Construction of the Abay Opera House in Almaty began in 1936 and was completed in 1941. The architects were N. A. Kruglov, N. A. Prostakov and T. K. Basenov. The inaugural performance in the new building took place on November 7, 1941. The company itself began earlier, as a music studio in 1933.
The article describes a blend of Stalinist architecture, Italian Neoclassical architecture and national Kazakh elements. The first floor has large rusticated wall surfaces, and a portico is supported by pylons. A frieze carries multifigure reliefs of Kazakh art figures.
The theater was named after Abai Qunanbaiuly in 1945, and renovation was completed in 2000. On December 19, 2020, a presidential decree granted it national status. Its repertoire includes Western and Kazakh works.
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