Navoi Theater

Navoi Theater, Tashkent
Navoi Theater, on a 1 soum note.

The Navoi Theater (Uzbek: Alisher Navoiy nomidagi davlat akademik katta teatri, "Alisher Navoi State Academic Grand Theatre")[1] is the national opera theater in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

Overview

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In 1929, amateurs of concert-ethnographic group led by M. Kari-Yakubov was established and later founded the professional theatre. In 1939 it was renamed to the Uzbek State Opera and Ballet Theatre, and in March 1948 it was united with Russian theatre and called as the State Opera and Ballet Theatre named after Alisher Navoi. Later, in 1959 the theatre obtained the status of Academic theatre and in 1966 – the status of Bolshoi Theatre,[2][3]

Commemorative plate praising the achievements of Japanese prisoners of war who worked on the construction

Designed by Alexey Shchusev,[4] the building of the theater was built in 1942-1947 and was opened to the public in November, 1947, celebrating the 500th anniversary of the birth of Alisher Navoi, the greatest representative of Chagatai literature.[5] During 1945–47, the Japanese prisoners of war who were captured by the Soviet Union participated in the building construction under forced labor.[6][7]

The theater has a capacity of 1,400 spectators. The main stage is 540 square meters big.

In 1996, Uzbek President Islam Karimov installed a plaque at the theater honoring the Japanese people involved in its construction. The plaque reads,""Hundreds of Japanese nationals deported from the Far East in 1945 and 1946 participated in the construction of this Theater named Alisher Navoi and contributed to its completion.''[8]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Государственный Академический Большой театр имени Алишера Навои". www.gabt.uz. Retrieved 2017-10-27.
  2. ^ "Tashkent theatres in Uzbekistan: History of theatres, repretoire, famous plays". www.advantour.com. Retrieved 2017-10-27.
  3. ^ "History of the theatre". gabt.uz. Retrieved 2017-10-27.
  4. ^ "Alisher Navoi Theatre & Opera in Tashkent | Caravanistan". Caravanistan. Retrieved 2017-10-27.
  5. ^ Robert McHenry, ed. (1993). "Navā'ī, (Mir) 'Alī Shīr". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 8 (15th ed.). Chicago: Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. p. 563.
  6. ^ Japanese detainees and the Navoi Theater
  7. ^ McLeod, Calum (2010). Uzbekistan : the golden road to Samarkand. Mayhew, Bradley. (7th ed.). Hong Kong: Odyssey. p. 99. ISBN 9789622178236. OCLC 751737081.
  8. ^ "Tashkent theatre offers window into Japanese internment after World War II". Global Voices. 2019-11-18. Retrieved 2024-08-07.

41°18′33″N 69°16′18″E / 41.30917°N 69.27167°E / 41.30917; 69.27167