Universiade Culture Park will welcome 30,000 spectators

In May, the work on the arrangement of the Universiade “Cultural Park” of almost 6 hectares and a capacity of 30.000 spectators will start within the area in front of the Palace of Farmers. This was announced by Deputy Director of ANO “Kazan 2013 Executive Directorate” Igor Sivov at the meeting of the city staff in charge of the preparation for the Games.

According to him, the park will become a major cultural area of ​​the city from July 4th to 17th 2013. In daytime from 12.00 to 18.00 the site will house the best creative forces of the areas of Tatarstan. 246 teams from 28 areas will have such an opportunity.

Mayor of Kazan Ilsur Metshin stressed the importance of this component: “As a cloud is reflected in water, each area has to reflect its creativity in all details and diversity”. He instructed to consider individually with each area both the performances and souvenirs of local artisans to be presented.

Large concerts will take place in the evening - from 18.00 to 23.00. Thus, on July 15th, 2013 the world premiere of Tatar opera “Ak Bure” will be presented by the State Symphony Orchestra of Tatarstan headed by Aleksandr Sladkovsky

Igor Sivov reminded that every night from July 7th to July 17th, 2013 the Park will present a unique street show of Cirque du Soleil. According to the preliminary concept, the performance will take place both on stage and at the same time in different parts of the site. In order to get to the show one should visit one of the sporting events of the day.

The Park will also house thematic areas: shop of licensed products of the Games, House of Friends of the Universiade presented by Kazakhstan, Italy, Korea, Krasnoyarsk and Sochi, Playground from the Kaspersky Labs, as well as the interactive social and sporting project “Football Park” presented by the Organizing Committee for the World Cup 2018 in Russia.

Catering area of ​​1.8 thousand square meters to be arranged by “Tatpotrebsoyuz” will be styled as a national courtyard.

 “This is certainly an additional load for creative teams and city services, and the traffic police and transport workers. But this is a unique case when we can show the culture of our multinational people to the representatives of the entire world “, said Ilsur Metshin.

The second important area of ​​the Cultural Universiade is the so-called lounge area which will be located directly in the Athletes’’ Village. There will be held an evening performance for athletes, coaches and heads of delegations.

It should also be recalled that according to the Decree of the President of the Republic of Tatarstan Tatar national festival Sabantuy will be held in Kazan on July 13th, 2013.

The Mayor said that all city services had a very serious task. “Everything has to be thought out and well-planned. Normally, Sabantuy lasts only one day, and even then there is a lot of work. And this Sabantuy will last for two weeks”, concluded the Mayor.

To address the remaining organizational issues on a daily basis a working group chaired by Deputy Head of the Executive Committee of Kazan Leila Fazleyeva will be established.

As noted by Igor Sivov a lot of other cultural events would take place during the Universiade. This is a series of international festivals covering all kinds of art such as theater, cinema, circus, classical and contemporary music, ballet, art, various concerts including world stars of show business. It is to be recalled that Joe Cocker will perform on June 5th, 2013, and Sting – on July 21st, 2013.

Igor Sivov said that despite the traditional holidays in summer months, this year during the Games cultural institutions would operate in a special mode and present their most outstanding achievements.

Thus, six theaters will operate in July in Kazan: Tatar Opera and Ballet Theatre, Tatar State Theatre “Ekiyat”, Kazan Academic Russian Drama Theatre, Kazan Youth Theater, Tatar Drama and Comedy Theatre, and Tatar Academic Theatre. They will present 48 performances, 14 of them will be for children.

We should also mention the opera and ballet festival at Opera and Ballet Theatre which will be held from July 6th to 17th, 2013. Famous actors from around the world will take part in the festival. The festival will end with a gala concert presented by actors of Mariinsky Theatre. According to Igor Sivov the world stars such as Mikhail Kazakov, Yelena Maksimova, and Veronika Dzhoyeva, Olga Pudova, Albina Shagimuratova and many others will perform at the concert.

A special concert program will be presented by the State Symphony Orchestra of Tatarstan headed by honored actor of Russia, ambassador of the Universiade Alexander Sladkovsky. The 3d international festival named after Rakhmaninov “Belaya Siren” will be held during the Games. Concerts with the participation of the world stars will take place during the festival. Thus, Denis Matsuyev will perform on July 6th, 2013 on the day of the opening of the Universiade, and Andrei Korobeinikov will perform on July 10th, 2013.

Performances of Zapashnye Brothers’ Circus will take place from June 10th to July 26th, 2013.

6 museums will work in July: Museum of Modern Arts, Museum of Fine Arts, National Art Gallery of the Republic of Tatarstan, and National Museum of the Republic of Tatarstan, Museum of the 1000th anniversary of Kazan, and the State Historical and Architectural Reserve Museum “Kazan Kremlin”.