Description of the attraction
The Abai Opera and Ballet Theater is one of the cultural attractions of the capital of Kazakhstan, Almaty.
In 1933, a music studio was opened in the city, and in 1934 a theater was opened on its basis. In 1938, the first Kazakh ballet production "Kalkaman and Mamyr" was staged on the theater stage.
In 1941 the theater troupe moved to a new building designed by architects T. Basenov and N. Prostakov. It was not only the largest and most monumental building in the city, but also a whole event in the architectural life of the republic, since for the first time in the construction of this building issues of national architecture were raised. The theater building is a three-storey, rectangular brick building. The main facade of the building overlooks the square and is distinguished by large, monumental forms. In 1945, the Opera and Ballet Theater was named after the famous Kazakh poet Abai.
At various times such ballet masters as D. Abirov, A. Seleznev, Y. Kovalev, conductors V. Rutter, I. Zak, B. Zhamanbaev, G. Dugashev, Z. Raibaev, F. Mansurov, artists G Ismailova and A. Nenashev.
In the 1990s. became a difficult period in the life of a cultural institution. In 1996, restoration work began in the theater, which lasted for several years. The opening of the theater after restoration took place in 2001. In the first years after the opening, active work was carried out to restore the best performances of the theater and its repertoire.
Currently, the Abai Opera and Ballet Theater in Almaty is the flagship of the country's musical art. The basis of the theater's creative team is made up of both renowned stage masters and young talents - laureates of various prestigious and international competitions that have received worldwide recognition. The repertoire of the theater is represented by ballet and opera performances based on the works of Kazakh authors and world classics.
