A whole century of public performances preceded the establishment of the first permanent Russian Opera Company in the Volga Region. The year of 1791 is considered to be the year of Kazan theatre foundation, which became acceptable for wide audience.

In 1803 the theatre of landowner P.P. Yesipov, consisted of serf peasants, was very popular in Kazan. Yesipov erected a wooden theatre building on a brick foundation. Until 1815 it was situated in the place, where contemporary Opera theatre is. Actually, it was drama theatre, but operas were also staged there.

In 1851 a wonderful theatre was built in Kazan. It was opened with a tour program of Italian Opera Company. It was for the first time, when Kazan people listened to Italian singing.

Impresario P. M. Medvedev (1837-1906), called "collector of Russian stage", began running the Kazan theatre in 1867. On August 26, 1874 the complete version of Glinka's opera "Ivan Susanin" was performed in the Kazan theatre for the first time.

Up to 1917 the Kazan opera company was one of the best provincial theatres both by the number of singers and by the quality of performances.

In 1934 the Government of Tataria resolved to open the Theatre of Opera and Ballet in Kazan. A year before, on November 4, 1933 they decided to open Tatar Opera studio in the Kazan conservatoire. It was aimed at training actors for future theatre. The studio started its work on February 2, 1934.

The most talented people were sent to Moscow to study. Singers, conductors and composers had been learning there for four years. Having finished their studies, the studio musicians returned to Kazan. The theatre was opened with N. Zhiganov's opera "Kachkyn" ("Runaway") in 1939. The post-war years were marked by a real flowering of theatre art. A whole galaxy of opera singers and ballet dancers appeared thanks to its repertoire.

National performing traditions were set by graduates of Tatar Opera Studio of Moscow conservatoire, such as M. Rakhmankulova, G. Kaibitskaya, A. Izmailova, S. Sadykova, Z. Bairasheva, V. Bulatova, U. Almeyev, Kh. Zabirova, F. Nasretdinov, L. Vernikovsky, M. Bulat-Rodionov, Ye. Dombayeva, D. Sadrizhanov and others.

The ballet company started its activity at the same time with opera. Choreographer Gai Taghirov was the pioneer of the art, new for Tatar stage. The leading dancers of the company, who made a great contribution to the development of national ballet, were A. Gatsulina, V. Aleyeva, B. Akhtyamov, Z. Gaifullina, A. Filinov, A. Gatsulin, N. Leontyeva, S. Glinskaya, V. Romanyuk and others.

The first national Tatar ballet "Shurale" ("Wood-Goblin") by F. Yarullin (libretto by A. Faizi) was shown in the theatre on March 12, 1945. The production was one of the most considerable events of the Tatar musical life of that time. The contemporary building of the theatre, designed by Skvortsov and Gainutdnov) was opened on September 28, 1956 with the "Altynchech" ("Golden-haired") performance. The construction began in 1936. Now it is a monument of architecture, protected by the State. The beauty and good quality of the building are unique. The ceiling of the auditorium is decorated with rock crystal chandelier of more than one ton weight, specially cast in Mytishchi. The same year the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR passed a resolution to name the theatre after hero-poet Musa Jalil.

In the 1960-70th one generation of artists followed another. Among the artistic directors of the theatre were F. Mansurov, Ya. Voshchak, Yu. Kochnev, I. Lapinsh, V. Kutsenko, N. Yultyeva and D. Aripova. In 1988 the Tatar Theatre of Opera and Ballet got the title of Academic theatre.

During the period from 1978 to 1987 the opera and ballet companies of the theatre successfully performed in many cities of Russia. They occasionally toured overseas until 1988. The artists from the theatre, as a rule, were included to the delegations, formed in Moscow. The theatre companies began world-wide touring in 1994. Since that time they show 100 opera and ballet performances annually in European countries, such as Holland, Belgium, Germany, Denmark, France, Ausrtria, Switzerland, Luxemburg, Portugal, Ireland, including the biggest theatres of Europe: Carre in Amsterdam (2500 seats), Coliseum in Lisbon (3000 seats), and Strasburg Theatre in France (2500 seats).

International Festival of Opera Singing, named after F. I. Shalyapin

The first festival was held in 1982 and had the republican status. Its program implied only operas from Shalyapin's repertoire. The festival became the All-Russia event in 1985 and the international festival in 1991. For these years the repertoire of the festival has been enriched, and the number of participants increased also. In different years the leading singers of the Bolshoy Theatre took part in the festival performances: A. Eizen, A. Vedernikov, A. Maslennikov, V. Verestnikov, V. Pyavko, I. Arkhipova, and Yu. Mazurok, T. Yerastova, T. Sinyavskaya, A. Lomonosov, V. Kudryashov, as well as soloists of the Mariinsky theatre, namely N. Okhotnikov, Yu. Marusin, B. Minzhilkiyev, V. Ognovenko, O. Kondina, G. Bezzubenkov, I. Bogachyova, L. Filatova, V. Vaneyev, Yu. Shklyar and V. Chernomortsev. Foreign singers have also participated in the festivals. The professional skills of the Tatar theatre artists are as good as those of the guests.

International Festival of Ballet Dancing, named after R. Nuriyev

The first festival of classical ballet dancing was held in 1987. It has been a prestigious event since then and attracts more and more audience from year to year. It is not surprising as V. Vasilyev, Ye. Maksimova, G. Komleva, N. Dolgushin, N. Grachyova, K. Kyrb, L. Kunakova, N. Pavlova, T. Chernobrovkina, V. Grigoryev, A. Dorosh, L. Shipulina, Ye. Knyazkova, I. Shapchits (Zavyalova), U. Lopatkina and Yu. Makhalina were among the guests of the festival. We can hardly mention all "stars", taking part in the festival performances. The leading ballet dancers of the Tatar theatre are worth being compared with the guest artists.

The event got the status of international festival in 1992. The "Nutcracker" ballet, performed on May 21, 1992 was not only the highlight of the program, but also a sensation, as legendary Rudolf Nuriyev conducted the orchestra. After the performance, which was a great success, outstanding ballet dancer agreed to give his name to the festival.