Astana Opera
State opera and ballet theatre in a classical-style house with a 1,250-seat main hall.
Astana Opera opened in 2013 as the State Opera and Ballet Theatre of Kazakhstan's capital. The building draws on classical European theatre architecture, with a colonnaded portico, marble and onyx finishes and Kazakh ornament worked into the interiors. The Main Hall seats 1,250 and is arranged with stalls and tiers of boxes, while a separate Chamber Hall holds about 250 for recitals and small-scale staging. The complex also contains rehearsal studios, workshops and its own costume and scenery production.
The company maintains resident opera and ballet troupes, a symphony orchestra and a chorus, and performs a repertoire that ranges from Italian and Russian classics to Kazakh works such as Abai and Birzhan and Sara. Ballet productions include both nineteenth-century staples and newer choreography. The theatre hosts international festivals and guest conductors and singers, and runs an additional touring stage. Surtitles and programme notes are offered for many performances, and guided tours of the building can be arranged.
Highlights
- Main Hall seating 1,250 with tiered boxes and onyx detailing
- Chamber Hall of about 250 seats for recitals
- Resident opera, ballet, orchestra and chorus companies
- Kazakh national operas staged alongside European repertoire
