Kamal State Academic Theatre

The first public theatre performance in Tatar took place on December 22, 1906 in Kazan. This date is considered to be official birthday of the Tatar State Academic Theatre, named after Galiaskar Kamal. Sakhibzhamal Ghizzatullina-Volzhskaya, the first female-actress, and Gabdulla Kariyev, who headed the theatre later and was called «father of Tatar theatre» in his lifetime, joined the company in 1907. A great Tatar poet G. Tukai gave the name «Saiyar» («Mobile Theatre») to the company in 1908.

Having been a mobile one before the revolution, the theatre became permanent in early 1920th. At first, it occupied the building of former Merchants’ Assembly, which now is given to the Theatre of Young Spectator in Ostrovsky Street. Later they moved to the building of former Officials’ Club in Gorky Street.

During the first decade the theatre laid down the foundations of national performing art. The repertoire of the pre-war period was quite various, including world and national classics, Tatar and foreign plays in translation. In 1926 the company got the title of Academic Theatre, and in 1939 it was named after a classic of Tatar drama Galiaskar Kamal.
One of the brightest pages of the post-war history of the company was their participation in the Tatar Ten-day Festival of Literature and Arts, which was held in Moscow in 1957. The last three decades have marked a new period in creativity of academic theatre. The theatre, which we know nowadays, was created by its Chief Producer M. Kh. Salimzhanov (1934-2002). Having graduated from GITIS (State Institute of Theatre Art), he devoted 36 years of his life to the theatre. He defined up-to-date repertoire, demanding contemporary actors’ interpretation of roles. One of the latest M. Kh. Salimzhanov’s works, a play «Clairvoyant» by Z. Khakim (stage design by T. Yehikeyev) got grand-prix at the Turkic Peoples’ Theatre Festival «Nauruz-98», which was held in Kazan.

People’s Artist of the USSR, professor, and state prizewinner, Marsel Kh. Salimzhanov was given the «Golden Mask» award in the category «For Honour and Dignity». In December 2001 Marsel Salimzhanov got an honorable title of academician of the Academy of Tatarstan for outstanding service in arts.

Nowadays the theatre has been touring cities of Russia, the Baltic Region and the Middle Asia. In 1996, 1997 and 2000 the company toured Finland, performing «The Old Man From Aldermesh Village», «Soul of Mine», and «The Light of My Eyes», based on T. Minullin’s Plays. In 1996 «The Seagull» by A. Chekhov and «The Light of My Eyes» were represented at the Festival of Youth’s Theatres in Augsburg (Germany). In 1999 the theatre performed «The Old Man From Aldermesh Village» in Istanbul (Turkey). In September 2000 the Tatar State Academic Theatre, named after Galiaskar Kamal, toured Astrakhan. In 2001 they performed in Ufa as well as other cities and regions of Bashkortostan republic.

The Kamal theatre is one of the most popular national theatres in the country. Talented young people are working there together with highly professional actors. The Chief Producer F. Bikchantayev, who graduated from GITIS in Moscow, staged nearly 20 plays in the theatre. He was awarded the prize for the best producing at the Festival «Nauruz-98».
In 1995 Chekhov’s «Seagull», staged by F. Bikchantayev, was nominated as one of the best three productions of the year at the IV International Festival of Drama Schools «Podium-95» in Moscow.

In 1996 the Tatar State Academic Theatre, named after Galiaskar Kamal, moved to a new building on the bank of lake Kaban. The building resembles a sailer above the water. Big stained-glass windows with view of the lake, balconies, where spectators walk, winter garden with fountains, portrait gallery and sculptures of prominent theatre figures are there in the foyer of the theatre.

Address: Russia, Kazan, 420021, Tatarstan st., 1
Phone: +7 (843) 2930638, 2930056, 2930374
Fax: +7 (843) 2930883