Mintimer Shaimiev attended gala-concert of International Festival of Classic Ballet in Kazan

Gala-concert of the jubilee XX International Festival of Classic Ballet named after R. Nuriev took place at Tatar Academic State Theatre of Opera and Ballet on May 24. Tatarstan President Mintimer Shaimiev was the distinguished guest of the festival; he and his wife attended this event.

Awards of Russian newspaper Musical Review were given before the performance started. RT Vice Prime Minister – Minister of Culture Zilya Valeeva, composer Sofia Gubaydullina, Director of Tatar Academic Theatre of Opera and Ballet named after M.Jalil Rawfal Mukhamerzyanov and other outstanding workers of Russian culture were rewarded. The award is the only professional national award that is given in the field of academic music.

“Moving forward is important in culture, - Zilya Valeeva noted after receiving the award. – The process of gaining spiritual values is significant in this field. I’ve received this award also thanks to events, which were held in the Year of Literature and Art in the Republic of Tatarstan last year”.

After the solemn rewarding ceremony, a theatrical critic, playwright, candidate of arts, laureate of RF Government award Sergey Korobkov announced the start of the concert. He also informed the audience how Rudolf Nuriev entered Guinness World Records Book after the final of “Swan lake” ballet when the curtain was raised 89 times.