Ufa Puppet Theater presented "The Snow Queen" in unusual interpretation

The Bashkir State Puppet Theater hosted the premiere of the play "The Snow Queen." The production by Elmira Kurilenko, professor of the Novosibirsk Theater Institute, is designated as a northern fairy tale symphony. The play is aimed primarily at an adult audience and senior school-age children.

The production tells an original story based on the fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen, which preserves the author's original message - love for God. This motive, absent in the translations of the fairy tale of the Soviet era, is embodied in beautiful metaphors through Gerda's love for Kai and her compassion for everyone she meets on her way. The music was specially composed for the play by composer Yulia Piskunova from Novosibirsk. She also wrote the lyrics for the songs performed by the main characters. From the first minutes, the audience focuses on Grandmother and Kai, who tell their story. They remember the brave Gerda, who dies in the fight with the Snow Queen, opening a new path in life for Kai. While watching the play, the audience goes on a journey in which Gerda meets the Witch, the Raven, the Prince and the Princess, the Robber, the Finn, and the Lapland.

All the characters were created based on sketches by the artist Natalia Biryukova. The theater's chief artist, Svetlana Stepanova, worked on the scenography. Together with the lighting designer of the State Academic Bolshoi Theater of Russia, Elena Drevaleva (Moscow), she created a magical visual atmosphere that organically complements the play's plot. The video studio "ART MEDIA" of the Bashkir State Puppet Theater worked on computer graphics and video projection. The production includes actors: Honored Artist of the Russian Federation, People's Artist of the Republic of Bashkortostan Olga Sharafutdinova, Honored Artist of the Republic of Bashkortostan Victoria Shcherbakova, Honored Artist of the Republic of Bashkortostan Svetlana Imamutdinova, Honored Artist of the Republic of Bashkortostan Ilyuza Mukhitova, Vasily Volsky, Nadezhda Proshina, Guzel Mukhamedyanova, Marat Giniyatullin, Railya Gizatullina, Kristina Valieva, Sergey Bulka, Alsou Mazitova, Ksenia Kharitonova, Azamat Shagisultanov.

Author: Leila Aralbaeva