Universiade Cultural Park to accommodate 30,000 spectators

In May, work will start on the site right in front of the Farmers' Palace in Kazan to lay out the Universiade Cultural Park that will cover the area of 6 hectares and will be big enough for 30,000 people. This was reported by Igor Sivov, Deputy Director General of the Kazan 2013 Executive Directorate, at a meeting of the city's headquarters for the preparations for the Games.

According Igor Sivov, the park is going to be the city's main cultural venue from 4 to 17 July. Every day, between 12.00 and 18.00, the best artists from various regions of Tatarstan will be performing on this site. In total, 246 ensembles from 28 regions will get this opportunity.

Mayor of Kazan Ilsur Metshin stressed the importance of this aspect: "Just like a cloud is reflected in the water, each region has to demonstrate its creative potential in its every detail and diversity." According to his instructions, every performance on the cultural programme of each region will be closely looked into as well as the local artisans' souvenir products that will be displayed for the guests.

Big concert programmes will be held from 18.00 to 23.00 in the evenings. On 15 July, for example, the world premiere of the Ak Bure Tatar opera will take place as part of the park's cultural programme. It will be performed by the Tatarstan National Symphony Orchestra conducted by Alexander Sladkovsky.

Igor Sivov also reminded that, every evening from 7 to 17 July, Cirque du Soleil will perform a unique street show here in the park. According to the preliminary concept, the performance will be held not only on the stage but also in various parts of the site at the same time. Admission to the shows will be free only to those who have attended at least one of the Universiade sports events on that particular day.

The Universiade Park will also organise thematic zones: a shop selling Games licensed products, the houses of the friendly Universiades of Korea, Italy, Krasnoyarsk and Sochi Olympics, a children's playground of Kaspersky Lab, as well as the Football Park interactive social and sports project presented by the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia Local Organising Committee.

The public catering zone covering the area of 1,800 square metres, that will be arranged by Tatpotrebsoyuz, will be presented in the style of a folklore compound. 

"This is, no doubt, additional workload for the performing groups, the urban services, the staff of the State Road Traffic Safety Inspection as well as the transport services. But it is a unique opportunity for us to introduce representatives of the whole planet, of all its five continents to our multinational country's culture," said Ilsur Metshin.

Another important site of the Cultural Universiade is the so-called lounge zone, which will be located in the Universiade Village. The site will host nightly performances for athletes, coaches and heads of delegation.

Plus, under the Decree of the President of the Republic of Tatarstan, this year the national Tatar holiday Sabantuy will be held in Kazan at the peak of the Summer Universiade – on 13 July 2013.

The Mayor of Kazan stressed that all services of the city are faced with a serious challenge to accurately execute all the tasks set. "Everything must be thought through and properly scheduled. Every detail must be looked into. Even to hold a usual one-day Sabantuy is a lot of pressure, but this 'Sabantuy' will be celebrated non-stop for two weeks," the Mayor summed up.

He charged Leyla Fazleeva, Deputy Head of Kazan's Executive Committee, with the task of creating and heading a working group in charge of resolving remaining organisational questions on a daily basis.

Igor Sivov informed that, in addition to the events that will be held on the main sites, a host of other cultural activities will take place across the city during the Summer Universiade. These include a whole range of international festivals in all kinds of performing arts: theatre, cinema, circus, classical and contemporary music, ballet, fine arts, and all kinds of concerts, including gigs by world famous show business stars. As a reminder, Joe Cocker will hold a concert in Kazan on 5 June, and Sting will perform on 21 July.

According to Igor Sivov, despite their traditional holidays in summer, cultural institutions of the city will be operating in a special mode during the Games this year, and they will show residents and visitors of the capital of Tatarstan their most striking performances.

Thus, 6 theatres will be open in Kazan this July: Musa Jalil Tatar State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre, Ekiyat Tatar State Puppet Theatre, Kazan Academic Russian Bolshoi Drama Theatre named after V.Kachalov, Kazan State Theatre of Young Spectators, Tatar National Drama and Comedy Theatre named after K.Tinchurin and Galiasgar Kamal Tatar National Academic Theatre. They will present 48 performances, 14 of which are for children. 

The Opera and Ballet Festival scheduled to take place at the Musa Jalil Theatre during the Summer Universiade, from 6 to 17 July, deserves a special mention. Famous artists from around the world will take part in it. The festival will be concluded by a gala concert of the Mariinsky Theatre. According to Igor Sivov, the concert will feature performances by world-stage stars such as Mikhail Kazakov, Elena Maksimova, Veronika Dzhoyeva, Olga Pudova, Albina Shagimuratova and many others.

During the Summer Universiade, a special programme will be presented by the Tatarstan National Symphony Orchestra conducted by Alexander Sladkovsky, Honoured Artist of Russia and Kazan 2013 Ambassador. The 3rd Rachmaninoff White Lilac International Festival will be rescheduled to be held at Games time. It will include concerts by international stars. Denis Matsuyev will perform on 6 July, the day of the Summer Universiade Opening Ceremony, while Andrey Korobeynikov will perform on 10 July.

Performances by the Zapashny Brothers’ Circus are planned for 10 June to 26 July in Kazan.

Also in July, 6 museums will be operating on a special schedule. They include the Modern Art Gallery, State Museum of Fine Arts, Khazine National Art Gallery of the Republic of Tatarstan, National Museum of the Republic of Tatarstan, Museum of Kazan Millennium, Kazan Kremlin State Historical and Architectural Museum-Reserve.