The history of the circus in Kazan has over 100 years. The first permanent circus in Kazan was built in 1890 by the founders of the Russian national circus brothers Nikitinai. It was a wooden circus on Bathing lake. In 1924 the Kazan circus has got the status of state. The building, built Nikitinai, lasted almost forty years.
In 1928, instead of Nikitinsky circus, at the same place, erected a new building is also wooden. The circus was awarded the name of the eighth anniversary of the Tatar ASSR. Although the new building was soon reconstructed and adapted winter view, served it a little more than thirty years. In 1961, the circus because of the emergency state was closed, and this, in fact, ends the story of the old Kazan circus, associated with the name of Nikitin brothers. The dilapidated building that was once involved in a flame and burns to ashes.
And… is the beginning of a new Kazan state circus. The “flying saucer”, space silhouette of which has now become an integral part of modern city building, a kind of exotic dominant at the foot of the ancient Kremlin hill.
The opening of the new building of the Kazan circus took place on December 9, 1967.
This unique structure, equipped with modern circus appliances, built by architect G. M. Pichueva, engineers O. I. Berima and E. Yu Brudno. The volumetric-spatial composition the building just as original as classically simple, and elegant. Indeed, circus looks like two tightly closed giant bowl sinks. Monolithic reinforced concrete conic shell without internal supports and is the original peculiarity of the building.
The construction of a building of the Kazan circus has become an event of global importance. His photos, articles about him was full of the Soviet and foreign press, and its creators was showered with awards. In 1971, the authors of the project of a building of the Kazan circus – Uzbek Alparov, Valentina Panova, Gennady Pechev were on-awarded Golden, silver and bronze medals of VDNKH USSR. In 1973, the Council of Ministers of the TASSR the circus building was declared a monument of architecture. The layout of the Kazan state circus was exhibited in 1982 at the international trade fair in Leipzig.
Why Kazan circus immediately called the “building the 21st century”? What was so special in it?
Then the world’s only building constructed in the form of truncated cone, was a government building in Rio de Janeiro. In Kazan this form was used for entertainment facilities. Our “plate”, that rests on 289 stilts, was in the Soviet Union the first concrete monolith. Height – twenty-three meters, diameter – sixty-five meters, amphitheatre auditorium for two and a half thousand seats. For the first time the circus was built without supporting the dome of the columns. The first two of the arena. For the first time all utility rooms are located in the circus, but not in his territory. For the first time so many of them – dressing room, workshops, classes, dining room, kitchen for the artists and animals, stable, elephant, safecracker. The circus building is designed for 2000 seats.
The first Director of the circus was Nikolai Kazimirovich Panov – a former actor-juggler. He took part in the final phase of new construction and organization of work circus enterprises. Honored worker of culture of the RT, he led the circus until 1973.
In 1969, the Minister of culture of the Republic of Tatarstan Bulat Gizatullina, the idea arose to create a new Tatar circus staff, in which the national character would appear in the most diverse rooms. The premiere of the Tatar circus collective took place on 23 June 1970 program “Sabantuy” (script writers – B. Gizatullin and Director, honored art worker of the Republic of Tatarstan A. Lazarev). The team was one of the best national companies of the country.
During the existence of the staff in there were about a hundred artists, known in the history of the Russian circus. It acrobats Zinaida Vasilieva, Rustem Asanov, Shamil Khairetdinov, Victor Kotikov, the group Valentina Deeva; trainers and Raisa Grant Ibragimova, Gabdulkhak Gibadullin, Regina Kolpinskaya, Rafael Enikeev, Vladimir Anisimov; clowns Ramazan Abdikeev, Zamir Mustafin, Alik Nizamutdinov, Ildar Zaripov; jugglers nail bedretdinov, Vitaly Bershansky, jugglers by Damir Gibadullin; the riders Marzia Shageeva, Sultania Fakhrutdinova, “Amazon” Valentina Deeva; air gymnasts Andrei Shaykin, the gymnast on belts Nikolai Kazliskiu, rope-Rimma Ro-manova, dancer on a wire rose Khusainova… Many of them have now honorary title of honored and people’s artists of the Republic of Tatarstan.
19 years after the creation of the Tatar circus staff collapsed.
Since 1973 management of the circus was headed by Bulat Minullovich the Gizatullin, combining the posts of Director and chief Director of the circus. He was the author and the producer of such attractions as the Bears-illusionists” Minasova, Jaguars and camels” Kochakov, “the Artist-momentalism” Izosimova, “well, cat!” Vanickova and other
Bulat Minullovich – honored worker of arts of the RT, and honored worker of culture of Russia. In 1976 he left the post of Director, entirely switched to Director.
From 1976 to 1993 the circus was headed by honoured worker of culture of the RT Mikhail Fedorovich Bogolyubov.
From August 1993 the Director of the circus was honored worker of culture of the Republic of Tatarstan Damir Mihanovic Sharifullin. The Director’s work in the circus are the Director and the art Director Demeropolis and Director-inspector of the Kazan circus, Honored artist of Tatarstan V.N. Anisimov. Among the most famous conductors of the Kazan circus: Lober, Berezin, Fhel, Honored artist of Tatarstan.
Since 1996 at Kazan state circus is open and successfully works Republican children’s circus school where teaching acrobatics, juggling, choreography, acting skills, the history of circus. The educational process in the school put on a professional basis. The leading masters of the Russian circus, sport, work with young talents, instilling in them the basics of circus art. The young actors, graduates of the school, accepted in professional groups and non Russian state company “Russian circus”. At the annual creative competition of young circus artists pupils circus schools receive high appraisal of professional Russian and International jury. Young artists take part in professional programs of the Russian circus.