Wednesday, Dec. 14, 2011Thereupon, on Tuesday, December 13, 2011 their creative teams met the State secretary of Kazakhstan Kanat Saudabaev and the mayor of Astana Imangali Tasmagambetov.

“This decision was made by the head of the state on the eve of the 20th anniversary of Independence of Kazakhstan. This is in a sense his high appreciation of that great contribution which your teams, each of you personally made in the formation and development of our new capital. With all my heart I congratulate you on this event”, the State secretary of Kazakhstan said.

“During the most difficult, economically tough years the head of the state found the means and possibility to support the domestic culture, because he was always sure that when money appears we will buy machines, equipment, technologies abroad. But we can never buy our national art because the art of the Kazakh people will either revive or will be lost in the Kazakh territory. Thanks to such policy of the president in this sphere today we have the real renewal and prosperity of the national culture. The other bright evidence is the decision of the head of the state about awarding the capital theaters with “Academic” title. I think, this is a milestone event in the life of each creative person that connected his destiny with this theater. I believe, this is also the milestone event in the life of our capital, its cultural life”, K. Saudabaev noticed.

The state secretary also informed that they are conducting a very serious work concerning the issue on construction of a new building for those theaters. He thinks that in the nearest future they will get the buildings that will be equipped with the most up-to-date technique, and it will work to the new status of eh academic theater.

It is rightly that our theaters became academic. I can say only one thing; you will remain as the capital theaters, and this imposes not less responsibility regarding the residents of the city. This decision of the head of the state is remarkable and milestone for you. Now you will divide your history in two parts: before and after you became academic. You face a very accurate and obvious task to correspond to this title. Professional skills, performances, playwriting, everything you do must be at this level, I. Tasmagambetov noticed.

Kazakh Music and Drama Theater n.a. K. Kuanishbaev was founded in 1991. Its company includes three People's Artiste of the Republic of Kazakhstan, five honored workers and six holders of “Madeniet kairatkeri”.

Annually about 180 performances are played on its stage, with 4-6 first nights. In 2009 the theater took the 2nd place at the Republican theatrical festival in Karaganda, in 2010 the theatre won the Grand Prix of the Republican theatrical festival in Almaty, in 2011 the actress of the theater Tuimekhan Atymtaeva was recognized as the best performer of female role at the Republican theatrical festival in Almaty.

The history of creation of the Russian Drama theater n.a. M. Gorky goes back to 1900. Its building constructed in 1899 is the architectural monument of Astana. The repertoire of the current company includes 27 evening performance and 11 children’s. Annually the theater presents 6-7 first nights. In 2011 its actors went out to the stage 265 times.

In 2010 “Ivanov” by A. Chekhov was recognized as one of the most interesting plays at the XII International festival of CIS and Baltic states “Meeting in Russia” that took place in Saint-Petersburg. This year the actors of the theater got the Honorary diploma of the III International festival of Russian drama theaters of the Black sea and Baltic region states in Makhachkala.