Donetsk State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre

The Donetsk Opera and Ballet Theater was founded in 1932 in the city of Lugansk on the basis of the Vinnytsia Mobile Opera of Right-Bank Ukraine. On September 1, 1932, the opera "Prince Igor" by A.P. Borodin opened its first season in the city of Lugansk.

The construction of its own theater building began in 1936 in Donetsk (Stalino). L.I. Kotovsky was appointed the chief architect. The project proposed by the architect is unique and has no analogues. By its architecture, the theater building belongs to the transition period from constructivism to neoclassicism. The theater building is an object of cultural heritage — a monument of architecture, history and culture. On April 12, 1941, the theater opened its season in the new theater building with the premiere of the opera Ivan Susanin by N.I. Glinka.

Donetsk State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre (since 2012 known under the brand name "Donbass Opera") is a creative team with a rich history, which consists of outstanding artists, the brightest productions of world opera and ballet classics. The repertoire of the theater is based on works by Verdi, Puccini, Tchaikovsky, Prokofiev, Bizet, Rimsky-Korsakov, Borodin. At the same time, the team is always open to creative experiment, thanks to which unique projects and theater performances are born. For many years, the theater was called the "laboratory of modern opera."

The incredible popularity of ballet in Donbass is associated with the name of Vadim Pisarev. The renowned soloist, winner of various prizes and awards, winner of international competitions, recognized by UNESCO in 1995 as the best dancer in the world, founded the Stars of World Ballet International Ballet Festival in Donetsk, which annually brought together the best ballet soloists and choreographers from all over the world and became the hallmark of Donbass.

For 92 years, the theater has staged more than 200 opera and ballet performances. The current repertoire consists of 70 productions, of which 38 were performed in the conditions of military operations of the last 10 years.

The theater's touring geography includes dozens of countries near and far abroad. Recently, his touring activities have been focused on the regions of Russia in order to introduce the vast country to the opera and ballet art of Donbass. Two large—scale historical productions — the opera "Prince Igor" and the ballet "War and Peace" - were realized within six months during the period of the special military operation and the theater's operation in closed mode, without showing performances to the audience. This pace of work is not possible for every theater in a peaceful region, and the Donbass Opera maintains it, being 6 km from the front line.

The theater is managed by a tandem of like—minded creative people - Evgeny Denisenko, People's Artist of the Donetsk People's Republic, General Director, and Vadim Pisarev, People's Artist of Ukraine, Artistic director. Without exaggeration, the Donbass Opera can be considered the flagship of the culture of the Donetsk People's Republic. The theater's staff is an honor, the pride of the region, an example of courage and patriotism for the whole of Russia.