Abai Opera House was built in Almaty in 1934 and named after Kazakh poet, composer, and philosopher Abai Qunanbayuli.

Founder (1934) and first director - Yevgeny Brusilovsky, who created eight national operas and a ballet ("Kyz-Zhibek", "Yer-Targhyn", "Aiman-Sholpan", "Birzhan and Sara", "Kamar-sulu" and others).

Over forty western and Kazakh pieces are performed, including operas, ballets and classical music performances. Another famous opera staged in the Abai Opera House - "Abai", music by Akhmed Zhubanov and Latif Khamidi, libretto by Mukhtar Auezov. The last renovation of the building was completed in 2000.

This magnificent building is both important in its own architecture, but also in the many Kazakh stars it has produced.

The opera and ballet house is nice place in center and easy to access and is a beautiful theatre with lovely architecture and interior design and a good acoustic as well. Managements should have some information for English speakers; everything is in Kazakh or Russian, but people very friendly to assist. You will have a great experience of the local culture in here! It's a large auditorium and stage, and quite wide. But the balcony seats gave a very good view, and provided ample width and leg room themselves. The first floor foyer area is magnificent, and the ground floor lobby isn't too shabby either.