25 February 2019
World-famous Russian “Scheherazade Ballet” Kicked off The 14th Edition of the Spring of Culture Festival At the National Theater
Bahrain National Theater, which consist of 1001-seat theater, has bestowed a magical oriental One Thousand and One Nights atmosphere over the public audience present at the world famous Russian ballet, “Scheherazade” on 25 February 2019. The event kicked off the 4th Edition of the Spring of Culture festival, coinciding with Arab Tourism Day, held on 25 February each year, adopted by the “ Manama Capital of Arab Tourism 2013”, and also in conjunction with the birthday of Arab renowned explorer traveller Ibn Batutah.
Speaking for the occasion, H.E Shaikha Mai Bint Mohammad Al-Khalifa, President of Bahrain Authority for Culture & Antiquities said “ The start of Spring of Festival, which coincides with the birthday of Arab renowned explorer traveller Ibn Batutah, reflects the universal character of this annual cultural season that contributes to cultural tourism industry enhancement in the Kingdom of Bahrain”. H.E added “ Culture is one essential element of sustainable development, a bridge connecting us with the rest of the world’s civilizations. Thus, we are here today gathered in the 1001-seat theater hosting famous Russian ballet, “Scheherazade”, inspired by Arabian the well-know Arabian Nights, One Thousand and One Night, at the cross-roads of civilisations, the beloved land of Bahrain”.
H.E said that the Russian Ballet show on Bahrain National Theater, built thanks to the generous support of His Majesty King Hamad Bin Isa Al Khalifa, May God Protect Him, is the most suitable and conceivable start of the festival. H.E rejoined to say that these the Spring of Culture Festival presents a bouquet of a thousand flowers, ranging between amazing pulsating music, phenomenal performances, global talents to be hosted by cultural institutions, historical sites and iconic urban centers around the Kingdom of Bahrain.
H.E also thanked all the sponsors of 2019 Spring of Culture 14th edition of the festival, for their strong belief in culture’s role in Bahrain, which remains an important for the progress of society and achieve a sustainable development industry. H.E said “ We are pleased to see everyone taking part in the cultural movement in Bahrain, where joy and happiness in the spring of colours is our greatest deed and our main destination”. H.E expressed her sincerest gratitude and thanks the Economic Development Board, extending thanks to all other festival’s contributors, such as Shaikh Ebrahim bin Mohammad Al Khalifa Center for Culture & Research and its rich cultural program and the cooperation of both Albareh Art Gallery and La Fontaine Centre of Contemporary Art.
During the show the audience was mesmerized not only by the mmusical stories coming to vibrant life in this superb concert, but also by the superb and most famous and talented Bolshoi Ballet dancers and great talents of Mariinski accompanied and well played by live Saint Petersburg Academic Symphony Orchestra. Rimsky-Korsakov’s dazzling orchestral showpiece transports you to the exotic 1001 Arabian Nights where Scheherazade mesmerizes her husband with colorful tales. Throughout, the music of Scheherazade showcases Rimsky-Korsakov’s mastery as an orchestrator; in terms of the pure, sensory pleasure of sound, he is unsurpassed. The music of the waves alternates with delicate passages for solo instruments, and each time the “ waves” return, the orchestration becomes richer and grander, climaxing in a shimmering fortissimo. The story of “Scheherazade tells the story of Sultan Shahrayar, played here by Oleg Fomin, while his Zobéide was Bolshoi ballerina Kristina Kretova, relishing the lustful foreplay and gets her husband into her web of mischiefs, flirting with the palace’s laves and dramatically ending with Zobeida stabbing herself, leaving the sultan in an unsettled silence . The piece evokes an image of Scheherazade (Shahrazad), the young wife of the sultan Schahriar (Shahryar), telling tales to her husband to forestall his plan to kill her. Colorful and highly varied in mood, the work has a recurring violin solo that represents Scheherazade herself and a deep, ponderous theme that corresponds to the sultan.
Indeed, ballet adaptation of Scheherazade premiered in 1910, at the Opéra Garnier in Paris by the Ballets Russes. The choreography for the ballet was by Michel Fokine and the libretto was from Fokine and Léon Bakst. Extremely talented as a ballet impresario, Sergei Diaghilev played the greatest role popularizing Russian culture internationally. He founded The Russian Seasons (Les Saisons Russes), the project that later gave birth to the Ballets Russes, and spread the fame of this quintessential Russian art form across international audiences, and in doing so he had a major influence on the future of world culture. Starting from 1906, the finest showcases of Russian art, classical music, opera and later on, ballet, toured Europe to critical acclaim, earning the adoration of audiences everywhere. In fact, Diaghilev changed the very nature of classical Russian ballet, making it more innovative, brief and beautifully decorated in order to dazzle international audiences.
Spring of Culture 14th ‘s edition, which will run until end of April 2019, coincides with BACA’s year-long celebrations of Bahrain’s achievements under the slogan “From Jubilee to Another”- A Year of Celebrations 2019”. The 14th Edition of the Spring of Culture Festival presents a bouquet of a thousand flowers, ranging between amazing pulsating music, phenomenal performances, global talents to be hosted by cultural institutions, historical sites and iconic urban centers around Bahrain.
The 2019 Spring of Culture’s Gold Sponsors include GFH Financial Group, National Bank of Bahrain, Tamkeen and Batelco, while Silver Sponsors include Alba, Bahrain Airport Company, Bahrain Duty Free, Bank of Bahrain and Kuwait, and Huawei, and supported by Gulf Air. Also, special thanks to the embassies of Italy, Japan, South Korea, France, Germany and Egypt who are taking part in the program.
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