Kirghiz Theater of Opera and Ballet

(full name, Kirghiz Academic Theater of Opera and Ballet), established in 1937 in Frunze as the Theater of Music and Drama. Originally formed out of the Kirghiz State Theater, it was given its present name in 1942. In 1955 the theater acquired a new building. Performances are given in Kirghiz and Russian. In 1939 the theater staged the first Kirghiz opera, The Lunar Beauty, by Vlasov, Maldybaev, and Fere, and in 1940 it performed the first national ballet, Anar, by Vlasov and Fere.

The theater’s repertoire includes Russian and foreign classics, as well as works of composers from the Soviet republics, but it specializes in national Kirghiz operas and ballets. Among its best operatic productions have been The Patriots (1941), Manas (1946; 3d version, 1966; Toktogul State Prize of the Kirghiz SSR, 1970), On the Shores of the Issyk-Kul’ (1951), and Toktogul (1958) by Vlasov, Maldybaev, and Fere; Aidar and Aisha (1952) by Amanbaev and Germanov; White Falcon (1957) by Riauzov; Dzhamilia (1961) by Raukhverger; Oldzhobai and Kishimdzhan (1965) by Abdraev; and Careful, Bride! (1971) by Davlesov. Ballets have included The Swing (1943) by Vlasov and Fere, Morning Star by Raukhverger (1944; 3d version, 1958), Asel’ (1967) by Vlasov, and Immortality (1972) by Nurymov.

The company’s leading singers (1972) are People’s Artists of the USSR S. Kiizbaeva and A. Myrzabaev and People’s Artists of the Kirghiz SSR A. Dzhumabaev, I. Derkembaeva, M. Makhmutova, S. Toktonaliev, and K. Chodronov. Ballet soloists are People’s Artist of the USSR B. Beishenalieva and People’s Artist of the Kirghiz SSR R. Chokoeva. The principal conductor is People’s Artist of the Kirghiz SSR A. Dzhumakhmatov; the main director, V. Popov; the principal choreographer, People’s Artist of the Kirghiz SSR U. Sarbagishev; the principal chorus master, People’s Artist of the Kirghiz SSR S. Iusupov; and the chief artist, People’s Artist of the USSR A. Aref’ev. The theater was awarded the Order of Lenin in 1939.