April 18-19, Saturday and Sunday, at 17:00
PREMIERE OF THE MODERN BALLET IN TWO ACTS «MANKURT» to the music of the laureate of the State Prize of the USSR, Hero of Socialist Labor, People's Artist of the USSR Kalyy Moldobasanov, based on the novel by Chyngyz Aitmatov «And the Day Lasts More Than a Century», choreographed by the laureate of the International Competition and the State Youth Prize of the Kyrgyz Republic named after Ch. Aitmatov, Honored Artist of the Kyrgyz Republic Talant Osmonov.
Kalyy Moldobasanov
The performance is based on a historical plot and unfolds in the genre of lyrical tragedy. Through the language of contemporary choreography, the ballet tells of love, the senseless enmity of people, their enslavement, and the relationship between humans and the unearthly. The main conflict is the confrontation of nationalities, the glorification of some over others, and the struggle of man against being zombified.
In the first act, the coming-of-age celebration of a son in the Naiman tribe is overshadowed by an attack by the Juanjuan, the brutal murder of Dononbay, and the capture of his son Zholoman. The mother, overwhelmed with grief, does not know what to do and sets out in search of her son...
The second act begins with a celebration and merriment in the Juanjuan tribe. While having fun, the savages put rawhide camel skins ("shiri") on the heads of the captives, which, as they dry, turn them into mindless mankurts. In search of her son, Naiman-ene meets shepherds, among whom she finds her Zholoman. But now he recognizes no one except the moon, which saved him from the scorching heat in the evenings. The mother does not lose hope of being with her son. The master of the mankurt knows about Naiman-ene's search but gives his slave a bow and arrow to kill the mother. The mankurt accepts the weapon as a gift and kills Naiman-ene. The arrow of the mankurt tears apart the heart of Naiman-ene.
The Earth itself rises against this tragedy: unable to withstand such cruelty from people, it wipes all the guilty from its face.
Libretto – Marklen Bayalinov, edited by Honored Artist of the Kyrgyz Republic Talant Osmonov and Honored Figure of Culture of the Kyrgyz Republic Timur Salamatov
Conductor – Nurlatbek Polotov
Choreographer, costume designer – laureate of the International Competition and the State Youth Prize of the Kyrgyz Republic named after Ch. Aitmatov, Honored Artist of the Kyrgyz Republic Talant Osmonov
Set designer – Asangul Baigaziev
Lighting designers – Galina Kugatova, Igor Linichenko
Artists – Irina Valiakhmetova, Asel Kudaybergenova, Stanislav Aspin