Theater buildings are architectural monuments. The building of the Alexandrinsky Theater Who built the Alexandrian Theater

Name: Russian State Academic Drama Theater named after. A. S. Pushkin (Alexandrinsky) (ru), Alexandrinsky Theater / Russian State Pushkin Academy Drama Theater (en)

Other names: Alexandrinsky Theater / Theater named after. Pushkin in St. Petersburg / Alexandrinka

Location: Saint-Petersburg, Russia)

Creation: 1827 - 1832

Style: Classicism

Architect(s): Carl Rossi

Architecture of the Alexandria Theater

Source:
G. B. Barkhin “Theatres”
Publishing House of the Academy of Architecture of the USSR
Moscow, 1947

In 1827-1832. In St. Petersburg, one of the most architecturally remarkable theaters in Europe for its time, the Alexandrinsky Theater, now the Pushkin Theater, was built according to Rossi’s design. In 1801, on the site of the current square of the Alexandria Theater, there was a small wooden theater built by Brenna, facing Nevsky Prospekt. In 1811, Thomas de Thomon designed a theater on this site, significantly large sizes. The design of this theater has been preserved. The building is rectangular in shape with a ten-column portico of the main facade and a huge pediment decorated with sculpture. The area where the Tomon Theater is planned. has the same opening from Nevsky Prospekt as Rossi. but the theater building was erected by Tomon with a significantly smaller depth from Nevsky than Rossi’s. There is no background closing behind the theater in Tomon’s project. In addition, the area of ​​the theater at Tomon is significantly inferior due to the presence of right side deep rounded pocket. Tom de Thomon's project was not implemented. The architect Mauduit also made an attempt to design a theater on this site in 1817. Finally, in 1818, the theater project drawn up by Rossi was approved. The exceptional significance of this building for St. Petersburg is not limited only to the beautiful architecture of the building itself, but also lies in the amazing architectural environment that Rossi managed to create here in connection with the construction of his theater.

The main significance of the Rossi Theater in the history of theater architecture lies mainly in the excellent external architecture of the building. As for the general layout of the Alexandria Theater and the design of the auditorium, in this regard Rossi did not provide anything particularly new in comparison with the best European theaters of his time.

The plan for the Alexandria Theater does not include any significant place common areas; all amenities and all the luxury of decoration are concentrated exclusively in the front rooms. A small vestibule with two staircases offset from their axis, enclosed in blind cages and designed without much grandeur. The flights of these stairs are designed with a width of 2.13 m only to the height of one floor, at the level of the royal box, after which the flights narrow to 1.4 m. Above the vestibule in front of the royal box is the front foyer, 6.4 m high; the foyers serving the remaining tiers, with the same area, have a height of only 4 m. The foyers for the public are cramped, the buffets and restrooms are inconvenient for use. The auditorium of this theater deserves attention.

The hall accommodates 1,800 spectators, the plan is horseshoe-shaped, the outline of the curve is close to the French one: half a circle connected to a wide portal by straight segments. Just like in French theaters, the stalls located in front and the semicircular amphitheater in the back of the hall are designed. In addition to the benoir there are 5 tiers of boxes. The boxes, for better visibility, are tilted towards the stage. At one time, this technique was recommended by Seghezzi, but this only led to the inconvenience of using the boxes due to the slope of the floor and to an extremely disadvantageous situation for visual perception falling barriers. The rather flat ceiling of the hall, as well as the architecture of the portal, are of little interest. The individual designs of the box barriers and the treatment of the central box are very well executed.

The main interest and significance of the theater lies in its external architecture. The Alexandria Theater is one of the most perfect works of Russia and its architecture is undoubtedly best theater in Europe. In the center of the front facade there is a loggia and an eight-column portico. The rear facade is designed in the same way, but instead of columns it is decorated with pilasters. The side facades have protruding eight-column pediment porticoes; the building is richly decorated with sculpture. The front and rear facades end with attics characteristic of Russia. The front attic is crowned with a quadriga with four horses. The auditorium and stage protrude above the overall volume of the theater in the form of a parallelepiped. Sculptural groups are installed above the protruding frames of the loggia. The lower part of the building is treated as a rusticated ground floor with very simple solutions entrance doors. The side porticos form two covered entrances. Under the entablature, which covers the entire building, there is a wide sculptural frieze of garlands and masks.

In general, the architecture of the theater, despite its exceptional unity and integrity, is very rich and varied in detail.

Sources:

• History of art. Volume five. Art of the 19th century: art of the peoples of Russia, France, England, Spain, USA, Germany, Italy, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Belgium, Holland, Austria, Czech Republic, Poland, Romania, Hungary, Bulgaria, Serbia and Croatia, Latin America, India, China and other countries. “ART”, Moscow
• Ikonnikov A.V., Stepanov G.P. Fundamentals of architectural composition Art, M. 1971
• "History of Russian Architecture" edited by S.V. Bezsonova State Publishing House of Literature on Construction and Architecture 1951
• G. B. Barkhin “Theatres” Publishing House of the Academy of Architecture of the USSR Moscow, 1947
• E.B. Novikov "Interior" public buildings (artistic problems)". - M.: Stroyizdat, 1984. - 272 p., ill.

The building of the Alexandrinsky Theater in St. Petersburg. A historical building in the classicist style, part of the architectural ensemble of Ostrovsky Square. It was built according to the design of K.I. Rossi in 1828-1832. It houses one of the oldest theaters in the country - the Russian State Academic Drama Theater named after. A. S. Pushkin.

On the site of the current Alexandrinsky Theater there was originally a vast garden of the Anichkov Palace, on the territory of which there was, among other things, a wooden theater pavilion - an Italian opera group performed in it. In 1801, the pavilion was rebuilt, creating the Maly Theater on its basis. Over time, the growing cultural needs of St. Petersburg required the construction of a new, larger and more convenient stone theater building. Therefore, in 1818, the territory cut off from the park of the Anichkov Palace was transferred to the management of the theater directorate.

The Alexandrinsky Theater was named after the wife of Emperor Nicholas I, Alexandra, who patronized this form of art. The design of the theater building was directly linked to the layout architectural ensemble modern Ostrovsky Square (after the opening of the theater it also began to be called Alexandrinskaya). K.I. Rossi made the theater the main element of the entire square. The massive building in the classical Empire style had its main façade facing Nevsky Prospekt and its back facing Zodchego Rossi Street.

The front of the Alexandrinsky Theater was decorated with a multi-columned loggia of the Corinthian order, and the side facades were decorated in the form of eight-column porticoes. The entire perimeter of the upper part of the building is occupied by a sculptural frieze with antique theatrical masks and laurel garlands. At the ends of the theater in special niches there are statues of muses - Terpsichore, Melpomene, Clio and Thalia, and the attic of the main facade is crowned with the famous quadriga of Apollo (a carriage drawn by four horses) - the work of S. S. Pimenov.

The interior decoration of the theater building is also striking in its splendor. The auditorium was designed according to a modern multi-tier system with boxes, an amphitheater and a stalls. The capacity of the hall was designed for 1,700 people. The interiors were decorated with velvet, gilded carvings and wall paintings.

The roof of the Alexandrinsky Theater was an interesting design - the innovative idea of ​​​​using metal arched trusses with cast iron stops was first used in construction. Moreover, the author of such a roof arrangement was K.I. Rossi himself. Another technological innovation of the building was the installation of steam heating in the theater.

As a token of gratitude to the architect for creating such a masterpiece, after the opening of the theater, K. I. Rossi received the lifelong use of a box in the Alexandrinsky Theater, tickets for which he then often sold to wealthy citizens.

The building of the Alexandrinsky Theater is included in the Unified State Register of Objects cultural heritage(historical and cultural monuments) of Russia.

Note to tourists:

A tour of the building will be of interest to theater lovers who want to attend a performance, and to all other tourists interested in the architecture of the first half of the 19th century century, and can also become one of the points of the excursion program while exploring neighboring attractions -

The building of the Alexandrinsky Theater in St. Petersburg on Ostrovsky Square was built in 1832 according to the design of Karl Rossi.

Anichkovs (Onichkovs) - a family of Russian pillar nobility. Over the past three centuries, it has been closely associated with the city of St. Petersburg, giving its name to several key urban infrastructure facilities.

Coat of arms of the Anichkov family (in the old days, the Onichkovs).

The genus has been known since the 16th century. According to a later genealogical tale, in 1301 a certain Tatar Khan Berka (Berkai), prince of the Great Horde, entered the service of Ivan Kalita. After baptism, Berka allegedly took the name Onikiy, married the daughter of a noble man Vikula Vorontsov, and his descendants began to be called Anichkovs.

In 1801, the architect Brenna rebuilt the large wooden pavilion that stood on the site of the current square into a theater, in which the Italian entrepreneur Antonio Casassi organized the Italian opera troupe.

Vincenzo Brenna
Vincenzo (Vincentiy Frantsevich) Brenna (August 20, 1747, Florence - May 17, 1820, Dresden) - decorative artist and architect, Italian by origin. Court architect of Emperor Paul I.

Engraving by S. Cardelli based on the original by A. Ritt. 1790s

Casassi, Antonio

Antonio Casassi was an Italian impresario who worked in St. Petersburg. In 1780 he entered the service of the directorate of the St. Petersburg Imperial Theaters. Very little information has been preserved about Antonio Casassi himself. In 1801, by his order, V. Brenna built a wooden theater in St. Petersburg, on the site of the current Alexandrinsky Theater, in which he maintained an Italian opera troupe. The troupe and the theater itself, under the name "Maly", came under the jurisdiction of the state directorate in 1803.

Over time, this room no longer met the growing needs of the city, and it was decided to build a new stone theater. However, the implementation of the idea was delayed due to the unstable situation under Alexander I - military conflicts with Turkey, the war with Napoleon of 1812.

In 1818, the boundaries of the garden were narrowed, and the area formed between the Public Library and the garden of the Anichkov Palace was transferred to the theater directorate.

Rossi building

Between 1816 and 1827, Carl Rossi developed a number of projects for the reconstruction and development of this square. All these options included the construction of a city theater on the square. Final version The project was approved on April 5, 1828, and in the same year construction of the theater building began.

Four years later, on August 31 (September 12), 1832, in the center of St. Petersburg, on Alexandrinskaya Square (now Ostrovsky Square), on the site of the wooden “Maly” Theater, Grand opening new majestic empire-style theater building.

Alexandrinsky Theater. 1903

State Academic Drama Theater named after A.S. Pushkin. 1957

The main façade of the theatre, on the side of Nevsky Prospekt, is decorated with a deep multi-column loggia, the space of which seems to be part of Ostrovsky Square.

Alexandria Theatre, 19th century

Alexandria Theatre, 19th century

The side facades of the building are made in the form of eight-column porticoes.

On the other side, the street designed by Rossi and forming a common ensemble with the theater leads to the theater (Zodchego Rossi), the perspective of which is closed across the entire width by the rear, almost flat, but richly decorated facade of the theater.

The building is bordered by an expressive sculptural frieze with antique theatrical masks and garlands of laurel branches. In the niches on the end facades there are statues of muses, on the attic of the main facade there is a quadriga of Apollo. The work was carried out by one of outstanding sculptors of his time - V.I. Demut-Malinovsky.

Muse with harp (right niche)

Muse with a mask (left niche)

Interior

A loggia with a powerful Corinthian colonnade, crowned with an attic with stucco reliefs of Glory and the chariot of Apollo, richly designed cornices, friezes, bas-reliefs, rhythmic lines of windows, arches, balustrades - all this makes up a solemn ensemble, a kind of architectural symphony; The interior decoration of the theater is also remarkable.

Seats for spectators were created according to the most advanced multi-tiered system of boxes for its time with an amphitheater and a spacious stalls. The five-tier auditorium has good proportions and excellent acoustics. In 1841, there were 107 boxes (10 in the benoir, 26 boxes on the first tier, 28 on the second, 27 on the third and 16 on the fourth), a balcony for 36 people, a gallery on the fourth tier with 151 seats, 390 seats on the fifth tier, 231 chairs in the stalls (9 rows) and 183 seats behind them. In total, the theater could accommodate up to 1,700 people.

Alexandria Theater today

The decoration of the auditorium is solemn and elegant, the interiors of the theater have practically preserved the original decoration. Initially, blue upholstery was used, it was replaced in 1849 with crimson: the theater, in which the lighting was provided by oil lamps, became smoky from the inside. For the same reason, over time, all the wall and ceiling paintings were updated, and later the stage was completely redone. In addition to the velvet decoration, the boxes are richly decorated with gilded carvings: the carvings of the central (“Royal”) box and the boxes near the stage were made according to drawings by Rossi, and the ornament on the barriers of the tiers was created in the second half of the 19th century.

The decoration of the auditorium was complemented by a wonderful perspective pictorial ceiling, which depicted Olympus and Parnassus (artist A. K. Vigi), which was later replaced.

Original engineering design

The design of the theater's roof is based on original systems of metal structures invented by K. I. Rossi in collaboration with engineer M. E. Clark. This design was innovative and was proposed for the first time in the history of construction equipment. The roof rests on 27 iron and cast iron arched trusses with a span of 29.8 m. The internal longitudinal walls support 18 lower arched trusses that carry the attic floor and the suspended ceiling above auditorium. The tiers of boxes are supported by cast iron brackets. The ceiling above the stage is a system of triangular trusses with a span of 10.76 m, supported by cast iron consoles and struts.

K.I. Rossi defended his design in front of inert official circles, which was not easy. Confidence in the strength of the metal structure he proposed is illustrated by one of the reports
“... in the event that... ... any misfortune occurs from the installation of metal roofs, then as an example for others, let me be hanged at that same hour on one of the rafters of the theater.

Elizabeth appoints Russian playwright Alexander Sumarokov as director, and puts Fyodor Volkov, the creator of the first permanent Russian theater, at the head of the troupe. The repertoire of that time included plays by Denis Fonvizin, Yakov Knyazhnin, Vladimir Lukin, Jean Racine, Voltaire, Jean Baptiste Moliere and Pierre Beaumarchais.

The favor that the imperial court showed to the arts was difficult to underestimate, but in fact the affairs of the theater were in a disastrous state: in 1759, two thousand rubles were added for maintenance, and there was still not enough money. In addition, problems of a different sort arose. For example, on the eve of a performance, the director could receive a letter in which he was notified that “there will be no music from the Court, because the musicians played in a masquerade the day before and were tired.” Sumarokov raged, got angry, shook his hands angrily and... ran to look for other musicians.

Imperial Theater

At the time when the empress decided to establish a theater, there was no room in the city in which the troupe could perform constantly, and therefore performances were shown in one place or another. The problem was solved in 1801, when the architect Vincenzo Brenna undertook the reconstruction of the wooden pavilion (which stood on the site of the current square) in which the Italian entrepreneur Antonio Casassi organized the Italian opera troupe.

Until 1801, the territory where the Alexandrinsky Theater now stands was part of the property of Colonel Anichkov, the builder of the bridge of the same name in St. Petersburg. However, subsequently the authorities bought this plot of land and gave it for the construction of a theater. The premises that the architect Brenna designed, of course, could not satisfy the growing needs of the young theater for a long time, but the unstable political situation, conflicts with Turkey and the Napoleonic War of 1812 pushed back the construction of the building for an unknown period.

When Alexander I returned to St. Petersburg after the war, the main expense of the royal treasury was the construction of the General Staff building. However, the architect Carl Rossi, despite the refusal to build the theater, as if jokingly, creates his own project, simultaneously remodeling the interiors of the Anichkov Palace.
It was decided to implement Rossi’s project in 1825, when Nicholas I ascended the throne. First, a plan was came up for the emperor to rebuild the square in front of the Grand Duke’s palace, which was approved on April 5, 1828, and the next day a Commission was created “to build a stone theater and behind of two buildings."

Alexandrinsky Theater and monument to Catherine II. Photo by n. XX century.

The secret of the blue upholstery of the hall

Despite the fact that the Alexandrinsky Theater was and remains one of the most majestic buildings in the city, a full-fledged design project for the hall was never fully implemented. Rossi wanted the halls to be more elegant, and wood carvings and artistic paintings were replaced with bronze and copper elements. Alas, the precarious financial situation of the state, drained of blood by the war and the lack of funds that went to the needs of the army, did not allow the imagination of the great architect to unfold to the full extent of his talent.

Petersburg. Alexandrinsky Theater.
Fragment of a lithograph by P. Ivanov based on Fig. V. S. Sadovnikova. 1830—1835

When they began upholstering the auditorium, Nicholas I announced that he wanted only red to be used. However, the cunning Rossi, who saw other images and colors before him, announced to the emperor that such fabric was not available, and if he waited for its purchase, it would not be possible to open the theater on time. So Rossi, not by battle, but by cunning, won his right to use blue color.

The theater's auditorium has 1,378 seats. The carvings of the royal box and some boxes near the wall have been preserved to this day. Distinctive feature The Alexandrinsky Theater is its magnificent acoustics: from any place in auditorium Every whisper uttered by an actor from the stage is clearly audible, which significantly enhances the impression of the performance.

The grand opening of the theater took place on September 12, 1832. That day, the performance opened with the tragedy “Pozharsky, or the Liberation of Moscow” and “the Spanish divertissement, that is, different Spanish dances", as they wrote in the capital and Moscow press.

Alexandrinsky Theater. Photo late XIX century.

The theater was named after the wife of Emperor Nicholas I, Alexandra Feodorovna, who participated in the development of the design of boxes and rotundas. Although the name was euphonious, it was rarely possible to hear it from St. Petersburg residents. The word “Alexandrinka” became a kind of sign of involvement in the world of art, which St. Petersburg residents used in conversations, emphasizing their significance with this word and thereby seeming to become closer to the theater.

During the construction of the Alexandrinsky Theater, the architect C. Rossi used cast iron ceilings, which was an innovation for theater architecture. The emperor, having learned about this, ordered the work to be suspended and invited the architect to his place. In a conversation with Rossi, he doubted the strength of such cast iron structures. The architect, confident in his project, allegedly swore to the emperor that he would vouch for the success of the construction: if the theater vault suddenly collapsed, let him be publicly hanged from the rafters of the building! This answer satisfied the emperor, and he allowed construction to continue.

Alexandrinsky Theater. Photographer E. Yuar. 1856

Carl Rossi's embarrassment

When the theater was ready, the king and his subjects were very pleased with the result. As a token of gratitude, Rossi was given lifelong use box No. 14 of the second tier. at the Alexandrinsky Theater.

However, on January 14, 1837, the director of the imperial theaters, Alexander Gedeonov, asks to report on his arrival to the Minister of the Court and, somewhat embarrassed, says: “Mr. Rossi asked the directorate if she would like to take this box away from him, and pay him money for it. Due to the unknown whether Mr. Rossi still has the right to make such a transfer of a lodge without special permission... I did not dare to accept his proposals.” Gedeonov also reported that the box is never empty: at almost all performances “ different faces from the public” and, of course, they are allowed in, since they have a ticket issued by Rossi. Later, through observations, it became known that on the day of the performance a special person is sent to the theater, who, standing in the corridor, sells tickets to the box. This man was repeatedly warned and was even caught once while committing a “deal” and warned that next time he would be taken to the police. Despite this, at the evening performance seven people were allowed into the box, between whom a quarrel and a fight broke out. During the investigation by the police, it turned out that among those sitting in that box were nobles, officials, as well as serfs.

Portrait of Karl Ivanovich Rossi.

Needless to say, the enterprising architect decided to earn a little extra money fine arts, and put the profit in your pocket. After this incident, Rossi was announced that another such incident would result in the loss of his ticket. The 62-year-old architect agreed with the reasonableness of the argument and no longer sold tickets.

Departure from the Alexandrinsky Theater. Lithograph by R. K. Zhukovsky. 1843

Golden Age of Theater

At the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, the theater became the main entertainment of the nobility and the subject of special attention from the emperor. The repertoire was dominated by plays of an official or entertaining nature. The action unfolded on stage with elements of external splendor, pomp and magnificent effects. This period of theater is characterized by an appeal to serious social topics, to the vaudeville genre and the attraction of outstanding Russian actors to the theater: Nikolai Dur, Varvara Asenkova, Andrei Karatygin, Ivan Sosnitsky.

Scene from the play “It shines, but does not warm” Engravings based on drawings by K. Broz. 1880

In the second half of the 19th century, a troupe was formed in the theater associated with the names of Vladimir Davydov, Maria Savina, Pyotr Svobodin, Varvara Strelskaya, Vasily Dalmatov, Polina Strepetova, and then Vera Fedorovna Komissarzhevskaya herself. Then in The theater staged for the first time the plays “Woe from Wit” by Griboedov, “The Inspector General” by Gogol and “The Thunderstorm” by Ostrovsky.

The decline of the old school

The crisis of the old school in the theater was revealed in 1896, when it was decided to stage the play “The Seagull” by Anton Chekhov. At rehearsals, and later at the premiere itself, outdated production principles, a lack of modern direction and flexibility among the artists, who saw in the play just an original comedy and that’s all, became obvious. The performance, despite the talented and reverent performance of the role of young Nina Komissarzhevskaya, failed, and the actress herself soon left Alexandrinka to open her own Drama Theater on Italianskaya street.

V. F. Komissarzhevskaya - Varya. "Savage" by A. N. Ostrovsky and N. Ya. Solovyov. 1898

A turning point in the life of the theater was the arrival in 1908 of director Vsevolod Meyerhold, who tried to summarize the best traditions of the theater and achieve the unity of all elements of stage action. This is how the performances “Don Juan”, “The Thunderstorm” and “Masquerade” appear on stage. The play "Masquerade", staged in the days preceding the revolution, began to be perceived as a "premonition of the death of the autocracy."

State Drama Theater named after A. S. Pushkin

After February 1917, the theater, like many other state institutions, was first subjected to devastating criticism, in which the words “liquidation of the old world of bourgeois art” were the most diplomatic and moderate, and then, in 1920, it was reorganized and began to be called the “Petrograd State academic theater dramas." The repertoire in the theater, as one would expect, was “class-correct” - the life of peasants, the red color of the revolution, slogans and leaders became indispensable attributes of the new theater.

In the first years of Soviet power, Maxim Gorky’s plays “The Bourgeois” and “At the Lower Depths” were performed on stage, and performances were staged based on the works of Friedrich Schiller, Alexander Ostrovsky, Oscar Wilde, William Shakespeare, Bernard Shaw, Alexei Tolstoy and Dmitry Merezhkovsky. In 1920, a philosophical play by the future People's Commissar of Education of the RSFSR, Anatoly Lunacharsky, “Faust and the City” was staged.

From 1922 to 1928, the head of the artistic department of the theater was Yuri Yuryev, who, to the best of his ability, managed to protect the theater from the penetration of philistine repertoire into it. During this period, in the theater troupe, along with the old masters - Ekaterina Korchagina-Alexandrovskaya, Vera Michurina-Samoilova, artists of the new generation worked - Natalya Rashevskaya, Elena Karyakina, Leonid Vivien, Yakov Malyutin and others.

Since 1920, the theater began to be called " State Theater drama" (or "Ak-drama" - from "academic"), and in 1937 the theater was named after A. S. Pushkin.

Scenes from the play "Masquerade" by M. Yu. Lermontov. 1926

During the Great Patriotic War The theater operated in Novosibirsk and during these years the performances “Front”, “Russian People”, “Invasion” appeared on the stage. In the fall of 1944, the theater resumed work in Leningrad.

In the late 40s - early 50s, the development of theater was hampered by the then popular principles of leveling and idealization historical figures, however, even in these years significant performances were staged on stage: “The Winners” by Boris Chirskov and “Life in Bloom” by Alexander Dovzhenko.

The name “Alexandrinsky” was returned to the theater only in 1990. Now artistic director Valery Fokin has been in the theater for 11 years now.

Of course, like any theater of this scale, Alexandrinka is a mysterious place. It was erected on the site of the Hare Marshes and the former Italian theater. Used to connect underground passages with neighboring buildings. The inside is more like a labyrinth - there is a known case when one of the actors, who had previously worked in Alexandrinka for 30 years, could not leave the theater for several hours.

A theater located in the very heart of St. Petersburg, a theater where Griboedov’s “Woe from Wit” and Ostrovsky’s “The Thunderstorm” were first staged, a theater that was called the “director’s Mecca” - directors from Meyerhold to Tovstonogov worked there.

Birth of the first Russian public theater

The decree on the creation of the “Russian Theater for the Performance of Tragedies and Comedies” was signed by Empress Elizaveta Petrovna on August 30, 1756. The first public theater in Russia, he earned the right to be called the father of Russian theater. At its “birth” the troupe was headed by Fyodor Volkov, and Alexander Sumarokov himself became the director of the theater! Even then it became clear that the theater would become famous and would gather on its stage a whole galaxy of stars from the theater world.

The Alexandrinsky Theater was called "the director's Mecca"

From pavilion to palace

In the middle of the 18th century, the Anichkov Garden housed the Opera House, intended for masquerades and performances. The first theater building on Ostrovsky Square appeared in 1801. On the site of the wooden pavilion, architect Vincenzo Brenna erected a theater in which the Italian troupe of entrepreneur Casassi gave performances. After the infamous fire at the Bolshoi Theater in 1811, the architect de Thomon put forward a proposal to rebuild the building, but this was prevented by the war with Napoleon.

The first director of Alexandrinka was Alexander Sumarokov

Casassi Theater

However, the theater simply needed large room. The famous architect Carl Rossi worked on the creation of the project for 11 years. The final version was approved only in 1828, the very next day a commission was created “to build a stone theater and two buildings behind it” and immediately began construction. In 1832, on the site of the old "Maly" opened new theater, an excellent example of the Empire style that reigned in architecture at that time. It was then that the theater received the name Alexandrinsky in honor of the wife of Nicholas I, Alexandra Fedorovna.

The Alexandrinsky Theater is named after the wife of Nicholas I

Under the shadow of the muses

A special feature of the building is the metal ceilings, which Rossi personally insisted on. Emperor Nicholas I had doubts about the strength of such structures, but the architect managed to prove he was right. The façade of the theater is decorated with a multi-column loggia, and the side facades are decorated with eight-column porticoes. The niches contain plaster sculptures of the muses Thalia (patron of comedy), Melpomene (patron of tragedy), Clio (patron of history) and Terpsichore (patron of dance). Where the muses are, there is Apollo, and this time we couldn’t do without him. The facade of the building is crowned by a quadriga of the god Apollo (the work of Vasily Demut-Malinovsky), which makes the Alexandrinsky Theater in common with the Bolshoi Theater in Moscow.

Glitter and luxury

The interior decoration of the theater differs from what Rossi planned - the architect dreamed of more decorations. Nevertheless, the hall already looked magnificent: carvings, gilding, painting, colored upholstery of the chairs (originally blue, but due to oil lamps the hall became smoky, and the upholstery had to be changed to crimson). Seats for spectators were located according to the then modern system of boxes in many tiers with an amphitheater and a spacious stall. In total, the theater could accommodate almost 1,700 people!

According to Russia's plan, Alexandrinka should have even more decorations

Hall of the Alexandrinsky Theater

Textbook of Russian theatrical life

Based on the history of the Alexandrinsky Theater, one could write a textbook on Russian theatrical life. This theater hosted the premieres of almost all famous dramatic works Russian classics. This includes “Woe from Wit,” and “The Inspector General,” and “The Thunderstorm” (in total, 49 of Ostrovsky’s plays were staged on the Alexandrinsky stage), and even the infamous first production of Chekhov’s “The Seagull.” IN early XIX century, Griboyedov’s early comedies “The Young Spouses” and “Feigned Infidelity” were successfully performed on stage.

The premieres of almost all Russian classics took place in Alexandrinka

The emphasis during the performances was on the actors' plasticity, their external technique, and the combination of singing and movement. This is precisely what led to the difference between St. Petersburg and Moscow theater schools. They performed on the theater stage famous actors: Davydov, Varlamov, Dalsky, Strepetova, then Komissarzhevskaya herself! They worked under the guidance of the most talented directors of their time, for example, Vsevolod Meyerhold, Igor Terentyev, Nikolai Akimov, Grigory Kozintsev, Georgy Tovstonogov. We also collaborated with the theater outstanding artists Benois, Korovin, Golovin, Altman and composers Glazunov, Shostakovich, Shchedrin.

What's in a name?

Since 1920, the theater received the name “State Drama Theater”, and then, in 1937, on the centenary of the death of Pushkin, the theater received the name of the sun of Russian poetry. That is why the Alexandrinsky Theater is often called Pushkinsky. The official name returned only in the 1990s. During the Great Patriotic War, the theater worked in Novosibirsk; it returned to Leningrad only in 1944.

In 2006, during the celebration of the 250th anniversary, the grand opening of the reconstructed Alexandrinsky Theater took place. And from 2010 to 2013, work was carried out to create the second stage of the theater, which opened with a laboratory performance based on Dostoevsky’s “Crime and Punishment.” Today the theater is directed by director Valery Fokin.