Novosibirsk State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre

Novosibirsk State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre
Located in the largest Siberian city of Novosibirsk, the theater decorates the capital of Siberia. Novosibirsk State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre is the largest and one of the most technically advanced theaters in Russia. Its construction was completed in February 1944, and the first performance was held on May 12th, 1945. During these years, over 340 opera and ballet performances have been held here. Today, over 800 people work in the theater and about half of them are performers. Construction works lasted for about 10 years, from 1931 till 1941. Some say that is was built by Germans but it’s not true. During WWII, a lot of exhibits from museums located in the European part of the USSR were kept here, including the Hermitage, the State Tretyakov Gallery, and The Bolshoi Theater.

Novosibirsk State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre was visited in 1960 by the King of Cambodia. In 1974, Princess Beatrix of the Netherlands (1980 – Queen of the Netherlands), was present at the performance of “Swan Lake”. In 1976 Swedish Prime Minister Olof Palme visited the performance of “Giselle” on April 9. Jose Eduardo dos Santos, President of Angola. Rajiv Gandhi, future Prime Minister of India, and then the general secretary of the Indian National Congress, a member of the Indian Parliament visited Novosibirsk July 9, 1983.

In 1959, Nixon and his wife visited Novosibirsk. The future president of the United States, and then vice-president, arrived in Novosibirsk from Leningrad. He visited AI Ephraim, HPP, construction of the Novosibirsk Scientific Center, attended the play “Swan Lake” at the Opera House on July 29. Nixon once even climbed on the hood of ZIM limousine to greet Siberians – well, just like Lenin.

In 1966, French President Charles de Gaulle visited the factory “Sibelectrotyazhmash”, Akademgorodok, and attended the play “Stone Flower” at the Opera and Ballet Theater on June 24.

Russian President Vladimir Putin visited Novosibirsk State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre twice – in December 2005, and March 6, 2013. He spoke at a large-scale gala concert performance of “In the sky – Pokryshkin” dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the birth of three times Hero of the Soviet Union, an honorary citizen of the city of Novosibirsk Air Marshal Alexander Pokryshkin.

Novosibirsk State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre

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