Chanta-J | Native language day in Tatarstan!

What and interesting week I had! Monday and Tuesday went as normal and then from Wednesday things got interesting. To start off, class didn’t go exactly according to the timetable, then we got a ticket/invitation from our teacher to go watch the prestige performance/show in the Theatre of Opera and Ballet (One I’ve not been to yet), to celebrate native language day in Tatarstan. A group of students and some teachers ended up going. I met up with another friend and her classmates and off we went to the Theatre on Thursday morning. Not even the cloudy and slightly rainy day could keep people away for this special day.

Native language day – Tatarstan, in honor of Ğabdulla Tuqay (Габдулла Тукай)

“Ğabdulla Tuqay (April 26, 1886 – April 15, 1913) was a Tatar poet, a classic of the Tatar literature, a critic and a publisher. Tuqay is often referred as the founder of the modern Tatar literature and the modern Tatar literary language, which replaced Old Tatar language in literature.^{“ – Wikipedia.}

The whole concert was in honor of this iconic man from Tatarstan history. Not being able to understand what was going on exactly every single time, as the concert was in Tatar, made it even more interesting. Luckily, they had an electronic “sign board” where they “translated” everything said in Tatar into Russian. Unfortunately, it changed so quickly that I couldn’t even finish reading before it changed again! 😀 But I did catch words here and there so sometimes I knew what was coming up. Oh, and did we have an amazing view! The Theatre was breath taking! I think this must be, hands down, the most beautiful and prestige Theatre I’ve been in! But getting to our seats was a story in itself! 😀

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What floor?

Once upon a time there was a group of students. Some only Russian speakers, some could speak Tatar, and some foreign students from different parts of the world. They all had invitations to go watch this spectacular and beautiful concert at the Theatre of Opera and Ballet. Hearing the bell ring for everyone to take their seats, they quickly went up the stairs to find their door of entrance. Arriving on the second floor, they were told to stop, clear the passage and stand back. Also, to keep quiet as a very important person is coming. A bit confused, they did as told and once the “go ahead” sign was given, they were on the search again…also trying to get to their seats before the actual show starts. Going up the stairs, reaching about the 3rd floor, they were stopped and told they can’t go any further. Not understanding why, they decided to use the lift then. The lift couldn’t fit the whole group, and they got split up. Reaching the next floor, which according to the tickets were their floor, they were stopped again and told to go back down, the floor was restricted.

After going back down, not knowing where the rest of the group is, hearing the show is starting and tired of looking like something out of a cartoon, running up and down, they started opening doors to the balconies to see if there was any way to get to their seats. ( Which actually still made them look like something out of a cartoon 😀 ) By the third door they stopped, took another peak, looked at each other and since there was just one person there with about 7 free seats, and them only being 4, they went and took “their” seats. Luckily the lady that was sitting in her seat told them to come in. About 3 min later, looking over their shoulders, they saw the rest of the group coming in through another door, more to the back and waved at each other. It might not have been where they were supposed to be sitting, but the view was reward enough!

The End.

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I take it you all can guess I was in the group that found the balcony seats! 😀 What an awesome way to get “lost” in the Theatre, only to get super awesome seats!

The show was spectacular. The show had dance, both folk and classical ballet to singing and some theatre. Afterwards I met up with one of my teachers. Met her mom and then my teacher took me outside and showed me some interesting things. We went and had an earlier lunch, eating traditional food and then I went back to get my books and headed back to the university for the rest of my classes. Which also turned out different.

The day was very fun and interesting! Now I’m even more excited for all the other festivities coming up… International Workers Day, Victory Day (Russia) etc.

Here are some photos for you guys and please go watch the video I made with inserts of the actual show and the festivities that was going on outside in the street! Enjoy!