A highly nonlinear system of acoustic and optical oscillations in a complex crystalline lattice consisting of two sublattices is analyzed. The system is obtained as a generalization of the linear Carman-Born-Kun Huang theory. Large displacements of atoms up to structure stability loss and restructuring are admitted. It is shown that the system has nontrivial solutions describing movements of fronts, emergence of periodic structures and defects. Strong interaction of acoustic and optical modes of oscillation for media without center of symmetry is demonstrated. A possibility of energy-excitation of the optical mode by means of controlling torque applied to the ends of the lattice is examined. Control algorithm based on speed-gradient method is proposed and analyzed numerically. Simulation results demonstrate that application of control may eliminate or reduce influence of initial conditions. An easily realizable nonfeedback version of control algorithm is proposed possessing similar properties.