveal the content of the role and demonstrate extraordinary performing mastery.
The various dance variations captivated with their refined lines, clarity of design, and dynamism.
An example is the Siamese dance, in which Beishenalieva showcased a complex and intricate finger technique, resembling an Eastern ornament. At the same time, striving to express her heroine's courage, Beishenalieva resorts to the most difficult jumps. At such moments, it seems as if the ballerina freezes in the air and then gently, smoothly descends onto her toes. Beishenalieva's elevations are free from mechanical acrobatics; they are filled with the grace characteristic of this great artist, exemplifying a classical figure.
As already noted, Beishenalieva gravitates towards the art of dramatic dance. In the role of Tao Hoa, she had the opportunity to demonstrate an emotional and narrative dance, passionate and strict in its rhythms.
The ballerina already had an extensive list of roles performed. Among them were parts in the national ballet—Cholpon, Aydai, Anar, and classical roles—Raymonda, Odette, Maria, Zarema, Tao Hoa. And each of her roles became an event in Kyrgyz theatrical art.
B. Beishenalieva as Odette