BALLET

BALLET, a type of stage art content of which is revealed in musically­choreographic images. The Bashkir B. formed itself in the 1940s. Relying on the academic school of Classic Russian Ballet, it widely uses traditional forms of the Bashkir folk choreography. The first part of the ballet troupe of the Opera and Ballet Theatre was formed in 1941 under the guidance of N.G.Zaytsev mainly from graduates of the Bashkir Theatre Arts School (ref. Art School) and Leningrad Choreographic School (LKhU). Its staff consisted of Z.N.Bakhtiyarova, Z.A.Nasretdinova, F.M.Sattarov, Kh.G.Safiullin, G.G.Su­leymanova, T.Sh.Hudayberdina, etc. The repertoire of the theatre had ap­ proximately 30 performances. The first performance on the national theme was the ballet Crane Song (1944), music and choreography of which had a great influence on the development of the ballet art in Bashkortostan.

The art of the Bashkir State Opera and Ballet Theatre ballet troupe in the 1950— 80s testified to its increased professional skill and rich creative potential. At the end of 1950s — beginning of 1960s. the troupe included such students of LKhU as A.S.Bikchurin, V.Kh.Galimova, F.M.Nafi­kova, etc. In 1955, R.Kh.Nureyev debuted in the play Crane Song. In the 1960—70s, L.S.Kuvatova, Sh.A.Teregu­ lov and others came to the ballet scene as well. The best performances of this period were Sleeping Beauty by Tchaikovsky, Giselle by A.Adan, La Bayadere and Don Quixote by L.F.Minkus, Cinderella by Prokofiev, Bolero by M.Ravel, By Way of Thunder by K.A.Karaev, Blue Danube by I.Strauss, Shurale by F.Z.Yarullin, Per Gunt by E.Grig, The Carmen Suite by G.Bizet  and  R.K.Shchedrin,  The  Young Lady and the Hooligan by D.D. Shostakovich, Sister Carrie by R.V.Pauls, Chippolino by K.S.Khachaturian, and Spartacus by A.I.Khachaturian. The repertoire was also supplemented by such national performances as Mountain Eagle by Kh.F.Akhmetov and N.G.Sabitov, Gulnazira, I Love You, Life and The Aigul Country by Sabitov, Chernolikie (Black Faces) by Kh.Sh.Zaimov and A.G. Chugayev, In the Lunar Eclipse Night.

The opening of the R.Nureyev Choreographic College (1986) led to a new stage in the development of the Bashkir B. The artistic level of the ballet troupe at the beginning of the 1990s was characterized by the performances scened by Yu.N. Grigorovich: Vain Precaution by Gertel, the new renditions of the performances of Don Quixote by Minkus, Swan Lake and The Nutcracker by Tchaikovsky. The classic repertoire expanded,  the  role  of  choreographic symphonic performance grew and the dance mastery became enriched. New renditions of such ballets as Crane Song, Sleeping Beauty by Tchaikovsky, Cinderella by Prokofiev; the ballets of Khoja Nasretdin and Arkaim, the children’s ballet Tom Sawyer by P.B.Ovsyannikov, La marionette (Puppet) to the music of I.F.Stravinsky significantly enriched the subject and identified ways to further creative development of the ballet art in Bashkortostan. The republic now regularly holds The Nureyev’ International Ballet Art Festival.