Kutaisi Opera Theatre
In the present building of the Kutaisi Opera, Lado Meskhishvili State Theater was located until 1955. Before that plays were performed in the Kutaisi Public Assembly building.
“Almost 20 years long activity of Kutaisi scene-lovers was finished by creating constant troupe in autumn of 1879. Specially for this troupe Kharazov theater building was constructed on the land leased from the city self-government. Construction started in September 1879 and completed in 1880. On 18 November 1894 ordered to procure the theater building from Kharazov. In 1946 the building was destroyed by fire. After the fire almost new building was constructed, where only one wall on the Rustaveli street was left from the Kharazov theater. Kutaisi Theater stayed in this building until 6 November 1955, before opening the new, present building”, - we read in the book “Kutaisi, mother of mine” by Zurab Javakhadze, edited by Merab Kezevadze.
According to the abovementioned book in the present building of the Opera Theater Philharmonic was functioning, and since 27 December 1969 Opera Theater is located. By initiative of Meliton Balanchivadze the first musical school was opened in 1919, which was transformed into musical technical school in two years. In the following years Kutaisi Musical Technical School presented Opera performances to the Kutaisi residents.
In 1968 Central Committee of Communistic Party of Georgia and Ministers’ Board of Georgia decided to establish Zakaria Paliashvili Tbilisi Opera and Ballet State Theater in Kutaisi since January 1969. On 27 December 1969 Opera Theater was solemnly opened via opera “Abesalom and Eteri” by Paliashvili.
Last time rehabilitation works of Kutaisi Opera Theater started on 8 January 2010. Renewed theater was opened on 29 December 2010.
Kutaisi Opera Theater is a smaller analogue of Vena Opera Theater. 13 Roman sculptures by Giorgi Kikvidze, the sculpture from Kutaisi are placed on the roof.