A crystal of talent that opens up incredible possibilities
A new Kamal Theater opened, but performances will start in March
A poster was signed and handed over the symbolic key to the younger generation of artists — a new building of the Kamal Theater opened on 74, Khadi Taktasha Street in Kazanwhere an extended meeting of the final board of the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Tatarstan was held. True, performances in the theatre will start to be shown approximately in late March. But it is already known that the Golden Mask award ceremony will be held here in the summer. Rea more about it in a report of Realnoe Vremya.
“Third place”at Kaban
At 9 o’clock in the morning, there was slight chaos at the entrance to the new building — spectators and some participants were allowed in through one door, however, they did not have to wait long. 84-year-old actor Azgar Shakirov wandered around the foyer as if enchanted. And his colleague Iskander Khayrullin worked on the text — he was acting as a guide for the distinguished guests. As per tradition, the tour of the new facility dragged on, so the official part began 45 minutes later than planned.
The history of the construction of the new building began in 2018, in 2021 a competition was announced to develop the concept, in which 87 bureaus from 14 countries took part. In February 2022, the winner was announced — a project of a consortium led by Moscow-based design bureau Wauhaus in collaboration with the Japanese from Kengo Kuma and Associates. The construction began in the winter of 2023.
In October 2024, the facility was presented to the participants of the BRICS Summit, but the opening date was postponed over and over. It was assumed that the first event in the new building would be Kazanysh architectural forum in February but the Ministry of Culture managed to ensure that the building was shown to a large number of guests first at the ministerial event.
Light show and ethno groups
The new building was inspected by Minister of Culture of Russia Olga Lyubimova, Minister of Construction and Housing and Public Utilities of Russia Irek Fayzullin, Rais of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov and Chairman of the Union of Theatre Workers of Russia Vladimir Mashkov. First, they were shown one of the scenes of the play Blue Shawlright in the foyer, and then the guests signed a commemorative poster and took pictures with the troupe. This was the first opening of the theatre.
Afterwards, the guests were shown each hall. In the foyer of the Universal Hall (black box), they were greeted by the Institute of Culture and the Feshin School, after which Minnikhanov and Lyubimova watched an improvisation from Nur festival behind closed doors. By the way, this space can be used to film and broadcast movies and TV shows.
The Round Eastern Hall, the walls of which are decorated with 40-kilogramme coins, became a venue for a short concert by Kadim Almet Almetyevsk group (and outside, Leysan Gareyeva's kurai players played and Vildanovs' workshop kyl-kubyzs were demonstrated). Head of the theatre orchestra Daniyar Sokolov said that his group can be recorded in this room.
And in the Chamber Hall, Minnikhanov was met by children from Apush studio. It is already known that they will become residents of the new building.
Tugan Tel and a symbolic key
In the Great Hall, the opening began with a video clip, after which the finalist of the show The Voice. Children Said Galiullin took the stage and sang Tugan Tel. The audience stood up, and the troupe joined them.
Ildus Akhmetzyanov who began reading Tukay's poem Theater after him, apparently forgot the words for the first time in his life, but Azgar Shakir immediately prompted: “It is pure and majestic, it draws you to bright heights. Free and wide, it is holy and independent.”
Host Ramil Vaziyev (he became a People's Artist of the Republic by the end of the event) invited the guests of honoyr to the stage.
“It feels like you are inside some incredible piece of jewellery,” Lyubimova did not hide her admiration.
Fayzullin continued the cycle of aphorisms, saying:
“A new temple has appeared, a temple of culture, which is distinguished by the very effective work of the entire Tatarstan team.”
Finally, Mashkov added to their words:
“We were driving up, I was looking at this beauty. And I know that the ideology and idea of the theater project is that it is absolutely transparent and open to the world. Mrs Lyubimova, you were right about the precious stone. It is a crystal of talent that opens up incredible opportunities for both the youngest people and great stage masters.”
And then he announced that it had already been decided: this summer, the Golden Mask award will be held in Kazan for the first time in its history.
At the beginning of his speech, Minnikhanov noted that both the appearance of the building and its location were chosen correctly, and also praised Tatinvestgrazhdanproekt and the builders for the speed of their work. The team of Eurostroyholding+ LLC received a letter of thanks for their work; Vladimir Kazilov, the general director, came out to receive it, and today was his birthday. He was also presented with a plane, props from the play The Old Man from the Village of Aldermysh.
“There is no doubt that this is not only a theatre, but more a space with enormous possibilities,” said Minnikhanov. “As they said, this is a precious stone, a diamond for our capital. And, of course, we must take advantage of this so that there is a powerful centre here not only for the republic, but for our entire country.”
The viewer was reminded that in 1987, the building on Tatarstan Street was opened with a key. The oldest actor, 86-year-old Ravil Sharafeyev, taking it in his hands, said:
“Unfortunately, an actor cannot remain forever young. Therefore, I am handing this heavy symbolic key to the youngest actor, — and handed it to one of the young participants in theatrical productions, and he replied: “Thank you, Uncle Ravil!”
Mandatory approval by the ministry
The formal part is over, the board has started. Tatarstan Minister of Culture Irada Ayupova at the beginning of her report indicated that the key change in the system of managing the cultural sector in the Republic of Tatarstan was the integration of ideological issues into the system of state assignments in culture:
“If previously the control indicators were quantitative values, then starting in 2025, the issue of content quality and its compliance with traditional values will come to the fore. Issues of both the creation and write-off of a creative product from the current repertoire will undergo mandatory approval by the ministry, as well as the planning of exhibition, educational and other projects.”
She also suggested that Lyubimova consider the possibility of creating expert councils based on the largest federal libraries in the country, which will deal with the issue of stocking libraries with quality literature.
“This year, we are changing the principles of work of the expert councils of the ministry, creative unions and introducing the practice of state orders for the creation of new dramatic, concert works and theatrical productions aimed at preserving spiritual and moral values and fostering patriotism,” he minister added, recalling that this was practiced in 2019 (works for the 100th anniversary of the TASSR) and in 2022 (works preserving, developing and popularising the culture of the Tatar people).
By the way, the president of the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Tatarstan Rifkat Minnikhanov also spoke about ideology. Speaking about the study Culture in the Republic of Tatarstan: Sociological Optics, he noted that it revealed a “distortion of national history”:
“Often unfounded and open lobbying for experimental forms of manifestation of creative style and handwriting under the slogan of freedom of creativity and bringing in a “fresh stream,” which greatly harms national culture.
Interestingly, this thesis was illustrated by a photo of a scene from the play Amphitryon of the Pskov Drama Theatre, which was presented in May 2024 by Ilgiz Zayniyev, in which the newly appointed director of the Kamal Theatre examined Moliere's comedy from the point of view of attitudes towards modern celebrities. The play was shown in Kazan at Craft festival.
As for the plans, according to Ayupova, in 2025, as part of the Year of the Defender of the Fatherland and the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War, a monument to the poet and front-line soldier Fatih Karim, busts of Army General Makhmut Gareyev and Damir Gilemkhanov involved in the special military operation, as well as a memorial plaque to the Hero of the Soviet Union Georgy Mosolov will appear in Kazan. Together with the regional branch of the Russian Military Historical Society in the Republic of Tatarstan, a competition will be held to create standard projects of memorials dedicated to those involved in the special military operation, for their subsequent installation in municipal districts of the republic. Also in 2025, the 200th anniversary of the educator Kayum Nasyri and the 125th anniversary of the composer Salikh Saidashev will be celebrated. And in 2026, it is the 140th anniversary of Gabdulla Tukay, the 120th anniversary of the Tatar theatre and the 120th anniversary of Musa Jalil's birth.
“Today, the commercialisation of art sometimes reaches incredible proportions and leads to the loss of its essence, its basic characteristic — the need for each artistic product to have non-market values,” Ayupova continued, reporting that in this regard the ministry has developed a draft content memorandum for the next three years, which is planned to be adopted before 1 March 2025.
Ayupova also touched on plans to transform the Central Department Store into a Crafts Centre: the Ministry of Culture, together with the heads of districts and city districts, as well as the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Tatarstan, conducted a census of masters of folk arts and crafts; 413 masters were included in the register.
“Another trend in the creative environment seems quite alarming: the decline in interest among cultural and artistic figures in national themes,” Rifkat Minnikhanov added, “which is clearly evident, unfortunately, in the levelling of traditional types of folk art of a multinational people that once won worldwide fame: weaving, jewellery, gold embroidery, stone carving.
Ayupova also reported that this year, as part of advanced training at the Kazan State Institute of Culture, club workers will take a mandatory module course on the psychological and pedagogical cycle, at least 8 hours.
“Today, the issue of import substitution is acute not only in content, but also in industry technologies,” said Ayupova. “We need platforms for communication between businesses, manufacturers of goods and specialists. Similar exhibitions, as demonstrated in the foyer, should also be at the Kazan Digital Week site.”
Windows versus Linux
The topic was continued by Art Director of the Chelny drama theatre Oleg Kinzyagulov. In 2020, the theatre received a new building after the reconstruction of former Stroitel Culture Centre: the number of spectators increased by 280%, the average salary doubled. With the move, a modern set of stage equipment was purchased, but some elements cannot be replaced due to the lack of supplies from Europe.
“The theatre is equipped with a ventilation system and a fire alarm, which also operate on Windows software,” Kinzyagulov said and noted that if these systems are blocked, the building will be left without means of ensuring security and air flow. An alternative system on the Linux platform loses in terms of speed and efficiency of data processing, which leads to failures in operation.
Kinzyagulov proposed creating a management company for the organisation and control of technical equipment of cultural institutions of Tatarstan, which will not only solve current problems, but also work to prevent their occurrence. The Kamal Theatre has opened, but even now, according to the theatre's leading manager Zukhra Vildanova, it is impossible to say exactly when performances will start here, but it is expected that this will happen on March 27 — World Theatre Day.
At the same time, after the opening, access to the theatre will be from 10 am until evening — that is, the new building will become a kind of “third place.” Three of the four halls will be accessible through turnstiles, in addition, Kosh café with a view of the Vakhitovsky Bridge will open. A restaurant is planned to open, and on the third floor, you can visit theatre workshops. And the troupe will have as many as five rehearsal spaces here (for comparison: in the old building, the actors gather either in the halls themselves or in the former office of the chief director Marsel Salimzhanov).
