History of the Theatre
A whole century of public performances preceded the establishment of the first permanent Russian Opera Company in the Volga Region. The year of 1791 is considered to be the year of Kazan theatre foundation, which became acceptable for wide audience.
In 1803 the theatre of landowner P.P. Yesipov, consisted of serf peasants, was very popular in Kazan. Yesipov erected a wooden theatre building on a brick foundation. Until 1815 it was situated in the place, where contemporary Opera theatre is. Actually, it was drama theatre, but operas were also staged there.
In 1851 a wonderful theatre was built in Kazan. It was opened with a tour program of Italian Opera Company. It was for the first time, when Kazan people listened to Italian singing.
Impresario P. M. Medvedev (1837-1906), called "collector of Russian stage", began running the Kazan theatre in 1867. On August 26, 1874 the complete version of Glinka's opera "Ivan Susanin" was performed in the Kazan theatre for the first time.
Up to 1917 the Kazan opera company was one of the best provincial theatres both by the number of singers and by the quality of performances.
Soviet Period
In 1934 the Government of Tataria resolved to open the Theatre of Opera and Ballet in Kazan. A year before, on November 4, 1933 they decided to open Tatar Opera studio in the Kazan conservatoire. It was aimed at training actors for future theatre. The studio started its work on February 2, 1934.
National performing traditions were set by graduates of Tatar Opera Studio of Moscow conservatoire, such as M. Rakhmankulova, G. Kaibitskaya, A. Izmailova, S. Sadykova, Z. Bairasheva, V. Bulatova, U. Almeyev, Kh. Zabirova, F. Nasretdinov, L. Vernikovsky, M. Bulat-Rodionov, Ye. Dombayeva, D. Sadrizhanov and others.
The ballet company started its activity at the same time with opera. Choreographer Gai Taghirov was the pioneer of the art, new for Tatar stage. The leading dancers of the company, who made a great contribution to the development of national ballet, were A. Gatsulina, V. Aleyeva, B. Akhtyamov, Z. Gaifullina, A. Filinov, A. Gatsulin, N. Leontyeva, S. Glinskaya, V. Romanyuk and others.
The first national Tatar ballet "Shurale" ("Wood-Goblin") by F. Yarullin (libretto by A. Faizi) was shown in the theatre on March 12, 1945. The production was one of the most considerable events of the Tatar musical life of that time. The contemporary building of the theatre, designed by Skvortsov and Gainutdnov) was opened on September 28, 1956 with the "Altynchech" ("Golden-haired") performance. The construction began in 1936. Now it is a monument of architecture, protected by the State. The beauty and good quality of the building are unique. The ceiling of the auditorium is decorated with rock crystal chandelier of more than one ton weight, specially cast in Mytishchi. The same year the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR passed a resolution to name the theatre after hero-poet Musa Dzhalil.
In the 1960-70th one generation of artists followed another. Among the artistic directors of the theatre were F. Mansurov, Ya. Voshchak, Yu. Kochnev, I. Lapinsh, V. Kutsenko, N. Yultyeva and D. Aripova. In 1988 the Tatar Theatre of Opera and Ballet got the title of Academic theatre. During the period from 1978 to 1987 the opera and ballet companies of the theatre successfully performed in many cities of Russia. They occasionally toured overseas until 1988. The artists from the theatre, as a rule, were included to the delegations, formed in Moscow.
Modern Theatre
The theatre companies began world-wide touring in 1994. Since that time they show 100 opera and ballet performances annually in European countries, such as Holland, Belgium, Germany, Denmark, France, Ausrtria, Switzerland, Luxemburg, Portugal, Ireland, including the biggest theatres of Europe: Carre in Amsterdam (2500 seats), Coliseum in Lisbon (3000 seats), and Strasburg Theatre in France (2500 seats).
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