Story
Bolshoi Theater started as private theater provincial prosecutor Prince Pyotr Urusov. On March 28, 1776, Empress Catherine II signed a “privilege” for the prince to maintain performances, masquerades, balls and other entertainment for a period of ten years. This date is considered the founding day of the Moscow Bolshoi Theater. At the first stage of the Bolshoi Theater's existence, opera and drama troupe formed a single whole. The composition was very diverse: from serf artists to stars invited from abroad.
In the formation of the opera and drama troupe, Moscow University and the gymnasiums established under it played a large role, in which good music education. Theater classes were established at the Moscow Orphanage, which also supplied personnel to the new troupe.
The first theater building was built on the right bank of the Neglinka River. It faced Petrovka Street, hence the theater got its name - Petrovsky (later it will be called the Old Petrovsky Theater). Its opening took place on December 30, 1780. They gave a ceremonial prologue “Wanderers”, written by A. Ablesimov, and a large pantomimic ballet “The Magic School”, staged by L. Paradise to the music of J. Startzer. Then the repertoire was formed mainly from Russian and Italian comic operas with ballets and individual ballets.
The Petrovsky Theater, erected in record time - less than six months, became the first public theater building of such size, beauty and convenience to be built in Moscow. By the time of its opening, Prince Urusov, however, had already been forced to cede his rights to his partner, and subsequently the “privilege” was extended only to Medox.
However, disappointment awaited him too. Forced to constantly ask for loans from the Board of Trustees, Medox did not get out of debt. In addition, the authorities' opinion - previously very high - about the quality of his entrepreneurial activities has changed radically. In 1796, Madox's personal privilege expired, so both the theater and its debts were transferred to the jurisdiction of the Board of Trustees.
In 1802-03. The theater was handed over to Prince M. Volkonsky, the owner of one of the best Moscow home theater troupes. And in 1804, when the theater again came under the jurisdiction of the Board of Trustees, Volkonsky was actually appointed its director “on salary.”
Already in 1805, a project arose to create a theater directorate in Moscow “in the image and likeness” of the St. Petersburg one. In 1806 it was implemented - and the Moscow theater acquired the status of an imperial theater, coming under the jurisdiction of a single Directorate of Imperial Theaters.
In 1806, the school that the Petrovsky Theater had was reorganized into the Imperial Moscow Theater School to train opera, ballet, drama artists and musicians of theater orchestras (in 1911 it became a choreographic school).
In the fall of 1805, the building of the Petrovsky Theater burned down. The troupe began performing on private stages. And since 1808 - on the stage of the new Arbat Theater, built according to the design of K. Rossi. This wooden building also died in a fire - during Patriotic War 1812
In 1819, a competition was announced for the design of a new theater building. The winner was the project of Academy of Arts professor Andrei Mikhailov, who, however, was recognized as too expensive. As a result, the Moscow governor, Prince Dmitry Golitsyn, ordered the architect Osip Bova to correct it, which he did, and significantly improved it.
In July 1820, construction began on a new theater building, which was to become the center of the urban composition of the square and adjacent streets. The facade, decorated with a powerful portico on eight columns with a large sculptural group - Apollo on a chariot with three horses, “looked” at the Theater Square under construction, which contributed greatly to its decoration.
In 1822–23 Moscow theaters were separated from the general Directorate of Imperial Theaters and transferred to the authority of the Moscow Governor-General, who received the authority to appoint Moscow directors of the Imperial Theaters.
“Even closer, on a wide square, rises the Petrovsky Theater, a work the latest art, a huge building, made according to all the rules of taste, with a flat roof and a majestic portico, on which rises an alabaster Apollo, standing on one leg in an alabaster chariot, motionless driving three alabaster horses and looking with annoyance at the Kremlin wall, which jealously separates him from the ancients shrines of Russia!
M. Lermontov, youth essay “Panorama of Moscow”
January 6, 1825 took place grand opening of the new Petrovsky Theater - much larger than the lost old one, and therefore called the Bolshoi Petrovsky Theater. They performed the prologue “The Triumph of the Muses” written specially for the occasion in verse (M. Dmitrieva), with choirs and dances to the music of A. Alyabyev, A. Verstovsky and F. Scholz, as well as the ballet “Cendrillon” staged by a dancer and choreographer F. invited from France .IN. Güllen-Sor to the music of her husband F. Sor. The muses triumphed over the fire that destroyed the old theater building, and, led by the Genius of Russia, played by twenty-five-year-old Pavel Mochalov, they revived a new temple of art from the ashes. And although the theater was indeed very large, it could not accommodate everyone. Emphasizing the importance of the moment and condescending to the feelings of those suffering, the triumphant performance was repeated in its entirety the next day.
New theater, surpassing even the capital, St. Petersburg Bolshoi Stone Theater in size, was distinguished by its monumental grandeur, proportionality of proportions, harmony of architectural forms and wealth interior decoration. It turned out to be very convenient: the building had galleries for the passage of spectators, stairs leading to tiers, corner and side lounges for relaxation and spacious dressing rooms. The huge auditorium accommodated over two thousand people. The orchestra pit was deepened. During masquerades, the floor of the stalls was raised to the level of the proscenium, the orchestra pit was covered with special shields, and a wonderful “dance floor” was created.
In 1842, Moscow theaters were again placed under the control of the general Directorate of Imperial Theaters. The director then was A. Gedeonov, and the manager of the Moscow theater office was appointed famous composer A. Verstovsky. The years when he was “in power” (1842–59) were called the “Verstovsky era.”
And although dramatic performances continued to be staged on the stage of the Bolshoi Petrovsky Theater, operas and ballets began to occupy an increasing place in its repertoire. Works by Donizetti, Rossini, Meyerbeer, young Verdi, and Russian composers such as Verstovsky and Glinka were staged (the Moscow premiere of A Life for the Tsar took place in 1842, and the opera Ruslan and Lyudmila in 1846).
The building of the Bolshoi Petrovsky Theater existed for almost 30 years. But he too suffered the same sad fate: on March 11, 1853, a fire broke out in the theater, which lasted three days and destroyed everything it could. Theater machines, costumes burned, musical instruments, notes, scenery... The building itself was almost completely destroyed, from which only charred stone walls and columns of the portico remained.
Three prominent people took part in the competition to restore the theater. Russian architects. It was won by Albert Kavos, a professor at the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts and the chief architect of the imperial theaters. He specialized mainly in theatrical buildings, was well versed in theater technology and in the design of multi-tiered theaters with a box stage and Italian and French types of boxes.
Restoration work progressed rapidly. In May 1855, the dismantling of the ruins was completed and the reconstruction of the building began. And in August 1856 it already opened its doors to the public. This speed was explained by the fact that the construction had to be completed in time for the celebrations of the coronation of Emperor Alexander II. The Bolshoi Theater, practically rebuilt and with very significant changes compared to the previous building, opened on August 20, 1856 with the opera “The Puritans” by V. Bellini.
The total height of the building has increased by almost four meters. Despite the fact that the porticoes with Beauvais columns have been preserved, the appearance of the main facade has changed quite a lot. A second pediment appeared. Apollo's horse troika was replaced by a quadriga cast in bronze. An alabaster bas-relief appeared on the inner field of the pediment, representing flying geniuses with a lyre. The frieze and capitals of the columns have changed. Sloping canopies on cast iron pillars were installed above the entrances of the side facades.
But the theater architect, of course, paid the main attention to the auditorium and stage part. In the second half of the 19th century, the Bolshoi Theater was considered one of the best in the world for its acoustic properties. And he owed this to the skill of Albert Kavos, who designed the auditorium as a huge musical instrument. Wooden panels from resonant spruce were used to decorate the walls, instead of an iron ceiling, a wooden one was made, and a picturesque ceiling was made of wooden panels - everything in this room worked for acoustics. Even the decor of the boxes is made of papier-mâché. In order to improve the acoustics of the hall, Kavos also filled up the rooms under the amphitheater, where the wardrobe was located, and moved the hangers to the stall level.
The space of the auditorium was significantly expanded, which made it possible to create antechambers - small living rooms furnished to receive visitors from the stalls or boxes located next door. The six-tier hall accommodated almost 2,300 spectators. On both sides near the stage there were letter boxes intended for royal family, Ministry of the Court and Theater Directorate. The ceremonial royal box, slightly protruding into the hall, became its center, opposite the stage. The barrier of the Royal Box was supported by consoles in the form of bent atlases. The crimson and gold splendor amazed everyone who entered this hall - both in the first years of the Bolshoi Theater's existence and decades later.
“I tried to decorate the auditorium as luxuriously and at the same time as lightly as possible, in the taste of the Renaissance mixed with Byzantine style. White", strewn with gold, the bright crimson draperies of the interior boxes, the different plaster arabesques on each floor and the main effect of the auditorium - a large chandelier of three rows of lamps and candelabra decorated with crystal - all this earned general approval."
Albert Kavos
The auditorium chandelier was originally illuminated by 300 oil lamps. To light oil lamps, it was lifted through a hole in the lampshade into a special room. Around this hole a circular composition of the ceiling was built, on which Academician A. Titov painted “Apollo and the Muses”. This painting “has a secret”, revealed only to a very attentive eye, which, in addition to everything, must belong to a connoisseur ancient greek mythology: instead of one of the canonical muses - the muse of the sacred hymns of Polyhymnia, Titov depicted a muse of painting invented by him - with a palette and brush in his hands.
The front curtain was created Italian artist, professor at St. Petersburg Imperial Academy fine arts Kazroe Duzi. Of the three sketches, the one that depicted “The Entry of Minin and Pozharsky into Moscow” was chosen. In 1896, it was replaced with a new one - “View of Moscow from the Sparrow Hills” (made by P. Lambin based on a drawing by M. Bocharov), which was used at the beginning and end of the performance. And for intermissions, another curtain was made - “The Triumph of the Muses” based on a sketch by P. Lambin (the only curtain of the 19th century preserved in the theater today).
After the revolution of 1917, the curtains of the imperial theater were sent into exile. In 1920, theater artist F. Fedorovsky, while working on a production of the opera “Lohengrin,” created a sliding curtain made of bronze-painted canvas, which was then used as the main curtain. In 1935, according to a sketch by F. Fedorovsky, a new curtain was made, on which revolutionary dates were woven - “1871, 1905, 1917”. In 1955, F. Fedorovsky’s famous golden “Soviet” curtain, with woven state symbols of the USSR, reigned in the theater for half a century.
Like most buildings on Theater Square The Bolshoi Theater was built on stilts. Gradually the building deteriorated. Drainage work has lowered the groundwater level. Upper part the piles rotted, and this caused a large settlement of the building. In 1895 and 1898 The foundations were repaired, which temporarily helped to stop the ongoing destruction.
The last performance of the Imperial Bolshoi Theater took place on February 28, 1917. And on March 13, the State Bolshoi Theater opened.
After October Revolution not only the foundations, but also the very existence of the theater was under threat. It took several years for the power of the victorious proletariat to forever abandon the idea of closing the Bolshoi Theater and destroying its building. In 1919, she awarded it the title of academic, which at that time did not even provide a guarantee of safety, since within a few days the issue of its closure was again hotly debated.
However, in 1922, the Bolshevik government still found the closure of the theater economically inexpedient. By that time, it was already in full swing “adapting” the building to its needs. The Bolshoi Theater hosted the All-Russian Congresses of Soviets, meetings of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee, and congresses of the Comintern. And the formation of a new country - the USSR - was also proclaimed from the stage of the Bolshoi Theater.
Back in 1921, a special government commission examined the theater building and found its condition catastrophic. It was decided to launch emergency response work, the head of which was appointed architect I. Rerberg. Then the foundations under the ring walls of the auditorium were strengthened, the wardrobe rooms were restored, the staircases were redesigned, new rehearsal rooms and artistic restrooms were created. In 1938, a major reconstruction of the stage was carried out.
Master plan for the reconstruction of Moscow 1940-41. provided for the demolition of all houses behind the Bolshoi Theater up to the Kuznetsky Bridge. On the vacated territory it was planned to build the premises necessary for the theater's operation. And in the theater itself, fire safety and ventilation had to be established. In April 1941, the Bolshoi Theater was closed for necessary repairs. And two months later the Great Patriotic War began.
Part of the Bolshoi Theater staff evacuated to Kuibyshev, while others remained in Moscow and continued to perform performances on the stage of the branch. Many artists performed as part of front-line brigades, others went to the front themselves.
On October 22, 1941, at four o'clock in the afternoon, a bomb hit the Bolshoi Theater building. The blast wave passed obliquely between the columns of the portico, pierced the facade wall and caused significant damage to the vestibule. Despite the hardships of wartime and the terrible cold, restoration work began in the theater in the winter of 1942.
And already in the fall of 1943, the Bolshoi Theater resumed its activities with the production of M. Glinka’s opera “A Life for the Tsar”, from which the stigma of being monarchical was removed and recognized as patriotic and folk, however, for this it was necessary to revise its libretto and give a new reliable name - “Ivan Susanin” "
Cosmetic renovations to the theater were carried out annually. More large-scale work was also undertaken regularly. But there was still a catastrophic lack of rehearsal space.
In 1960, a large rehearsal hall was built and opened in the theater building - right under the roof, in the former set room.
In 1975, to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the theater, some restoration work was carried out in the auditorium and Beethoven hall. However, the main problems - the instability of the foundations and the lack of space inside the theater - were not resolved.
Finally, in 1987, by decree of the Government of the country, a decision was made on the need for urgent reconstruction of the Bolshoi Theater. But it was clear to everyone that in order to preserve the troupe, the theater should not stop its creative activity. We needed a branch. However, eight years passed before the first stone of its foundation was laid. And seven more before the New Stage building was built.
November 29, 2002 The new stage opened with the premiere of the opera “The Snow Maiden” by N. Rimsky-Korsakov, a production quite consistent with the spirit and purpose of the new building, that is, innovative, experimental.
In 2005, the Bolshoi Theater closed for restoration and reconstruction. But this is a separate chapter in the chronicle of the Bolshoi Theater.
To be continued...
The theater began with a small private troupe of Prince Pyotr Urusov. The performances of the talented group often delighted Empress Catherine II, who thanked the prince with the right to direct all entertainment events in the capital. The founding date of the theater is considered to be March 17, 1776 - the day when Urusov received this privilege. Just six months after the empress’s will, the prince erected the wooden building of the Petrovsky Theater on the banks of the Neglinka. But before it could open, the theater burned down. The new building required large financial investments, and Urusov had a partner - the Russified Englishman Medox, a successful entrepreneur and ballet dancer. The construction of the theater cost the Briton 130,000 silver rubles. The new three-story brick theater opened its doors to the public in December 1780. A few years later, due to financial troubles, the Englishman had to transfer management of the theater to the state, after which the temple of Melpomene began to be called the Imperial. In 1805, the building built by Medox burned down.
For several years, the theater troupe performed on the home stages of the Moscow nobility. The new building, which appeared on Arbat in 1808, was designed by the architect Karl Ivanovich Rossi. But this theater was also destroyed by fire in 1812.
Ten years later, the restoration of the theater began, ending in 1825. But, according to sad tradition, this building could not escape the fire that occurred in 1853 and left behind only the outer walls. The Bolshoi revival lasted three years. The chief architect of the Imperial Theaters, Albert Kavos, who supervised the restoration of the building, increased its height, added columns in front of the entrance and a portico, above which stood a bronze quadriga of Apollo by Pyotr Klodt. The pediment was decorated with a double-headed eagle - the coat of arms of Russia.
In the early 60s of the 19th century, the Bolshoi was rented by the Italian opera troupe. The Italians performed several times a week, while only one day remained for Russian productions. The competition between two theater groups benefited Russian vocalists, who were forced to hone and improve their skills, but the administration’s inattention to national repertoire prevented Russian art from achieving popularity among viewers. A few years later, the management had to listen to the demands of the public and resume the operas “Ruslan and Lyudmila” and “Rusalka”. The year 1969 was marked by the production of The Voevoda, the first opera by Pyotr Tchaikovsky, for whom the Bolshoi became the main professional platform. In 1981, the theater's repertoire was enriched with the opera "Eugene Onegin".
In 1895, the theater held major renovation, the end of which was marked by such productions as “Boris Godunov” by Mussorgsky and “The Woman of Pskov” by Rimsky-Korsakov with Fyodor Chaliapin in the role of Ivan the Terrible.
At the end of the 19th century and at the beginning of the 20th century, the Bolshoi became one of the leading centers of theatrical and musical world culture. The theater’s repertoire includes the best world works (“Walkyrie”, “Tannhäuser”, “Pagliacci”, “La Boheme”) and outstanding Russian operas (“Sadko”, “The Golden Cockerel”, “The Stone Guest”, “The Tale of the Invisible City of Kitezh” ). On the theater stage, great Russian singers and singers shine with their talent: Chaliapin, Sobinov, Gryzunov, Savransky, Nezhdanova, Balanovskaya, Azerskaya; The famous Russian artists Vasnetsov, Korovin and Golovin are working on the decorations.
The Bolshoi managed to completely preserve his troupe during the revolutionary events and Civil War. During the 1917-1918 season, the public saw 170 opera and ballet performances. And in 1919 the theater was awarded the title “Academic”.
The 20s and 30s of the last century became the time of the emergence and development of Soviet opera art. “The Love for Three Oranges”, “Trilby”, “Ivan the Soldier”, “Katerina Izmailova” by Shostakovich, “ Quiet Don", "Battleship Potemkin".
During the Great Patriotic War, part of the Bolshoi troupe was evacuated to Kuibyshev, where new performances continued to be created. Many theater artists went to the front with concerts. The post-war years were marked by talented productions by the outstanding choreographer Yuri Grigorovich, each performance of which was a notable event in cultural life countries.
From 2005 to 2011, a grandiose reconstruction was carried out at the theater, thanks to which a new foundation appeared under the Bolshoi building, the legendary historical interiors were recreated, the technical equipment of the theater was significantly improved, and the rehearsal base was increased.
More than 800 performances were staged on the Bolshoi stage; the theater hosted premieres of operas by Rachmaninoff, Prokofiev, Arensky, and Tchaikovsky. The ballet troupe has always been and remains a welcome guest in any country. Artists, directors, artists and conductors of the Bolshoi have been awarded the most prestigious state and international awards many times.
Description
The Bolshoi Theater has three auditoriums open to the public:
- Historical (main) stage, seating 2,500 people;
- New stage, opened in 2002 and designed for 1000 spectators;
- Beethoven Hall with 320 seats, famous for its unique acoustics.
The historical scene appears before visitors as it was in the second half of the century before last and is a semicircular hall with four tiers, decorated with gold and red velvet. Above the heads of the audience is the legendary chandelier with 26,000 crystals, which appeared in the theater in 1863 and illuminates the hall with 120 lamps.
The new stage was opened at the address: Bolshaya Dimitrovka Street, building 4, building 2. During the large-scale reconstruction, all Bolshoi repertoire performances were staged here, and currently the New Stage hosts tours of foreign and Russian theaters.
The Beethoven Hall opened in 1921. Viewers are delighted by its interior in the style of Louis XV: walls upholstered in silk, magnificent crystal chandeliers, Italian stucco, walnut floors. The hall is designed for chamber and solo concerts.
Every spring, two varieties of tulips bloom in front of the theater building - the deep pink “Galina Ulanova” and the bright red “Bolshoi Theater”, bred by the Dutch breeder Lefeber. At the beginning of the last century, a florist saw Ulanova on the stage of the Bolshoi. Lefeber was so impressed by the talent of the Russian ballerina that he developed new varieties of tulips especially in honor of her and the theater in which she shone. The image of the Bolshoi Theater building can be seen on many postage stamps and on hundred-ruble banknotes.
Information for visitors
The theater address: Teatralnaya Square, 1. You can get to the Bolshoi by walking along Teatralny Proezd from the Teatralnaya and Okhotny Ryad metro stations. From the Ploshchad Revolyutsii station you can reach the Bolshoi by crossing the square of the same name. From the Kuznetsky Most station you need to walk along Kuznetsky Most Street, and then turn to Teatralnaya Square.
Bronze quadriga by Pyotr Klodt
You can purchase tickets for Bolshoi productions both on the theater’s website - www.bolshoi.ru, and at the box office open in the Administration building (daily from 11.00 to 19.00, break from 15.00 to 16.00); in the building of the Historical Stage (daily from 12.00 to 20.00, break from 16.00 to 18.00); in the New Stage building (daily from 11.00 to 19.00, break from 14.00 to 15.00).
Ticket prices vary from 100 to 10,000 rubles, depending on the performance, performance time and place in the auditorium.
The Bolshoi Theater has a comprehensive security system, including video surveillance and mandatory passage of all visitors through a metal detector. Do not take piercing or sharp objects with you - you will not be allowed into the theater building with them.
Children are allowed to attend evening performances from the age of 10. Until this age, a child can attend morning performances with a separate ticket. Children under 5 years old are not allowed into the theater.
IN Historical building The theater offers excursions on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays telling about the architecture of the Bolshoi and its past.
For those wishing to purchase something to remember the Bolshoi Theater, a souvenir shop is open daily from 11.00 to 17.00. To get into it, you need to enter the theater through entrance No. 9A. Visitors who come to the performance can enter the store directly from the Bolshoi building before or after the performance. Landmark: left wing of the theater, ground floor, next to the Beethoven Hall.
Photo and video shooting in the theater is not permitted.
When going to the Bolshoi Theater, plan your time - after the third bell you will not be able to enter the hall!
185 years ago the Bolshoi Theater was inaugurated.
The founding date of the Bolshoi Theater is considered to be March 28 (March 17), 1776, when famous philanthropist Moscow prosecutor Prince Pyotr Urusov received the highest permission to “contain ... theatrical performances of all kinds.” Urusov and his companion Mikhail Medox created the first permanent troupe in Moscow. It was organized from actors of a previously existing Moscow theater troupe, students of Moscow University and from newly recruited serf actors.
The theater initially did not have an independent building, so performances were staged in Vorontsov’s private house on Znamenka Street. But in 1780, the theater moved to a stone theater building specially built according to the design of Christian Rozbergan on the site of the modern Bolshoi Theater. To build the theater building, Medox bought a plot of land at the beginning of Petrovskaya Street, which was in the possession of Prince Lobanov-Rostotsky. The three-story stone building with a plank roof, the so-called Medox Theater, was erected in just five months.
Based on the name of the street on which the theater was located, it became known as “Petrovsky”.
The repertoire of this first professional theater in Moscow included drama, opera and ballet performances. But operas received special attention, so the Petrovsky Theater was more often called the “Opera House”. The theater troupe was not divided into opera and drama: the same artists performed in both drama and opera performances.
In 1805, the building burned down, and until 1825, performances were staged at various theater venues.
In the early 20s of the 19th century, Petrovskaya Square (now Teatralnaya) was completely rebuilt in the classicist style according to the plans of the architect Osip Bove. According to this project, its current composition arose, the dominant feature of which was the building of the Bolshoi Theater. The building was built according to the design of Osip Bove in 1824 on the site of the former Petrovsky. The new theater partially included the walls of the burnt Petrovsky Theater.
The construction of the Bolshoi Petrovsky Theater was a real event for Moscow early XIX century. A beautiful eight-column building in classic style with the chariot of the god Apollo above the portico, inside decorated in red and gold tones, according to contemporaries, it was the best theater in Europe and in scale second only to Milan's La Scala. Its opening took place on January 6 (18), 1825. In honor of this event, a prologue “The Triumph of the Muses” was given by Mikhail Dmitriev with music by Alexander Alyabyev and Alexei Verstovsky. It allegorically depicted how the Genius of Russia, with the help of the muses, on the ruins of the Medox Theater creates a new beautiful temple of art - the Bolshoi Petrovsky Theater.
The townspeople called the new building "Colosseum". The performances held here were invariably a success, gathering high-society Moscow society.
On March 11, 1853, for an unknown reason, a fire started in the theater. Died in fire theatrical costumes, scenery for performances, the archives of the troupe, part of the music library, rare musical instruments, the theater building was also damaged.
A competition was announced for the restoration of the theater building, in which the winning plan was submitted by Albert Kavos. After the fire, the walls and columns of the porticos were preserved. When developing a new project, architect Alberto Cavos took the three-dimensional structure of the Beauvais Theater as a basis. Kavos approached the issue of acoustics carefully. He considered the optimal arrangement of the auditorium to be based on the principle of a musical instrument: the deck of the ceiling, the deck of the ground floor, wall panels, and balcony structures were made of wood. The acoustics of Kavos were perfect. He had to endure many battles with his contemporaries, architects, and with firefighters, proving that the installation of a metal ceiling (as, for example, in Alexandrinsky Theater architect Rossi) can be detrimental to the acoustics of the theater.
While maintaining the layout and volume of the building, Kavos increased the height, changed the proportions and reworked the architectural decoration; Slender cast-iron galleries with lamps were built on the sides of the building. During the reconstruction of the auditorium, Kavos changed the shape of the hall, narrowing it towards the stage, changed the size of the auditorium, which began to accommodate up to 3 thousand spectators. The alabaster group of Apollo, which adorned the Osip Bove Theater, died in a fire. To create a new one, Alberto Cavos invited the famous Russian sculptor Pyotr Klodt, the author of the famous four equestrian groups on the Anichkov Bridge over the Fontanka River in St. Petersburg. Klodt created the now world-famous sculptural group with Apollo.
The new Bolshoi Theater was built in 16 months and opened on August 20, 1856 for the coronation of Alexander II.
The Kavos Theater did not have enough space to store scenery and props, and in 1859 the architect Nikitin made a project for a two-story extension to the northern facade, according to which all the capitals of the northern portico were covered. The project was implemented in the 1870s. And in the 1890s, another floor was added to the extension, thereby increasing the usable area. In this form, the Bolshoi Theater has survived to this day, with the exception of minor internal and external reconstructions.
After the Neglinka River was drawn into the pipe, the groundwater receded, the wooden foundation piles were exposed to atmospheric air and began to rot. In 1920, the entire semi-circular wall of the auditorium collapsed during the performance, the doors jammed, and the audience had to be evacuated through the barriers of the boxes. This forced the architect and engineer Ivan Rerberg in the late 1920s to place a concrete slab on a central support, shaped like a mushroom, under the auditorium. However, the concrete spoiled the acoustics.
By the 1990s, the building was extremely dilapidated, its deterioration was estimated at 60%. The theater fell into disrepair both structurally and decoratively. During the life of the theater, they endlessly added something to it, improved it, tried to make it more modern. Elements of all three theaters coexisted in the theater building. Their foundations were at different levels, and accordingly, cracks began to appear on the foundations, on the walls, and then on the interior decoration. The brickwork of the facades and the walls of the auditorium were in disrepair. The same goes for the main portico. The columns deviated from the vertical by up to 30 cm. The tilt was recorded back in late XIX centuries, and since then everything has increased. These block columns white stone they tried to “treat” the entire twentieth century - humidity caused visible black spots at the bottom of the columns at a height of up to 6 meters.
The technology is hopelessly behind the modern level: for example, until the end of the 20th century, a decoration winch from the Siemens company, manufactured in 1902, operated here (now it has been handed over to the Polytechnic Museum).
In 1993, the Russian government adopted a decree on the reconstruction of the Bolshoi Theater complex.
In 2002, with the participation of the Moscow government, the New Stage of the Bolshoi Theater was opened on Teatralnaya Square. This hall is more than two times smaller than the historical one and can only accommodate a third of the theater’s repertoire. The launch of the New Stage made it possible to begin the reconstruction of the main building.
According to the plan, the appearance of the theater building will remain almost unchanged. Only the northern facade will lose its extensions, already within many years closed with storage rooms where decorations are stored. The Bolshoi Theater building will go 26 meters deep into the ground; in the old and new building there will even be room for huge set structures - they will be lowered to the third underground level. The Chamber Hall with 300 seats will also be hidden underground. After reconstruction, the New and Main stages, which are located 150 meters from each other, will be connected to each other and to the administrative and rehearsal buildings by underground passages. In total, the theater will have 6 underground tiers. The storage will be moved underground, which will allow the rear facade to be restored to its proper form.
Underway unique works to strengthen the underground part of the theater buildings, with a guarantee from the builders for the next 100 years, with parallel placement and modern technical equipment of parking lots under the main building of the complex, which will make it possible to relieve traffic from the most complex interchange of the city - Theater Square.
Everything that was lost in the building will be recreated in the historical interior of the building. Soviet times. One of the main tasks of the reconstruction is to restore the original, largely lost, legendary acoustics of the Bolshoi Theater and make the stage floor covering as comfortable as possible. For the first time in Russian theater the gender will change depending on the genre of the performance being shown. Opera will have its own gender, ballet will have its own. In terms of technological equipment, the theater will become one of the best in Europe and the world.
The Bolshoi Theater building is a historical and architectural monument, so a significant part of the work is scientific restoration. The author of the restoration project, Honored Architect of Russia, Director of the scientific and restoration center "Restavrator-M" Elena Stepanova.
According to Russian Minister of Culture Alexander Avdeev, the reconstruction of the Bolshoi Theater will be completed by the end of 2010 - beginning of 2011.
The material was prepared based on information from RIA Novosti and open sources.
The Bolshoi Theater in Moscow, located in the center of the capital, on Teatralnaya Square, is one of the symbols of Russia and the brilliant skill of its artists. Its talented performers: vocalists and ballet dancers, composers and conductors, choreographers are known all over the world. More than 800 works were staged on its stage. These are the first Russian operas and operas of such celebrities as Verdi and Wagner, Bellini and Donizetti, Berlioz and Ravel and other composers. World premieres of operas by Tchaikovsky and Rachmaninoff, Prokofiev and Arensky took place here. The great Rachmaninov conducted here.
Bolshoi Theater in Moscow - history
In March 1736, the provincial prosecutor, Prince Pyotr Vasilyevich Urusov, began construction of a theater building on the right bank of the Neglinka River, on the corner of Petrovka. Then he began to be called Petrovsky. But Peter Urusov failed to complete the construction. The building burned down. After the fire, his partner, the English entrepreneur Michael Medox, completed the construction of the theater building. This was the first professional theater. His repertoire included drama, opera and ballet performances. Both singers and dramatic actors took part in opera performances. The Petrovsky Theater was opened on December 30, 1780. On this day, the pantomime ballet “The Magic Shop” was staged by Y. Paradise. Ballets with a national flavor, such as Village Simplicity, Gypsy Ballet and The Taking of Ochakov, were especially popular among the audience. Basically, the ballet troupe was formed by students of the ballet school of the Moscow Orphanage and serf actors of E. Golovkina’s troupe. This building lasted 25 years. It was destroyed in a fire in 1805. The new building, built under the leadership of K. Rossi on Arbat Square, also burned down in 1812.
According to the project of A. Mikhailov in 1821-1825. A new theater building is being built on the same site. The construction was supervised by the architect O. Bove. It was significantly increased in size. Therefore, at that time it received the name Bolshoi Theater. On January 6, 1825, the performance “The Triumph of the Muses” was given here. After the fire in March 1853, the building took three years to restore. The work was supervised by the architect A. Kavos. As contemporaries wrote, the appearance of the building “captivated the eye with the proportionality of the parts, in which lightness was combined with grandeur.” This is how it has survived to this day. In 1937 and 1976 the theater was awarded the Order of Lenin. During the Great Patriotic War, he was evacuated to the city of Kuibyshev. On November 29, 2002, the New Stage opened with the premiere of Rimsky-Korsakov's opera The Snow Maiden.
Bolshoi Theater - architecture
The building that we can now admire is one of the best examples of Russian classical architecture. It was built in 1856 under the direction of architect Albert Kavos. During restoration after the fire, the building was completely rebuilt and decorated with a white stone portico with eight columns. The architect replaced the hipped roof with a gable roof with pediments, repeating the shape of the portico pediment along the main façade and removing the arched niche. The Ionic order of the portico was replaced by a complex one. All exterior details have been changed. Some architects believe that Kavos's changes diminished the artistic merit of the original building. The building is crowned by the world-famous bronze quadriga of Apollo by Pyotr Klodt. We see a two-wheeled chariot with four harnessed horses galloping across the sky and the god Apollo driving them. A plaster double-headed eagle was installed on the pediment of the building - state emblem Russia. On the ceiling of the auditorium there are nine muses with Apollo at their head. Thanks to the creativity of Albert Kavos, the building fits perfectly into the surrounding architectural structures.
The five tiers of the auditorium can accommodate more than 2,100 spectators. In terms of its acoustic properties, it is considered one of the best in the world. The length of the hall from the orchestra to the back wall is 25 meters, width - 26.3 meters, height - 21 meters. The stage portal is 20.5 by 17.8 meters, the depth of the stage is 23.5 meters. This is one of the beautiful architectural structures capitals. It was called "the palace of sun rays, gold, purple and snow." The building also hosts important state and public celebrations.
Reconstruction of the Bolshoi Theater
In 2005, the reconstruction of the theater began and after 6 years of colossal work, on October 28, 2011, the opening of the country's main stage took place. The area of the Bolshoi Theater doubled and amounted to 80 thousand square meters, an underground part appeared and the unique acoustics of the hall were restored. The stage now has the volume of a six-story building, all processes in which are computerized. The paintings in the White Foyer have been restored. The jacquard fabrics and tapestries in the Round Hall and the Imperial Foyer were restored by hand over the course of 5 years, restoring every centimeter. 156 craftsmen from all over Russia were engaged in gilding interiors with a thickness of 5 microns, covering an area of 981 square meter, which took 4.5 kg of gold.
There were 17 elevators with buttons for floors from the 10th to the 4th, and an additional 2 floors located below were occupied by mechanics. The auditorium seats 1,768 people, before reconstruction - 2,100. The theater buffet moved to the 4th floor and this is the only room where windows are located on both sides. Interestingly, the tiles in the central foyer were made in the same factory as in the 19th century. The chandelier with a diameter of more than 6 meters with gilded pendants is especially beautiful. The new curtain is embroidered double headed eagle and the word Russia.
The modern Bolshoi Theater includes an opera house and ballet troupe, stage and brass band and orchestra of the Bolshoi Theater. The names of the opera and ballet school are the property of all of Russia and all theater world. More than 80 artists were awarded the title of People's Artists of the USSR during the Soviet period. The title of Hero of Socialist Labor was received by eight stage masters - I. Arkhipova and Y. Grigorovich, I. Kozlovsky and E. Nesterenko, E. Svetlanov, as well as world-famous ballerinas - G. Ulanova, M. Plisetskaya and M. Semyonova. Many artists are People's Artists of the Russian Federation.
The Bolshoi Theater in Moscow represents one of the world's main theater stages. He played an outstanding role in the formation of the Russian musical and stage school and in the development of Russian national art, including the famous Russian ballet.
The most famous theater in Russia and one of famous theaters world is the Bolshoi Theater. Where is main theater countries? Well, of course, in the main city - Moscow. Its repertoire includes opera and ballet productions by Russian and foreign classical composers. In addition to the classical repertoire, the theater constantly experiments with innovative modern productions. The history of the Bolshoi Theater is very rich and is associated with the names of people significant to our country. In March 2015, the theater turns 239 years old.
How it all began
Prince Pyotr Vasilyevich Urusov is considered the founder of the Bolshoi Theater; he was a provincial prosecutor and at the same time had his own theater troupe. He was the only one who was allowed to organize performances, masquerades, concerts and other entertainment. No one else was allowed to engage in such work, so that the prince would not have competitors. But this privilege also imposed on him an obligation - to build a beautiful building for the troupe in which all performances would take place. The prince had a companion named Medox, who was a foreigner, he taught mathematics to Grand Duke Paul - the future to the Russian Emperor. Having fallen in love with the theater business, he stayed in Russia and became closely involved in the development of the theater. failed to build a theater because he went bankrupt, the privilege of the theater holder, as well as the obligation to build the building, passed to Medox, as a result of which it was he who built the Bolshoi Theater. Every second resident of Russia knows where the theater created by Medox is located; it is located at the intersection of Teatralnaya Square and Petrovka.
Theater construction
For the construction of the theater, Medox chose a plot that belonged to Prince Rostotsky, who bought it from him. This was a street called Petrovskaya, its very beginning, and the Bolshoi Theater was built here. The address of the theater now is Teatralnaya Square, building 1. The theater was built in record time short terms, in just 5 months, which even for our time with all its modern technologies And building materials is amazing and amazing. The project for the construction of the theater building was developed by Christian Rosberg. The theater was magnificent inside, the auditorium amazed with its beauty, but on the contrary, it was modest, unremarkable and practically undecorated. The theater received its first name - Petrovsky.
Theater opening
The Bolshoi Theater building was opened in 1780, on December 30. On this day, the very first performance of the theater troupe took place in its own building. All the newspapers wrote about the opening, theater masters and famous architects as one showered compliments on the building, characterizing it as durable, huge, profitable, beautiful, safe and superior to the majority in all respects famous theaters Europe. The city governor was so pleased with the construction that the privilege that gave Madox the right to hold entertainment was extended for another 10 years.
Interior decoration
A round hall, the so-called rotunda, was built to hold performances. The hall was decorated with numerous mirrors and illuminated by forty-two crystal chandeliers. The hall was designed by Medox himself. Next to the stage, as expected, there was an orchestra pit. Closest to the stage were stools for honored guests of the theater and regular spectators, most of whom were owners of serf troupes. Their opinion was important to Madox, for this reason they were invited to dress rehearsals, after which they were involved in discussing the upcoming production.
The theater showed about 100 performances a year. It was impossible to buy tickets for one performance; to visit the theater, spectators purchased an annual subscription.
Over time, the theater's attendance deteriorated, profits decreased, actors began to leave the theater, and the building fell into disrepair. As a result, the Big opera house became state and received a new name - Imperial.
Temporary sunset
The history of the Bolshoi Theater was not always so beautiful; there were also tragic moments. In 1805, the theater burned down after 25 years of existence. Only the load-bearing walls have been preserved, and then only partially. Reconstruction began only in 1821, when Moscow was being reconstructed after the invasion of Napoleonic troops. The main architect, who was tasked with restoring the central part of the city, including the theater, was Osip Bove. He was an innovator; according to his project, the streets began to be built differently; now mansions began to face the street, and not inside the courtyard. Bove supervised the restoration of the Alexander Garden, the square near the theater. The reconstruction of the Bolshoi Theater became his most successful project. The new building was erected in the Empire style. According to the architect's contemporaries, the Bolshoi Theater rose like a phoenix from the ashes.
The metro is located very close to the theater, so getting to the theater is very convenient from anywhere in Moscow.
Reconstruction of the theater building
The restoration of the theater began in 1821 and lasted several years. Initially, the plan for the renovated theater building was developed by the famous architect Andrei Mikhailov in St. Petersburg; the governor of Moscow approved this plan. Mikhailov designed the theater building in the shape of a rectangle, as well as a portico of eight columns and Apollo in a chariot at the top of the portico; the hall was designed to accommodate up to two thousand spectators. Osip Bove reworked Mikhailov's design, where the Bolshoi Theater became lower and the proportions of the building changed. Beauvais also decided to abandon the placement on the ground floor as he considered that it was unaesthetic. The hall became multi-tiered, the decoration of the hall became rich. The required building acoustics were met. Beauvais even had a very original idea- to make a mirror curtain, but bringing such an idea to life, of course, is unrealistic, since such a curtain would be incredibly heavy.
Second birth
The reconstruction of the theater was completed by the end of 1824, and in January 1825 the renovated theater building was inaugurated. The first performance took place, the program of which included the ballet “Cendrillon” and the prologue “The Triumph of the Muses” specially written for the opening of the theater by Alyabyev and Verstovsky. Beauvais was the center of attention, and the audience greeted him with thunderous applause as a sign of gratitude. The new theater was simply amazing in its beauty. Now the theater has received the name “Bolshoi Petrovsky Theater”. All the theater's productions were a constant success. Now the Bolshoi Theater has become even more brilliant.
The metro is the most convenient way to get to the Bolshoi Theater. The closest stations to the theater are Teatralnaya, Ploshchad Revolyutsii, Okhotny Ryad and Aleksandrovsky Sad stations. Which station to choose depends on the starting point of the route.
And again the fire
In the spring of 1853, there was a fire in the theater again; it was very strong and lasted two days. The sky was so clouded with black smoke that it was visible in all corners of the city. All the snow has melted on Theater Square. The building burned down almost completely, leaving only the load-bearing walls and portico. The fire destroyed the scenery, costumes, music library, musical instruments, including rare specimens. IN once again The Bolshoi Theater was damaged by fire.
Where the theater is located is not difficult to find; it is located on Theater Square and there are a lot of attractions next to it: the Maly Drama Theater, Youth theater, Shchepkin Theater School, Metropol Cabaret, House of Unions, Okhotny Ryad, Central Department Store, opposite the theater there is a monument to Karl Marx.
Restoration work
The architect who brought the theater back to life was Albert Kavos, and the Mariinsky Theater in St. Petersburg was built according to his design. Unfortunately, little information about this architect has survived to this day. There was not enough money to restore the theater, but the work progressed quickly and took a little more than a year. The theater was opened on August 20, 1856, now it was called the “Bolshoi Imperial Theater”. The premiere performance of the restored theater was the opera “The Puritans” Italian composer There were different attitudes towards the new theater. The townspeople considered it magnificent and were proud of it, as for engineers and architects, some of them believed that the reconstruction carried out by Cavos was too different from the way the theater was conceived by Mikhailov and Bove, especially with regard to the facades and some interiors. It is worth giving the architect his due; thanks to his redevelopment of the hall, the acoustics in the Bolshoi Theater became one of the best in the world.
The theater not only hosted performances, it also hosted balls and masquerades. This is what the Bolshoi Theater became. The theater address is City Square, building 1.
Our days
The theater entered the 20th century in a fairly dilapidated state, with a sagging foundation and cracks on the walls. But several reconstructions carried out in the theater in the 20th century, one of which was completed quite recently (lasted 6 years), did their job - and now the theater shines with all its facets. In addition to operas and ballets, the theater's repertoire also includes operettas. You can also take a tour of the theater - see the hall and several other very interesting premises. A visitor who wants to visit the Bolshoi Theater, where it is located, may have a problem finding it, although in fact it is located in the very center of the city and finding it will not be difficult; not far from it is another landmark of the capital, which is known throughout the world - the Red square.