Navoi Theater

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.

Navoi Theater, Tashkent

Navoi Theater, on a 1 soum note.

Overview

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 theater was built in 1942-1947, in part with forced labor. It opened to the public in November, 1947, celebrating the 500th anniversary of the birth of Alisher Navoi, the greatest representative of Chagatai literature.^[5] The theater has a capacity of 1,400 spectators. The main stage covers 540 square meters.

Use of Forced Labor

During 1945–47, some Japanese prisoners of war captured by the Soviet Union participated in the building construction under forced labor.^[6][7]

In 1996, Uzbek President Islam Karimov installed a plaque at the theater honoring the Japanese people involved in its construction. The plaque reads, "In 1945–1946 the hundreds of Japanese citizens deported from the Far East took an active part in the construction of building of the Theater named after Alisher Navoiy".^[8]

See also

• Tashkent portal

• Ilkhom Theater
• List of Uzbek theatre groups