Description of the attraction
At the mere mention of the Bolshoi, theatergoers all over the world take their breath away and their hearts begin to beat faster. A ticket to his performance is the best gift, and each premiere is accompanied by a flurry of enthusiastic responses from both fans and critics. State Academic Bolshoi Theater of Russia has a solid weight not only in our country, but also abroad, because the best singers and dancers of their era have always performed on its stage.
How the Bolshoi Theater began
In the early spring of 1776, the Empress Catherine II by her highest decree she ordered to organize "theatrical … performances" in Moscow. Hastened to fulfill the will of the empress Prince Urusov, who served as the provincial prosecutor. He started to erect the theater building on Petrovka. The temple of art did not have time to open, as it died in a fire during the construction phase.
Then an entrepreneur got down to business Michael Maddox, under whose leadership a brick building was erected, decorated with white stone decor and having a height of three floors. The theater, named Petrovsky, was opened at the very end of 1780. Its hall accommodated about a thousand spectators, and the same number of Terpsichore fans could watch performances from the gallery. Maddox owned the building until 1794. During this time, more than 400 performances were staged on the stage of the Petrovsky Theater.
In 1805, a new fire destroyed the already stone building, and for a long time the troupe wandered around the stages of the home theaters of the Moscow aristocracy. Finally, three years later, the famous architect K. I. Rossi completed the construction of a new building on Arbat Square, but he was not spared by the fire element. The new temple of musical art died in a big fire that happened in Moscow during the occupation of the capital by the Napoleonic army.
Four years later, the Moscow construction commission announced a competition for the best design of a new building for a musical theater. The competition was won by the project of the professor of the Imperial Academy of Arts A. Mikhailova … Later, the drawings were significantly modified by the architect who brought the idea to life. O. I. Bove.
Historic building on Teatralnaya square
During the construction of the new building, the foundations of the burnt-out Petrovsky Theater were partially used. Bove's idea was that the theater was to symbolize the victory over Napoleon in the Patriotic War of 1812. As a result, the building was a stylized temple in the Empire style, and the grandeur of the building was emphasized by a wide area, broken up in front of the main facade.
The grand opening took place on January 6, 1825, and the audience attending the "Triumph of the Muses" performance noted the splendor of the building, the beauty of the scenery, the amazing costumes and, of course, the unsurpassed skill of the leading actors in the first performance on the new stage.
Unfortunately, fate did not spare this building either, and after the fire of 1853, only a portico with a colonnade and external stone walls remained from it. Renovation work under the direction of the Chief Architect of the Imperial Theaters Albert Cavos lasted three years. As a result, the proportions of the building were slightly changed: the theater became much wider and more spacious. The facades were given eclectic features, and the sculpture of Apollo, which died in the fire, was replaced by a bronze quadriga. The premiere of Bellini's "Puritans" in the renovated building took place in 1856.
Bolshoi theater and new times
The revolution brought many changes to all areas of life, and the theater was no exception. First, the Bolshoi was awarded the title of academic, and then they wanted to close it altogether, but the All-Russian Central Executive Committee issued a decree to preserve the theater. In the 1920s, the building underwent some renovations, which not only reinforced the walls, but also destroyed any opportunity for spectators to demonstrate their rank hierarchy.
The Great Patriotic War was a difficult time for the troupe. The theater was evacuated to Kuibyshev, and the performances were staged on the local stage. The artists made a significant contribution to the defense fund, for which the troupe was awarded gratitude from the head of state.
In the post-war years, the State Academic Bolshoi Theater was reconstructed several times. The last works were carried out on the historical stage from 2005 to 2011.
Repertoire past and present
In the early years of the theater's existence, its troupe did not attach too much importance to the content of the performances. The usual spectators of the performances were aristocrats who spent their time in idleness and entertainment. Every evening, up to three or four performances could be played on the stage, and, in order not to bore the small audience, the repertoire was changed very often. Benefits were also popular, which were organized by both famous and leading actors, and the second cast. The performances were based on the works of European playwrights and composers, but dance sketches on the themes of Russian folk life and life were also present in the repertoire.
In the 19th century, significant musical works began to be staged on the stage of the Bolshoi, which became historical events in the cultural life of Moscow. In 1842 they play for the first time "A Life for the Tsar" by Glinka, and in 1843 the audience applauded the soloists and ballet dancers A. Adana "Giselle" … The second half of the 19th century is marked by works Marius Petipa, thanks to which the Bolshoi is known as the first scene for "Don Quixote of La Mancha" by Minkus and "Swan Lake" by Tchaikovsky.
The heyday of the main Moscow theater falls on the late 19th - early 20th centuries. During this period, on the stage of the Bolshoi shine Chaliapin and Sobinov, whose names become known to the whole world. The repertoire is enriched opera "Khovanshchina" by Mussorgsky, for the conductor's stand stands Sergei Rachmaninoffand the great Russian artists Benoit, Korovin and Polenov take part in the work on the scenery for the performances.
The Soviet era brought many changes to the theater scene. Many performances are subjected to ideological criticism, and the choreographers of the Bolshoi are striving to find new forms in the art of dance. The opera is represented by works by Glinka, Tchaikovsky, Mussorgsky and Rimsky-Korsakov, but the names of Soviet composers are increasingly appearing on posters and program covers.
After the end of the war, the most significant premieres of the Bolshoi Theater were "Cinderella" and "Romeo and Juliet" by Prokofiev … The incomparable Galina Ulanova shines in the leading roles in ballet performances. In the 60s, the audience conquers Maya Plisetskayadancing Carmen Suite, and Vladimir Vasiliev in the role of Spartacus in A. Khachaturian's ballet.
In recent years, the troupe has been increasingly resorting to experiments, which are not always unambiguously evaluated by the audience and critics. Drama and film directors are involved in the production of the performances, the scores are returning to the author's editions, the concept and style of the scenery are increasingly the subject of fierce controversy, and the performances are broadcast in cinemas around the world and on Internet channels.
Interesting facts about the Bolshoi Theater
During the existence of the Bolshoi Theater, many interesting events were associated with it. Outstanding people of their time worked in the theater, and the main building of the Bolshoi became one of the symbols of the Russian capital:
- At the time of the opening of the Petrovsky Theater, its troupe consisted of about 30 artists and just over a dozen accompanists. Today, the Bolshoi employs about a thousand artists and musicians.
- At different times on the stage of the Bolshoi performed Elena Obraztsova and Irina Arkhipova, Maris Liepa and Maya Plisetskaya, Galina Ulanova and Ivan Kozlovsky. During the existence of the theater, more than eighty of its artists were awarded the title of national, and eight of them were awarded the title of Hero of Socialist Labor. Ballerina and choreographer Galina Ulanova was awarded this honorary title twice.
- An ancient chariot with four harnessed horses, called a quadriga, was often depicted on various buildings and structures … Such chariots were used in ancient Rome during triumphal processions. The Bolshoi Theater Quadriga was made by a renowned sculptor Peter Klodt … No less famous of his works are sculptural images of horses on the Anichkov Bridge in St. Petersburg.
- In the 30-50s. the last century, the main artist of the Bolshoi was Fedor Fedorovsky - a student of Vrubel and Serov, who worked at the beginning of the century with Diaghilev in Paris. It was he who in 1955 created the famous brocade curtain of the Bolshoi Theater, called "golden".
- In 1956 the ballet troupe went to London for the first time … Thus began a series of famous tours of the Bolshoi in Europe and the world.
- Great success on the stage of the Bolshoi Theater had Marlene Dietrich … The famous German actress performed in the building on Theater Square in 1964. She brought her famous show "Marlene Expirience" to Moscow and was invited to bow two hundred times during her performances.
- Soviet opera singer Mark Reisen set a Guinness record on the stage of the Bolshoi. In 1985, at the age of 90, he performed the role of Gremin in the play "Eugene Onegin".
- In Soviet times, the theater was twice awarded the Order of Lenin.
- The building of the historical stage of the State Academic Bolshoi Theater is on the list of cultural heritage sites of the peoples of Russia.
The last reconstruction of the main building of the Bolshoi cost 35.4 billion rubles. The works lasted six years and three months, and on October 28, 2011, the theater was inaugurated after renovation.
New stage
In 2002, the New Stage of the Bolshoi Theater was opened on Bolshaya Dmitrovka Street. The premiere was a production of Rimsky-Korsakov's opera The Snow Maiden. The new stage served as the main stage during the reconstruction of the main building, and in the period from 2005 to 2011, the entire repertoire of the Bolshoi was staged on it.
After the grand opening of the renovated main building, the New Stage began to receive touring troupes from theaters in Russia and around the world. From the permanent repertoire on Bolshaya Dmitrovka, the operas The Queen of Spades by Tchaikovsky, The Love for Three Oranges by Prokofiev and The Snow Maiden by N. Rimsky-Korsakov are still staged. Fans of the ballet can see D. Shostakovich's "The Bright Stream" and J. Bizet and R. Shchedrin's "Carmen Suite" on the New Stage.
