Astana Opera to tour Saint Petersburg, to present La Scala di Seta
Within the framework of the 4th Chamber Opera International Festival, the company will present Gioachino Rossini’s operatic farsa comica La Scala di Seta. On October 20, a full house is expected at the St. Petersburg Chamber Opera State Chamber Music Theatre: the St. Petersburg audience is looking forward to Kazakh artists’ arrival, all tickets have already been sold a month before the performance.
The tour will be held within the framework of the program «Rukhani Zhanghyru» with the support of the Ministry of Culture and Sports of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Astana Opera’s official website reads.
«Due to the highest level of our opera and ballet productions, the skill of our artists, the Astana Opera is well known and regarded in the global cultural space. The performance at the St. Petersburg Opera, which opens the tour schedule of our seventh theatrical season, will take place thanks to the invitation of the Artistic Director, People’s Artist of Russia, laureate of the State Prize of Kazakhstan Yuri Alexandrov. All expenses for the tour were financed by the St. Petersburg Opera. It is important to note that a close long-term friendship ties our company together with the outstanding Russian stage director. Performing for the discerning St. Petersburg audience is a great honor and responsibility for us, we hope that the evening will be a great success,» the Director of the Astana Opera, Honoured Worker of Kazakhstan, Galym Akhmedyarov said.
Gioachino Rossini created the operatic farsa comica in one act La Scala di Seta (The Silken Ladder) to the libretto by Giuseppe Maria Foppa at the age of 20 for the Venetian Teatro San Moisè. The opera is distinguished by its sparkling sense of humor, lively improvisational performing style inherent in the plot, as well as virtuosity of vocal and instrumental parts. The great composer expresses his admiration for the enthusiasm and ingenuity of the young couple Giulia and Dorvil, whose relationship for the time being must be kept secret. Every night, the lawful husband enters his wife’s room using a ladder made of silk, which she lowers down to him from her window. Giulia’s guardian Dormont is unaware of the marriage and wants to marry her off to Blansac. Misunderstandings and confusions constantly multiply to be happily resolved in the end.
The Astana Opera’s Principal Soloists, Kazakh opera stars are preparing to perform the leading roles: Giulia – Honoured Artist of Kazakhstan Zhannat Baktay, Dorvil – Honoured Worker of Kazakhstan Zhan Tapin, Germano – Honoured Worker of Kazakhstan, laureate of the State Prize of the Republic of Kazakhstan Sundet Baigozhin. The production will also feature the opera house’s wonderful soloists: Lucilla – Saltanat Muratbekova, Blansac – Yevgeniy Chainikov, Dormont – Ramzat Balakishiyev.
The Astana Opera Chamber Orchestra will perform under the baton of the Music Director of the production, Honoured Worker of Kazakhstan Abzal Mukhitdinov, Harpsichord – Yelena Sakhno, Zhanar Akhmetova. Stage Director – Ala Simonishvili, Set and Costume Designer – Manana Gunia. Project Technical Director – Viсtor Carare, Assistant Conductor – Ruslan Baimurzin, Assistant Director – Yerenbak Toikenov. Accompanists – Yelena Sakhno, Zhanar Akhmetova, Meruert Zhekenova. Project Coordinator – Marzhan Zhakenova.
On November 9 and 10, the creative team of the St. Petersburg Chamber Opera State Chamber Music Theatre will arrive with a reciprocal tour to the capital of Kazakhstan. For the first time at the Astana Opera, the artists will present world opera masterpieces – Verdi’s Rigoletto and Bizet’s Les Pêcheurs de Perles.