Tatarstan’s spiritual home of opera and ballet, this grand theatre was built in 1851, although the company’s history dates back further to 1791. Their repertoire includes many international favourites such Aida, Giselle, Carmen, the Magic Flute and Rigoletto as well as numerous Russian classics such as Boris Godunov, Sleeping Beauty, Eugene Onegin and Anyuta. Watch out also for performances of the home grown opera Jalil which tells the story of the local hero and poet who fought with partisan troops behind enemy lines during World War II.