Abay Opera House

The Abai Kazakh National Opera and Ballet Theatre (Kazakh: , romanized: Abai atyndağy Qazaq ūlttyq opera jäne balet teatry; Russian: , romanized: Kazakhskii natsionalnyi teatr opery i baleta imeni Abaya) is an opera house located in Almaty, Kazakhstan. Founded as a music studio in 1933, it evolved into a full-fledged theater by 1934. Since 19 December 2020, the theatre has been designated as national status by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.

Before becoming a theater, the Abay Opera House began as a music studio in 1933 in Almaty. By 1934, it was established as a theater, and in 1941, the official opening of the new theater building took place. In 1945, it was named after the renowned Kazakh poet, composer, and philosopher Abai Qunanbaiuly. On 13 January 1934, the first public performance of the musical comedy Aiman Sholpan was staged, with a libretto by Mukhtar Auezov and folk music arranged by Ivan Kotsyk. This event is regarded as the birth of the Kazakh musical theatre. The theater's first composer, Yevgeny Brusilovsky, laid the foundation for Kazakhstan's national opera art, composing operas such as Qyz-Jibek (1934), Jalbyr (1935), and Er Targyn (1936). In 1935, a Russian opera company was established, leading to the staging of nine productions of Russian and world opera classics by 1937. Notable productions included Carmen, Eugene Onegin, The Queen of Spades, and Aida. That same year, the theater was officially named the Kazakh Opera and Ballet Theater, and a ballet company was formed, performing works such as Coppélia (1937) and Swan Lake (1938). The first Kazakh ballet, Qalqaman and Mamyr, was staged in 1938. During the 1950s, the theater featured the works of prominent Soviet choreographers like Mikhail Moiseyev and Dauren Abirov, who contributed significantly to the development of ballet at the theater. Productions from this era included The Red Poppy, The Bronze Horseman, and Shurale. Another key figure, Zauyrbek Raibaev, not only performed but also directed several ballets. In the 1970s, Valery Rutter, an Honored Artist of the Kazakh SSR, staged

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