As the Ashgabat correspondent of Turkmenistan.ru reports, five theater crews moved to new buildings built for them in the capital city and administrative centers of Mary, Lebap, Dashoguz and Balkan provinces. All opening ceremonies were held simultaneously and broadcasted on TV. Turkmen president Saparmurat Niyazov attended the festivities with the republic's most popular Turkmen National Youth Theater named after Alp Arslan occupying the major place.

The new youth theater has got a new building in the southern part of the Turkmen capital. The total area of the four-storey building is 9 thousand square meters. It was built by the Turkish company Gap Inshaat. The walls of the building were tiled with Italian marble. The facade is decorated with white columns and high stained-glass windows. There is also a front staircase of red marble and four elevators for spectators.

The ceremony began with inauguration of a monument to Alp Arslan, a famous Turkmen ruler and enlightener who was the first to declare Turkmen language the state language. The monument stands in front of the theater. Looking around the new building, President Saparmurat Niyazov noted the work by architectures and designers who decorated the theater. The decoration features only precious materials like marble and granite, rare trees, expensive fabrics and gilding. One of the chief adornments of the main entrance is four pairs of symmetrical columns rising up to 19 m to meet a dome crowned with the Turkmen ornament. The samples of traditional Turkmen decor harmonically combine with elements of modern design.

The theater has two revolving stages with auditoriums for 800 and 200 people. The square of the main stage is over 400 square meters. Equipment, lights and acoustics meet the world standards.

Spacious make-up rooms with showers, rest rooms for artists, rehearsal rooms, costume rooms, tailoring and scenery workshops, sound recording studios, a simultaneous translation room and a standard TV center adjoin the stages. The landscaped territory around the theater occupies over 1,5 hectares.

New buildings of provincial "art temples" can be well compared with the capital's youth theater by expressiveness of architecture and technical equipment. The participants of the opening ceremony who gathered in the auditorium could see it with their own eyes via TV bridge with Dashoguz, Turkmenabat, Mary and Balkanabat.

The crew of the State Music Drama Theater of Dashoguz province was the first to join the marathon of anniversary openings. It now owns a white marble building erected by workers of Dashoguzvelayatgurlushik department. The auditorium with a stage occupying over 300 square meters is designed for 500 people, while a rehearsal auditorium is designed for 80 people. Turkish companies Ornekler and Alganchelik, acting as subcontractors, supplied and assembled equipment, mechanisms and special technological materials. They were also in charge of production and installment of windows and tiling of walls with marble. The territory adjacent to the theater was landscaped. It has 3 fountains and a well-designed light system.

Next in the line was the State Drama Theater of Lebap province. The theater was built by the Turkish company Ichkale Inshaat ltd Sti together with Turkmen construction organizations. It became one of the main architectural decorations of Turkmenabat. The two-level auditorium is designed for 500 people. The revolving stage meets latest technical standards. The building offers full service for the art crew and technical staff and, of course, spectators. An autonomous system of electricity supply and maintenance staff operate there. Fountains were built in the adjoining territory. A recreation area with trees lies close to the theater.

The State Drama Theater of Mary province comes next. It was built by the Turkish company Efor Inshaat Yatyrym Senayy we Dysh Tijaret A.S. The theater has one big and two smaller domes on it. The domes are decorated with gold and turquoise. The theater is also decorated with a colonnade and glass-windows with forged open-work grates. There is an auditorium for 500 people, a rehearsal room, make-up rooms and all necessary servicing rooms. State-of-the-art equipment of the revolving stage with the adjoining orchestra pit creates a variety of opportunities for the theater crew.

The festive ceremony is joined by the crew of the State Drama Theater of Balkan province. It is crowned with turquoise domes. The theater was built by the Turkish company Shahturkmen Construction and Trading Inc. Sculptures of great poets, thinkers, legendary historical figures of Turkmens are seated in bays around the facade. The auditorium is designed for 500 people. A cozy recreation zone with lawns and flowers, coniferous and artificial trees surrounds the theater.

The total cost of all new facilities is US $ 75 million.

The artists of each of five new theaters thank the Turkmen leader for the great gift dated to the 15th anniversary of independence of Turkmenistan.

In his address, Saparmurat Niyazov emphasized that all successes of the sovereign Turkmenistan that the Turkmen people is rightfully proud of is the result of the great work, unity and consolidation of the nation, the State news agency (TDH) reports. "One man can not do it alone. That is why I ask you again: do not praise me quite so often. We have been together all these years, overcoming hardships, rejoicing the victories and dreaming of new accomplishments. All what we have achieved in 15 years of independence belongs to our people, our children and generations to come," the president was quoted by the TDH.

Our history has many examples of tragic consequences that people suffered following inability of great statesmen to stand the test of glory. We have to remember it and better cherish our unity which is our strength and our main asset, the head of Turkmenistan said.

On the occasion of celebration of the dramatic art each crews of the new theaters was presented with US $ 100 000, the Turkmen President Saparmurat Niyazov stated. According to the head of state, these funds have been allocated from the charitable fund of the president that received additional US $ 1 million yesterday as donation by the king of Bahrain.