Ballet
Legend of love April 12, 2026, 18:00
Description
In memory of Yuri Grigorovich, People’s Artist of the USSR, Laureate of the Lenin and State Prizes, Hero of Socialist Labour, Hero of Kuban, and Academician
The Legend of Love is an emotional and spectacular ballet. The Legend of Love is a dramatic story of powerful feelings and great choices, where love, sacrifice, and destiny are intertwined in a powerful stage performance with impressive music and choreography.
A. Melikov
LEGEND OF LOVE
Ballet in three acts
Libretto by Nazim Hikmet and Yuri Grigorovich
At the Abay Opera House, the premiere took place on 15.03.2007
Production Team:
Choreographer – Yuri Grigorovich, People’s Artist of the USSR, Lenin and State Prize laureate, Hero of Socialist Labor, Hero of Kuban, Academician
Set Designer – Simon Virsaladze, People’s Artist of the USSR, Lenin and State Prize laureate, Academician
Conductor – Nurzhan Baibusinov, Honored Figure of the Republic of Karelia
Characters
- Mekhmene Banu, the Queen
- Shireen, her sister
- Ferkhad, the court painter
- The Vizier
- A Stranger
- The Jester
- Ferkhad’s friends
- Shireen’s friends
- Court Dancing Girls
- Courtiers, officers and palace guards, the people, mourners, visions of Ferkhad and Mekhmene Banu
The events take place in the Far East
Act One
Scene 1
The chambers of Mekhmene Banu are plunged into mourning – young Shireen is dying. The Vizier and the courtiers are frightened. A Stranger, who appears out of nowhere, can save the princess, but in return Mekhmene Banu must sacrifice her beauty. For the sake of her beloved sister’s life, Mekhmene Banu accepts the Stranger’s offer. Shireen comes back to life.
Scene 2
In the palace garden, the young painter Ferkhad suddenly meets Mekhmene Banu and her sister Shireen taking a promenade, surrounded by their retinue and the palace guards. The sisters meet Ferkhad’s gaze and a love for the young painter is born in their hearts. The procession leaves. Ferkhad is enchanted by the beauty of the young Shireen.
Shireen secretly returns to the garden, wanting to see Ferkhad again. The youths feel a great attraction to each other.
Act Two
Scene 3
Mekhemene Banu is overcome by passion for Ferkhad. She can think about nothing else. She is in despair, realising that without her beauty she can never win Ferkhad’s heart.
Scene 4
The young Shireen is dreaming of her happiness with her beloved. She is filled with both happiness and anxiety thinking of their next meeting. Ferkhad sneaks into Shireen’s chamber and the lovers flee from the palace. Tormented by jealousy, Mekhmene Banu orders that the lovers are captured. The pursuers catch the fugitives. The lovers’ pleas to grant them happiness are in vain. Mekhmene Banu imposes an impossible condition: Ferkhad can have Shireen if he manages to bore a hole through the iron mountain that blocks the vital water source. Ferkhad shall attempt the impossible task in the name of love. He bids farewell to Shireen.
Act Three
Scene 5
Ferkhad is in the mountains. He dreams that he has gained access to the water and a vision of his beloved Shireen comes to him
Scene 6
Mekhmene Banu is tormented by her love and passion for Ferkhad. She dreams that she is beautiful again and that Ferkhad loves her.
Shireen interrupts Mekhmene Banu’s reveries. She begs her sister to bring back Ferkhad.
Scene 7
Great hope has brought the people to the mountain. If Ferkhad is to accomplish his heroic feat, their lives shall be saved. Mekhmene Banu and Shireen appear surrounded by their retinue. Happy to see each other, the lovers embrace. The Queen agrees to let Ferkhad have Shireen, but he cannot give up his quest to find the water and save the people. Mekhmene Banu and Shireen bow to Ferkhad’s great deed and his sacrifice.
In memory of Yuri Grigorovich, People’s Artist of the USSR, Laureate of the Lenin and State Prizes, Hero of Socialist Labour, Hero of Kuban, and Academician
The Legend of Love is an emotional and spectacular ballet. The Legend of Love is a dramatic story of powerful feelings and great choices, where love, sacrifice, and destiny are intertwined in a powerful stage performance with impressive music and choreography.
A. Melikov
LEGEND OF LOVE
Ballet in three acts
Libretto by Nazim Hikmet and Yuri Grigorovich
At the Abay Opera House, the premiere took place on 15.03.2007
Production Team:
Choreographer – Yuri Grigorovich, People’s Artist of the USSR, Lenin and State Prize laureate, Hero of Socialist Labor, Hero of Kuban, Academician
Set Designer – Simon Virsaladze, People’s Artist of the USSR, Lenin and State Prize laureate, Academician
Conductor – Nurzhan Baibusinov, Honored Figure of the Republic of Karelia
Characters
- Mekhmene Banu, the Queen
- Shireen, her sister
- Ferkhad, the court painter
- The Vizier
- A Stranger
- The Jester
- Ferkhad’s friends
- Shireen’s friends
- Court Dancing Girls
- Courtiers, officers and palace guards, the people, mourners, visions of Ferkhad and Mekhmene Banu
The events take place in the Far East
Act One
Scene 1
The chambers of Mekhmene Banu are plunged into mourning – young Shireen is dying. The Vizier and the courtiers are frightened. A Stranger, who appears out of nowhere, can save the princess, but in return Mekhmene Banu must sacrifice her beauty. For the sake of her beloved sister’s life, Mekhmene Banu accepts the Stranger’s offer. Shireen comes back to life.
Scene 2
In the palace garden, the young painter Ferkhad suddenly meets Mekhmene Banu and her sister Shireen taking a promenade, surrounded by their retinue and the palace guards. The sisters meet Ferkhad’s gaze and a love for the young painter is born in their hearts. The procession leaves. Ferkhad is enchanted by the beauty of the young Shireen.
Shireen secretly returns to the garden, wanting to see Ferkhad again. The youths feel a great attraction to each other.
Act Two
Scene 3
Mekhemene Banu is overcome by passion for Ferkhad. She can think about nothing else. She is in despair, realising that without her beauty she can never win Ferkhad’s heart.
Scene 4
The young Shireen is dreaming of her happiness with her beloved. She is filled with both happiness and anxiety thinking of their next meeting. Ferkhad sneaks into Shireen’s chamber and the lovers flee from the palace. Tormented by jealousy, Mekhmene Banu orders that the lovers are captured. The pursuers catch the fugitives. The lovers’ pleas to grant them happiness are in vain. Mekhmene Banu imposes an impossible condition: Ferkhad can have Shireen if he manages to bore a hole through the iron mountain that blocks the vital water source. Ferkhad shall attempt the impossible task in the name of love. He bids farewell to Shireen.
Act Three
Scene 5
Ferkhad is in the mountains. He dreams that he has gained access to the water and a vision of his beloved Shireen comes to him
Scene 6
Mekhmene Banu is tormented by her love and passion for Ferkhad. She dreams that she is beautiful again and that Ferkhad loves her.
Shireen interrupts Mekhmene Banu’s reveries. She begs her sister to bring back Ferkhad.
Scene 7
Great hope has brought the people to the mountain. If Ferkhad is to accomplish his heroic feat, their lives shall be saved. Mekhmene Banu and Shireen appear surrounded by their retinue. Happy to see each other, the lovers embrace. The Queen agrees to let Ferkhad have Shireen, but he cannot give up his quest to find the water and save the people. Mekhmene Banu and Shireen bow to Ferkhad’s great deed and his sacrifice.
Cast and Performers
(April 12, 2026, 18:00)
- Mekhmene Banu, the Queen Malika Mussina
- Shireen, her sister Zhanel Tukeyeva
- Ferkhad, the court painter Nikita Korneev, First Soloist of the Mariinsky Theatre (St. Petersburg)
- The Vizier Arhat Ashirbek
- A Stranger Dauren Zhenis
- The Jester Kaskyrbay Yeskali
- Courtiers, officers and palace guards, the people, mourners, visions of Ferkhad and Mekhmene Banu – ballet artists
-
Symphony Orchestra and Ballet Company of the Kazakh National Opera and Ballet Theatre after Abay
- Chief Conductor – Nurzhan Baibusinov, Honored Worker of the Republic of Kazakhstan
Gallery
Gallery
