CIRCLE

Biography

One-act ballet.

Composer - Leonard Bernstein, symphonic suite from the musical "West Side Story". Libretto, choreography and staging - Bulat Ayukhanov.

The premiere took place in 1980. The production was staged for the SECD of the KazSSR under the direction of Bulat Ayukhanov.

The first performers: Maria - Sairagul Nursultanova, Bernardo - Erkin Kaliekov, Anita - Nursayle Bigabilova, Tony - Vyacheslav Goncharov, Riff - Gennady Sitakov, Chino - Murat Tukeyev.

The action takes place in New York in the mid-1950s, telling about the confrontation between two street gangs - the “Jets”, descendants of white immigrants, and the “Sharks”, Puerto Ricans. The protagonist, former member of “Jets” Tony, falls in love with Maria, the sister of Bernardo, the leader of the “Sharks”. Bernardo forbids Maria to date Tony, but the love of the young people refuses to understand the senseless enmity of the peers.

Riff and Bernardo arrange a meeting for the groups. Excited by stupid cruelty, they beat each other. Until knives appear in the hands of Riff and Bernardo. The situation is complicated by the appearance of Tony, who is trying to separate the grappled in a fight. Bernardo mortally wounds Riff, unexpectedly kills Bernardo. Bernardo's friends Anita and Chino run to the scene of a bloody fight, bringing Maria with them. Maria curses Tony, Tony agrees to accept death so as not to lose Maria's love.