On June 12 and 13, the Tsydynzhapov Buryat State Opera and Ballet Theatre will present The Beauty of Angara at the Hvorostovsky Krasnoyarsk Opera and Ballet Theatre as part of the festive season lineup. This vibrant ballet is a signature production of the company.
Originally premiered in 1959, the ballet is now performed in a 2016 adaptation by Japanese dancer and choreographer Morihiro Iwata who was then the artistic director of the Buryat ballet company.
The libretto draws on the legend of the mighty hero Baikal and his beautiful daughter Angara who defies her father’s watchful eye to elope with her blue-eyed beloved, the Yenisey River. Buryat playwright Namzhil Baldano enriches the story by incorporating other regional myths including the figure of the Black Whirlwind—a schematically “villainous” character who covets Angara and Baikal’s wealth.
The score by Lev Knipper and Bau Yampilov fuses Buryat folk melodies with shamanic rhythms. Choreographers Mikhail Zaslavsky and Igor Moiseev, with additions by Morihiro Iwata, created a dynamic production ranging from tender duets to grand shamanic ensembles and captive dances.
“The Beauty of Angara was created by true masters,” said the company’s principal choreographer Bayarto Dambaev. “Lev Knipper, Bau Yampilov, Mikhail Zaslavsky, Igor Moiseeev—all did extensive scholarly research—historical, ethnographic. That’s why this ballet remains relevant. It’s been in our repertoire for over fifty years, performed continuously, and is beloved by audiences in Krasnoyarsk, Chita, and Irkutsk. I hope it'll be taken to other cities; through dance, people will learn about Buryatia, Baikal, and Angara.”
Tickets are available at the Krasnoyarsk Opera and Ballet Theatre box office (phone 227‑86‑97, daily 10AM–8PM), on Krasopera.ru, and via regional ticketing platforms.
