About the big theatre. Bolshoi Theatre: the history of the Bolshoi Theater where the name comes from

GRAND THEATRE Russian State Academic Theater (SABT), one of the oldest theaters in the country (Moscow). Academic since 1919. The history of the Bolshoi Theater dates back to 1776, when Prince P.V. Urusov received the government privilege “to be the owner of all theatrical performances in Moscow” with the obligation to build a stone theater “so that it could serve as an ornament to the city, and moreover, a house for public masquerades, comedies and comic operas. In the same year, Urusov attracted M. Medox, a native of England, to participate in the expenses. The performances were staged at the Opera House on Znamenka, which was owned by Count R. I. Vorontsov (in the summer - in the "voxal" owned by Count A. S. Stroganov "under the Andronikov Monastery"). Opera, ballet and drama performances were performed by actors and musicians who left the theater troupe of Moscow University, the serf troupes of N. S. Titov and P. V. Urusov.

After the Opera House burned down in 1780, in the same year on Petrovka Street, a theater building in the style of Catherine's classicism was erected in 5 months - the Petrovsky Theater (architect H. Rozberg; see Medox Theater). From 1789 it was administered by the Board of Trustees. In 1805 the building of the Petrovsky Theater burned down. In 1806, the troupe came under the jurisdiction of the Directorate of the Moscow Imperial Theaters, and continued to perform in different rooms. In 1816, a project for the reconstruction of Theater Square by the architect O. I. Bove was adopted; In 1821, Emperor Alexander I approved the design of a new theater building by architect A. A. Mikhailov. T. n. The Bolshoi Petrovsky Theater in the Empire style was built by Beauvais according to this project (with some changes and using the foundation of the Petrovsky Theatre); opened in 1825. A horseshoe-shaped auditorium was inscribed in the rectangular volume of the building, the stage room was equal in area to the hall and had large corridors. The main façade was punctuated by a monumental 8-column Ionic portico with a triangular pediment topped with an alabaster sculptural group "Apollo's Quadriga" (placed against the background of a semicircular niche). The building became the main compositional dominant of the Theater Square ensemble.

After a fire in 1853, the Bolshoi Theater was restored according to the project of the architect A.K. Kavos (with the replacement of the sculptural group by the work in bronze by P.K. Klodt), construction was completed in 1856. The reconstruction significantly changed its appearance, but retained the layout; the architecture of the Bolshoi Theater acquired features of eclecticism. In this form, it was preserved until 2005, with the exception of small internal and external reconstructions (the auditorium can accommodate over 2000 people). In 1924–59, a branch of the Bolshoi Theater worked (in the premises of the former Operas by S. I. Zimin on Bolshaya Dmitrovka). In 1920, a concert hall was opened in the former imperial foyer of the theater - the so-called. Beethovensky (in 2012 the historical name "Imperial Foyer" was returned to it). During the Great Patriotic War, part of the Bolshoi Theater staff was evacuated to Kuibyshev (1941-43), part gave performances in the premises of the branch. In 1961-89, some performances of the Bolshoi Theater took place on the stage of the Kremlin Palace of Congresses. During the reconstruction of the main building of the theater (2005–11), performances were performed only on the New Stage in a specially built building (designed by architect A.V. Maslov; functioning since 2002). The main (so-called Historical) stage of the Bolshoi Theater was opened in 2011, since that time performances have been staged on two stages. In 2012, concerts began in the new Beethoven Hall.

A significant role in the history of the Bolshoi Theater was played by the activities of the directors of the imperial theaters - I. A. Vsevolozhsky (1881-99), Prince S. M. Volkonsky (1899-1901), V. A. Telyakovsky (1901-17). In 1882, the imperial theaters were reorganized, and the Bolshoi Theater received the positions of chief conductor (choirmaster; this became I. K. Altani, 1882–1906), chief director (A. I. Bartsal, 1882–1903), and chief choirmaster (U. I. Avranek, 1882-1929). The design of the performances became more complicated and gradually went beyond the simple decoration of the stage; C. F. Waltz (1861–1910) became famous as the chief machinist and decorator.

In the future, the musical directors were: chief conductors - V. I. Suk (1906–33), A. F. Arends (chief conductor of the ballet, 1900–24), S. A. Lynching(1936–43), A. M. Pazovsky (1943–48), N. S. Golovanov (1948–53), A. Sh. Melik-Pashaev (1953–63), E. F. Svetlanov (1963–65) ), G. N. Rozhdestvensky (1965–70), Yu. I. Simonov (1970–85), A. N. Lazarev (1987–95), artistic director of the orchestra P. Feranets (1995–98), musical director of the theater, artistic director of the orchestra M. F. Ermler (1998–2000), artistic director G. N. Rozhdestvensky (2000–01), music director and chief conductor A. A. Vedernikov (2001–09), music director L. A. Desyatnikov (2009–10), musical directors and chief conductors – V.S. Sinai(2010–13), T.T. Sokhiev (since 2014).

Main directors: V.A. Lossky (1920–28), N. V. Smolich (1930–36), B. A. Mordvinov (1936–40), L. V. Baratov (1944–49), I. M. Tumanov (1964–70), B. A. Pokrovsky (1952, 1955 – 63, 1970–82); head of the director's group G.P. Ansimov (1995–2000).

Principal choirmasters: V. P. Stepanov (1926–36), M. A. Cooper (1936–44), M. G. Shorin (1944–58), A. V. Rybnov (1958–88), S. M. Lykov (1988–95; artistic director of the choir in 1995–2003), V. V. Borisov (since 2003).

Main artists: M. I. Kurilko (1925–27), F. F. Fedorovsky (1927–29, 1947–53), V. V. Dmitriev (1930–41), P. V. Williams (1941–47) , V. F. Ryndin (1953–70), N. N. Zolotarev (1971–88), V. Ya. Leventhal (1988–95), S. M. Barkhin (1995–2000; also artistic director, stage designer) ; head of the service of artists - A. Yu. Pikalova (since 2000).

Artistic director of the theater in 1995-2000 - V. V. Vasiliev . General directors - A. G. Iksanov (2000–13), V. G. Urin (since 2013).

Artistic directors of the opera troupe: B.A. Rudenko ( 1995–99), V. P. Andropov (2000–02), M. F. Kasrashvili(in 2002–14 led creative teams of the opera troupe), L. V. Talikova (since 2014, head of the opera company).

Opera at the Bolshoi Theater

In 1779, one of the first Russian operas, Melnik, a Sorcerer, a Deceiver and a Matchmaker, appeared on the stage of the Opera House on Znamenka (text by A. O. Ablesimov, music by M. M. Sokolovsky). The Petrovsky Theater staged the allegorical prologue "Wanderers" (text by Ablesimov, music by E. I. Fomin), performed on the opening day 12/30/1780 (10/1/1781), opera performances "Misfortune from the Carriage" (1780), "The Miser" (1782 ), "St. Petersburg Gostiny Dvor" (1783) by V. A. Pashkevich. The tour of the Italian (1780–82) and French (1784–1785) troupes had an influence on the development of the opera house. The troupe of the Petrovsky Theater included actors and singers E. S. Sandunova, M. S. Sinyavskaya, A. G. Ozhogin, P. A. Plavilshchikov, Ya. E. Shusherin and others. the prologue "The Triumph of the Muses" by A. A. Alyabyev and A. N. Verstovsky. Since that time, works by Russian authors, mainly vaudeville operas, have occupied an increasing place in the operatic repertoire. For over 30 years, the work of the opera troupe was associated with the activities of A. N. Verstovsky, inspector of the Directorate of Imperial Theaters and composer, author of the operas Pan Tvardovsky (1828), Vadim, or the Awakening of 12 Sleeping Virgins (1832), Askold's Grave "(1835)," Homesickness "(1839). In the 1840s the Russian classical operas A Life for the Tsar (1842) and Ruslan and Lyudmila (1846) by M. I. Glinka were staged. In 1856, the newly rebuilt Bolshoi Theater opened with V. Bellini's opera I Puritani performed by an Italian troupe. 1860s marked by an increase in Western European influence (the new Directorate of the Imperial Theaters favored the Italian opera and foreign musicians). Of the domestic operas, Judith (1865) and Rogneda (1868) by A. N. Serov, Mermaid by A. S. Dargomyzhsky (1859, 1865) were staged, and operas by P. I. Tchaikovsky were staged from 1869. The rise of Russian musical culture at the Bolshoi Theater is associated with the first production of Eugene Onegin (1881) on the grand opera stage, as well as other works by Tchaikovsky, operas by St. Petersburg composers - N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov, M. P. Mussorgsky. At the same time, the best works of foreign composers were staged - W. A. ​​Mozart, G. Verdi, C. Gounod, J. Bizet, R. Wagner. Among the singers 19 - beg. 20th centuries: M. G. Gukova, E. P. Kadmina, N. V. Salina, A. I. Bartsal, I. V. Gryzunov, V. R. Petrov, P. A. Khokhlov. The conductor activity of S. V. Rachmaninov (1904–06) became a milestone for the theater. The heyday of the Bolshoi Theater in 1901–17 is largely associated with the names of F. I. Chaliapin, L. V. Sobinov and A. V. Nezhdanova, K. S. Stanislavsky and Vl. AND. Nemirovich-Danchenko, K. A. Korovin and A. Ya. Golovin.

In 1906–33, the actual head of the Bolshoi Theater was V. I. Suk, who continued to work on Russian and foreign opera classics together with directors V. A. Lossky (Aida by G. Verdi, 1922; Lohengrin by R. Wagner, 1923); "Boris Godunov" by M. P. Mussorgsky, 1927) and L. V. Baratov, artist F. F. Fedorovsky. In the 1920s–30s. The performances were conducted by N. S. Golovanov, A. Sh. Melik-Pashaev, A. M. Pazovsky, S. A. Samosud, B. E. Khaykin, V. V. Barsova, K. G. Derzhinskaya, E D. Kruglikova, M. P. Maksakova, N. A. Obukhova, E. A. Stepanova, A. I. Baturin, I. S. Kozlovsky, S. Ya. Lemeshev, M. D. Mikhailov, and P. M. Nortsov, A. S. Pirogov. There were premieres of Soviet operas: The Decembrists by V. A. Zolotarev (1925), The Son of the Sun by S. N. Vasilenko and The Dumb Artist by I. P. Shishov (both 1929), Almast by A. A. Spendiarov ( 1930); in 1935, the opera Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk District by D. D. Shostakovich was staged. In con. 1940 The Valkyrie by Wagner was staged (director S. M. Eisenstein). The last pre-war production was Mussorgsky's Khovanshchina (13.2.1941). In 1918–22, the Opera Studio functioned at the Bolshoi Theater under the direction of K. S. Stanislavsky.

In September 1943, the Bolshoi Theater opened the season in Moscow with the opera Ivan Susanin by M. I. Glinka. In the 1940s-50s. Russian and European classical repertoire was staged, as well as operas by composers from Eastern Europe - B. Smetana, S. Moniuszko, L. Janacek, F. Erkel. Since 1943, the theater has been associated with the name of director B. A. Pokrovsky, who for more than 50 years determined the artistic level of opera performances; His productions of the operas War and Peace (1959), Semyon Kotko (1970) and The Gambler (1974) by S. S. Prokofiev, Ruslan and Lyudmila by Glinka (1972), Otello by G. Verdi are considered standard (1978). In general, for the operatic repertoire of the 1970s - early. 1980s style diversity is characteristic: from operas of the 18th century. (“Julius Caesar” by G. F. Handel, 1979; “Iphigenia in Aulis” by K. V. Gluck, 1983), opera classics of the 19th century. (“Gold of the Rhine” by R. Wagner, 1979) to Soviet opera (“Dead Souls” by R. K. Shchedrin, 1977; “Betrothal in a Monastery” by Prokofiev, 1982). In the best performances of the 1950s-70s. sang I. K. Arkhipova, G. P. Vishnevskaya, M. F. Kasrashvili, T. A. Milashkina, E. V. Obraztsova, B. A. Rudenko, T. I. Sinyavskaya, V. A. Atlantov, A A. Vedernikov, A. F. Krivchenya, S. Ya. Lemeshev, P. G. Lisitsian, Yu. A. Mazurok, E. E. Nesterenko, A. P. Ognivtsev, I. I. Petrov, and M. O Reizen, Z. L. Sotkilava, A. A. Eizen, conducted by E. F. Svetlanov, G. N. Rozhdestvensky, K. A. Simeonov and others. With the exclusion of the position of chief director (1982) and the departure of Yu. I. Simonov began a period of instability; until 1988, only a few opera productions were staged: “The Legend of the Invisible City of Kitezh and the Maiden Fevronia” (directed by R. I. Tikhomirov) and “The Tale of Tsar Saltan” (directed by G. P. Ansimov) by N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov, “ Werther" by J. Massenet (director E. V. Obraztsova), "Mazepa" by P. I. Tchaikovsky (director S. F. Bondarchuk).

From con. 1980s the operatic repertoire policy was determined by the orientation towards rarely performed works: “The Beautiful Miller’s Girl” by G. Paisiello (1986, conductor V. E. Weiss, director G. M. Gelovani), N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov’s opera “The Golden Cockerel” (1988, conductor E. F. Svetlanov, director G. P. Ansimov), Mlada (1988, for the first time on this stage; conductor A. N. Lazarev, director B. A. Pokrovsky), The Night Before Christmas (1990, conductor Lazarev, directed by A. B. Titel), Tchaikovsky’s Maid of Orleans (1990, for the first time on this stage; conductor Lazarev, director Pokrovsky), Aleko and The Miserly Knight by S. V. Rachmaninov (both 1994, conductor Lazarev, director N. I. Kuznetsov). Among the productions is the opera "Prince Igor" by A. P. Borodin (edited by E. M. Levashov; 1992, joint production with the theater "Carlo Felice" in Genoa; conductor Lazarev, director Pokrovsky). During these years, a mass departure of singers abroad began, which (in the absence of the position of chief director) led to a decrease in the quality of performances.

In 1995–2000, the basis of the repertoire was Russian operas of the 19th century, among the productions: “Ivan Susanin” by M. I. Glinka (resumption of the production by L. V. Baratov in 1945, director V. G. Milkov), “Iolanta” by P. I. Tchaikovsky (director G. P. Ansimov; both 1997), Francesca da Rimini by S. V. Rachmaninov (1998, conductor A. N. Chistyakov, director B. A. Pokrovsky). Since 1995, foreign operas have been performed at the Bolshoi Theater in their original language. On the initiative of B. A. Rudenko, a concert performance of the operas Lucia di Lammermoor by G. Donizetti (conductor P. Feranets) and Norma by V. Bellini (conductor Chistyakov; both 1998) took place. Among other operas: "Khovanshchina" by M. P. Mussorgsky (1995, conductor M. L. Rostropovich, director B. A. Pokrovsky), "Players" by D. D. Shostakovich (1996, concert performance, for the first time on this stage, conductor Chistyakov), the most successful production of these years is “The Love for Three Oranges” by S. S. Prokofiev (1997, director P. Ustinov).

In 2001, the opera Nabucco by G. Verdi was staged for the first time at the Bolshoi Theater (conductor M. F. Ermler, director M. S. Kislyarov), under the direction of G. N. Rozhdestvensky, the premiere of the 1st edition of the opera The Gambler by S. S. Prokofiev (directed by A. B. Titel). Fundamentals of repertoire and personnel policy (since 2001): the entrepreneurial principle of working on a performance, inviting performers on a contract basis (with a gradual reduction in the main troupe), rental of foreign performances (Force of Destiny by G. Verdi, 2001, rental of a production of the San Carlo Theater ", Naples); "Adrienne Lecouvreur" F. Cilea (2002, for the first time on this stage, in the stage version of the theater "La Scala"), "Falstaff" by Verdi (2005, rental of the performance of the theater "La Scala", director J. Strehler). Of the domestic operas, Ruslan and Lyudmila by M. I. Glinka (with the participation of "historical" instruments in the orchestra, conductor A. A. Vedernikov, director V. M. Kramer; 2003), "Fiery Angel" by S. S. Prokofiev (2004, for the first time at the Bolshoi Theatre; conductor Vedernikov, director F. Zambello).

In 2002, the New Stage was opened, the first performance was The Snow Maiden by N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov (conductor N. G. Alekseev, director D. V. Belov). Among the productions: The Adventures of the Rake by I. F. Stravinsky (2003, for the first time at the Bolshoi Theater; conductor A. V. Titov, director D. F. Chernyakov), The Flying Dutchman by R. Wagner in the 1st edition (2004, together withBavarian State Opera;conductor A. A. Vedernikov, director P. Konvichny). A subtle minimalist stage design distinguished the production of the opera Madama Butterfly by G. Puccini (2005, director and artist R. Wilson ). The vast experience of conducting work on the music of P.I. Tchaikovsky brought M.V. Pletnev in the production of The Queen of Spades (2007, director V. V. Fokin). For the production of "Boris Godunov"M. P. Mussorgsky in the version of D. D. Shostakovich (2007) was invited director A. N. Sokurov , for whom it was the first experience in the opera house. Among the productions of these years are the opera Macbeth by G. Verdi (2003, conductor M. Panni, director E. Necroshus ), “Children of Rosenthal” by L. A. Desyatnikov (2005, world premiere; conductor Vedernikov, director Nekroshyus), “Eugene Onegin” by Tchaikovsky (2006, conductor Vedernikov, director Chernyakov), “The Legend of the Invisible City of Kitezh and the Maiden Fevronia” N A. Rimsky-Korsakov (2008, together with the Lirico Theater in Cagliari, Italy; conductor Vedernikov, director Nekroshus), Wozzeck by A. Berg (2009, for the first time in Moscow; conductor T. Currentzis, director and artist Chernyakov).

Since 2009, the Youth Opera Program has been operating at the Bolshoi Theater, the participants of which are trained for 2 years and take part in theater performances. Since 2010, foreign directors and performers have been present in all productions. In 2010, the operetta Die Fledermaus by J. Strauss was staged (for the first time on this stage), the opera Don Giovanni by W. A. ​​Mozart (together with the Aix-en-Provence International Festival, the Real Theater in Madrid and the Canadian Opera House in Toronto; conductor Currentzis, director and designer Chernyakov), in 2011 - the opera The Golden Cockerel by N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov (conductor V. S. Sinaisky, director K. S. Serebrennikov).

The first production on the Main (Historical) stage, opened after reconstruction in 2011, is Ruslan and Lyudmila by M. I. Glinka (conductor V. M. Yurovsky, director and artist D. F. Chernyakov) - due to the shocking stage decision opera was accompanied by scandal. In "counterbalance" to it, in the same year, the production of "Boris Godunov" by M. P. Mussorgsky, edited by N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov (1948, director L.V. Baratov). In 2012, the first production of the opera The Rosenkavalier by R. Strauss was staged in Moscow (conductor V. S. Sinaisky, director S. Lawless), the first stage performance of the opera The Child and the Magic by M. Ravel at the Bolshoi Theater (conductor A. A. Solovyov, director and artist E. MacDonald), again staged “Prince Igor” by A. P. Borodin (in a new edition by P. V. Karmanova, consultant V. I. Martynov , conductor Sinaiski, director Y. P. Lyubimov), as well as "The Enchantress" by P. I. Tchaikovsky, "La Sonnambula" by V. Bellini and others. The Tsar's Bride" by Rimsky-Korsakov (conductor G. N. Rozhdestvensky, based on the set design by F. F. Fedorovsky, 1955), "The Maid of Orleans" by P. I. Tchaikovsky (concert performance, conductor T. T. Sokhiev), for the first time in Bolshoi Theater - "The Story of Kai and Gerda" by S. P. Banevich. Among the productions of recent years is Rodelinda by G. F. Handel (2015, for the first time in Moscow, together withEnglish National Opera;conductor C. Moulds, director R. Jones), Manon Lescaut by G. Puccini (for the first time at the Bolshoi Theater; conductor J. Biniamini, director A. Ya. Shapiro), Billy Budd by B. Britten (for the first time at the Bolshoi with English National Opera andGerman Opera in Berlin;conductor W. Lacey, director D. Alden; both 2016).

Bolshoi Ballet

In 1784, students of the ballet class, opened in 1773 in the Orphanage, joined the troupe of the Petrovsky Theater. The first choreographers were Italians and French (L. Paradise, F. and C. Morelli, P. Pinyucci, J. solomoni). The repertoire included their own productions and rescheduled performances by J.J. Noverra, genre comedy ballets.

In the development of the ballet art of the Bolshoi Theater in the first third of the 19th century. the activity of A.P. Glushkovsky, who led the ballet troupe in 1812–39. He staged performances of various genres, including on the plots of A. S. Pushkin (“Ruslan and Lyudmila, or the Overthrow of Chernomor, the Evil Wizard” by F. E. Scholz, 1821; “Black Shawl, or Punished Infidelity” to the combined music , 1831), and also transferred to the Moscow stage many of the St. Petersburg works of Sh. L. Didlo. Romanticism established itself on the stage of the Bolshoi Theater thanks to the choreographer F. Güllen Sor, who worked here in 1823–39 and transferred a number of ballets from Paris (La Sylphide by J. Schneitzhoffer, choreography by F. Taglioni, 1837, etc.). Among her students and the most famous performers: E.A. Sankovskaya, T. I. Glushkovskaya, D. S. Lopukhina, A. I. Voronina-Ivanova, I. N. Nikitin. Of particular importance were the performances in 1850 by the Austrian dancer F. Elsler, thanks to which the ballets of J. J. Perrot("Esmeralda" C. Pugni, and others).

From Ser. 19th century romantic ballets began to lose their significance, despite the fact that the troupe retained artists who gravitated towards them: P. P. Lebedeva, O. N. Nikolaeva, in the 1870s. - A. I. Sobeshchanskaya. During the 1860s-90s. at the Bolshoi Theater, several choreographers who led the troupe or staged individual performances were replaced. In 1861–63, K. blasis who gained fame only as a teacher. The most repertoire in the 1860s. were ballets by A. Saint Leon, who moved from St. Petersburg the play "The Little Humpbacked Horse" by C. Pugni (1866). A significant achievement of the theater is the ballet "Don Quixote" by L.F. Minkus, staged by M.I. Petipa in 1869. In 1867–69, S. P. Sokolov staged several productions (“Fern, or Night at Ivan Kupala” by Yu. G. Gerber, and others). In 1877, the well-known choreographer V. Reisinger, who arrived from Germany, became the director of the first (unsuccessful) edition of P. I. Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake. In the 1880s-90s. choreographers at the Bolshoi Theater were J. Hansen, H. Mendes, A. N. Bogdanov, I. N. Khlyustin. To con. In the 19th century, despite the presence of strong dancers in the troupe (L. N. Geiten, L. A. Roslavleva, N. F. Manokhin, N. P. Domashev), the Bolshoi Ballet was in crisis: Moscow did not see P. I. Tchaikovsky (only in 1899 the ballet The Sleeping Beauty was transferred to the Bolshoi Theater by A. A. Gorsky), the best productions of Petipa and L. I. Ivanova. The question was even raised about the liquidation of the troupe, which in 1882 was halved. The reason for this was partly the little attention of the Directorate of the Imperial Theaters to the troupe (which was then considered provincial), untalented leaders who ignored the traditions of the Moscow ballet, the renewal of which became possible in the era of reforms in Russian art at the beginning. 20th century

In 1902, the ballet troupe was headed by A. A. Gorsky. His activities contributed to the revival and flourishing of the Bolshoi Ballet. The choreographer strove to fill the ballet with dramatic content, achieved the logic and harmony of the action, the accuracy of the national color, and historical authenticity. Gorsky began his work as a choreographer in Moscow with revisions of other people's ballets [Don Quixote by L. F. Minkus (based on the St. Petersburg production of M. I. Petipa), 1900; Swan Lake (based on the St. Petersburg production by Petipa and L. I. Ivanov, 1901]. In these productions, the structural forms of academic ballet (variations, small ensembles, corps de ballet numbers) were largely preserved, and in Swan Lake, St. Petersburg choreography was also preserved. Gorsky's ideas were most fully embodied in the mime-drama The Daughter of Gudula by A. Yu. Simon (1902).Gorsky's best original productions were Salambo by A. F. Arends (1910), Love is Fast! to music by E. Grieg (1913). However, the findings in the field of directing and character dance, innovative drawings of mass numbers that violated traditional symmetry, were sometimes accompanied in them by an unjustified derogation of the rights of classical dance, unmotivated changes in the choreography of predecessors, an eclectic combination of techniques coming from various artistic movements of the first decades of the 20th century. Gorsky’s like-minded people were the leading dancers of the theater M. M. Mordkin, V. A. Karalli, A. M. Balashova, S. V. Fedorova, masters of pantomime V. A. Ryabtsev, I. E. Sidorov. E.V. also worked with him. Geltzer and V.D. Tikhomirov, dancers A. E. Volinin, L. L. Novikov, but in general, Gorsky did not seek close cooperation with artists of the academic direction. By the end of his creative activity, the Bolshoi Theater troupe, which was successively reorganized under his influence, had largely lost the skills to perform large performances of the old repertoire.

In the 1920s and 30s. there has been a return to the classics. The direction of the ballet at that time was actually (and from 1925 in office) carried out by V. D. Tikhomirov. He returned the choreography of M. I. Petipa to the 3rd act of La Bayadère by L. F. Minkus (1923), resumed in his own editions, close to the classical Petersburg ones, the ballets The Sleeping Beauty (1924), Esmeralda (1926, new musical edition by R. M. Glier).

1920s in Russia it is a time of searching for new forms in all types of art, including dance. However, innovative choreographers were rarely admitted to the Bolshoi Theatre. In 1925 K. Ya. Goleizovsky staged the ballet “Joseph the Beautiful” by S. N. Vasilenko on the stage of the theater branch, which contained many innovations in the selection and combination of dance movements and the formation of groups, with constructivist design by B. R. Erdman. The production of V. D. Tikhomirov and L. A. Lashchilin “The Red Poppy” to the music of R. M. Gliere (1927) was considered an officially recognized achievement, where the topical content was clothed in a traditional form (ballet “dream”, canonical pas de de, elements of extravaganza). The traditions of A. A. Gorsky’s creativity were continued at that time by I. A. Moiseev, who staged the ballets by V. A. Oransky "Football Player" (1930, together with Lashchilin) ​​and "Three Fat Men" (1935), as well as a new version of "Salambo" by A. F. Arends (1932).

From con. 1920s the role of the Bolshoi Theater - now the capital, the "main" theater of the country - is growing. In the 1930s choreographers, teachers and artists were transferred here from Leningrad, the best performances were transferred. M. T. Semyonov and A.N. Ermolaev became leading performers along with Muscovites O.V. Lepeshinskaya, A. M. Messerer, MM. Gabovich. Leningrad teachers E.P. came to the theater and school. Gerdt, A. M. Monakhov, V. A. Semyonov, choreographer A. I. Chekrygin. This contributed to the improvement of the technical skills of the Moscow ballet, the stage culture of its performances, but at the same time, to some extent, led to the loss of its own Moscow performing style and staging traditions.

In the 1930s - 40s. The repertoire includes the ballets "The Flames of Paris" by B.V. Asafiev in the choreography of V.I. Vainonen and masterpieces of drama ballet - "The Fountain of Bakhchisarai" by Asafiev in the choreography of R.V. Zakharova and "Romeo and Juliet" by S. S. Prokofiev in the choreography of L. M. Lavrovsky(moved to Moscow in 1946, after G.S. Ulanova), as well as the work of choreographers who continued the traditions of Russian academicism in their work: Vainonen (The Nutcracker by P.I. Tchaikovsky) F.V. Lopukhov(“Bright Stream” by D. D. Shostakovich), V. M. Chabukiani(“Laurencia” by A. A. Crane). In 1944, Lavrovsky, who took the post of chief choreographer, staged Giselle by A. Adam at the Bolshoi Theater.

Since the 1930s and to ser. 1950s the main trend in the development of ballet was its rapprochement with realistic dramatic theater. K ser. 1950s the genre of drama ballet has become obsolete. A group of young choreographers appeared, striving for transformations, returning to the choreographic performance of its specificity, revealing images and conflicts by means of dance. In 1959, one of the first-born of the new direction was transferred to the Bolshoi Theater - the ballet "Stone Flower" by S. S. Prokofiev in the choreography of Yu. N. Grigorovich and design by S. B. Virsaladze(the premiere took place in 1957 in the Leningrad GATOB). In the beginning. 1960s N.D. Kasatkina and V. Yu. Vasilev staged at the Bolshoi Theater one-act ballets by N. N. Karetnikov (Vanina Vanini, 1962; Geologists, 1964), I. F. Stravinsky (The Rite of Spring, 1965).

From con. 1950s The ballet troupe of the Bolshoi Theater began to perform regularly abroad, where it gained wide popularity. The next two decades - the heyday of the theater, rich in bright personalities, demonstrating its staging and performing style all over the world, which focused on a wide and, moreover, international audience. The performances shown on the tour influenced the foreign editions of the classics, as well as the original work of the European ballet masters K. Macmillan, J. Cranko and etc.

Yu. N. Grigorovich, who directed the ballet troupe in 1964–95, began his career with the transfer of A. D. Melikov’s Legend of Love (1965), which he had previously staged in Leningrad and Novosibirsk (both 1961). In the next 20 years, a number of original productions appeared, created in collaboration with S. B. Virsaladze: The Nutcracker by P. I. Tchaikovsky (1966), Spartacus by A. I. Khachaturian (1968), Ivan the Terrible to music by S. S. Prokofiev (1975), "Angara" by A. Ya. Eshpay (1976), "Romeo and Juliet" by Prokofiev (1979). In 1982, Grigorovich staged his last original ballet, The Golden Age by D. D. Shostakovich, at the Bolshoi Theatre. These large-scale performances with large mass stages required a special style of performance - expressive, heroic, sometimes pompous. Along with composing his own performances, Grigorovich was actively engaged in editing the classical heritage. Two of his productions of The Sleeping Beauty (1963 and 1973) were based on the original by M. I. Petipa. Grigorovich significantly rethought "Swan Lake" by Tchaikovsky (1969), "Raymond" by A. K. Glazunov (1984). The production of La Bayadère by L. F. Minkus (1991, edited by GATOB) returned to the repertoire a performance that had not been staged on the Moscow stage for many years. Less fundamental changes were made to Giselle (1987) and Le Corsaire (1994, according to the version by K. M. , Yu. K. Vladimirov, A. B. Godunov etc. However, the predominance of Grigorovich's productions had a downside - it led to the monotony of the repertoire. Focusing exclusively on classical dance and, within its framework, on the vocabulary of a heroic plan (large jumps and adagio poses, acrobatic lifts), with the almost complete exclusion from performances of characteristic, historical, everyday, grotesque numbers and pantomime scenes, narrowed the creative possibilities of the troupe. In the new productions and editions of heritage ballets, character dancers and mime artists were practically not involved, which naturally led to the decline of the art of character dance and pantomime. Old ballets and performances by other choreographers were performed less and less frequently, and comedy ballets, traditional for Moscow in the past, disappeared from the stage of the Bolshoi Theatre. During the years of Grigorovich’s leadership, productions by N. D. Kasatkina and V. Yu. Vasilyev (“The Rite of Spring” by I. F. Stravinsky), V. I. Vainonen (“The Flames of Paris” by B. V. . Asafiev), A. Alonso (Carmen Suite by J. Bizet - R. K. Shchedrin), A.I. Radunsky (“The Little Humpbacked Horse” by Shchedrin), L. M. Lavrovsky (“Romeo and Juliet” by S. S. Prokofiev), the old Moscow editions of Tchaikovsky’s “Swan Lake” and “Don Quixote” by Minkus, which were the pride of the troupe, also disappeared. Until ser. 1990s there were no major contemporary choreographers working at the Bolshoi Theatre. Individual performances were staged by V.V. Vasiliev, M.M. Plisetskaya, A.B. Ashton[“Vain Precaution” by F. (L. F.) Herold, 2002], J. Neumeier(“A Midsummer Night's Dream” to music by F. Mendelssohn and D. Ligeti, 2004). Especially for the Bolshoi Theater, ballets were composed by the largest French choreographers P. Lacotte(“The Pharaoh’s Daughter” by C. Pugna, based on the performance by M. I. Petipa, 2000) and R. Petit (“The Queen of Spades” to music by P. I. Tchaikovsky, 2001). From the classics of the 19th–20th centuries. during these years, L. M. Lavrovsky's Romeo and Juliet, the old Moscow edition of Don Quixote, were restored. Own editions of classical performances (Swan Lake, 1996; Giselle, 1997) were prepared by V.V. Vasiliev (artistic director - director of the theater in 1995-2000). All R. 2000s new productions of ballets by S. S. Prokofiev (“Romeo and Juliet” by R. Poklitaru and D. Donnellan, 2003; “Cinderella” by Yu. M. Posokhov and Yu. O. Borisov, 2006) and D. D. Shostakovich appeared in the repertoire ("Svetly Stream", 2003; "Bolt", 2005; both - staged by A. O. Ratmansky ), carried out using modern expressive means of choreography.

A significant place in the repertoire of the first years of the 21st century. occupied the works of Ratmansky (in 2004–09 artistic director of the Bolshoi Ballet). In addition to those listed above, he staged and transferred his performances to the Moscow stage: “Lea” to the music of L. Bernstein (2004), “Playing Cards” by I. F. Stravinsky (2005), “The Flames of Paris” by B. V. Asafiev ( 2008, using fragments of the choreography by V. I. Vainonen), "Russian Seasons" to the music of L. A. Desyatnikov (2008).

Since 2007, the Bolshoi Theater has begun work on the restoration of classical ballets based on historical materials. It was especially active in 2009–11, when the artistic director of the troupe was a connoisseur of the ancient choreography of Yu. pas from the ballet "Paquita" by L. F. Minkus (2008, staged by Burlak after Petipa), "Coppelia" by L. Delibes (2009, staged by S. G. Vikharev after Petipa), "Esmeralda" by C. Pugni (2009, staged by Burlak and V. M. Medvedev after Petipa), “Petrushka” by I. F. Stravinsky (2010, director Vikharev based on the version of MALEGOT).

In 2009, Yu. N. Grigorovich returned to the Bolshoi Theater as choreographer, he resumed several of his performances (Romeo and Juliet, 2010; Ivan the Terrible, 2012; Legend of Love, 2014; "Golden Age", 2016), prepared a new edition of Sleeping Beauty (2011).

Since the late 2000s in the field of modern repertoire, there has been a turn towards large plot performances (“Lost Illusions” by L. A. Desyatnikov, choreography by A. O. Ratmansky, 2011; “Onegin” to the music of P. I. Tchaikovsky, choreography by J. Cranko, 2013; “ Marco Spada, or the Bandit's Daughter" by D. Aubert, choreography by P. Lacotte, 2013; "Lady with the Camellias" to music by F. Chopin, choreography by J. Neumeier, 2014; "The Taming of the Shrew" to music by D. D. Shostakovich, choreography by Zh K. Mayo, 2014, A Hero of Our Time by I. A. Demutsky, choreography by Y. M. Posokhov, 2015; Romeo and Juliet by S. S. Prokofiev, choreography by Ratmansky, 2017; 2nd (2007) and 1st (2013) degrees, Order of the Holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called (2017).

GRAND THEATRE, The State Academic Bolshoi Theater of Russia, a leading Russian theater that has played an outstanding role in the formation and development of the national tradition of opera and ballet art. Its origin is associated with the flourishing of Russian culture in the second half of the 18th century, with the emergence and development of professional theater. Created in 1776 by the Moscow philanthropist Prince P.V. Urusov and the entrepreneur M. Medox, who received a government privilege for the development of theatrical business. The troupe was formed on the basis of the Moscow theater troupe of N. Titov, theater artists of the Moscow University and serf actors P. Urusov. In 1778-1780 performances were given in the house of R.I. Vorontsov on Znamenka. In 1780, Medox built in Moscow on the corner of Petrovka, a building that became known as the Petrovsky Theater. It was the first permanent professional theatre. His repertoire consisted of drama, opera and ballet performances. Not only singers, but also dramatic actors took part in opera performances.

On the opening day of the Petrovsky Theater on December 30, 1780, a pantomime ballet was shown magic shop(post. J. Paradise). At that time, choreographers F. and C. Morelli, P. Penyucci, D. Solomoni worked in the theater, staging performances A celebration of female pleasures, The feigned death of Harlequin, or the Deceived Pantalone, Medea and Jason, Toilet of Venus. Ballets with national color were popular: rustic simplicity, Gypsy ballet, Capture of Ochakov. G. Raikov, A. Sobakina stood out from the dancers of the troupe. The ballet troupe was replenished with pupils of the ballet school of the Moscow Orphanage (since 1773), and serf actors of the troupe E.A. Golovkina.

The first Russian operas were also staged here: Melnik - a sorcerer, a deceiver and a matchmaker Sokolovsky (later edited by Fomin) libretto by Ablesimov, Trouble from the carriage Pashkevich, lib. princess, Saint Petersburg Gostiny Dvor Matinsky and others. Of the 25 Russian operas written in 1772-1782, more than a third were staged on the Moscow stage of the Petrovsky Theater.

In 1805, the building of the Petrovsky Theater burned down, and from 1806 the troupe passed into the administration of the Directorate of the Imperial Theaters, playing in various rooms. The Russian repertoire was limited, giving way to Italian and French performances.

In 1825 prologue Celebration of the Muses staged by F. Gyllen-Sor, performances began in the new building of the Bolshoi Theater (architect O. Bove). In the 1830s and 1840s, the Bolshoi Ballet was dominated by the principles of Romanticism. The dancers of this direction are E. Sankovskaya, I. Nikitin. The performances of operas were of great importance for the formation of national principles of performing arts. Life for the king(1842) and Ruslan and Ludmila(1843) M.I. Glinka.

In 1853, a fire destroyed the entire interior of the Bolshoi Theatre. The building was restored in 1856 by the architect A.K. Kavos. In the 1860s, the Directorate leases the Bolshoi Theater to the Italian entrepreneur Merelli for 4–5 performances a week: foreign repertoire is on.

Simultaneously with the expansion of the domestic repertoire, the theater staged the best works of Western European composers: Rigoletto, Aida, La Traviata G. Verdi, Faust, Romeo and Juliet C. Gounod, Carmen J. Bizet, Tannhäuser, Lohengrin, Valkyrie R. Wagner. ().

The history of the Bolshoi Theater includes the names of many outstanding opera singers who passed on the traditions of the Russian vocal school from generation to generation. A.O. Bantyshev, N.V. Lavrov, P.P. Bulakhov, A.D. Alexandrova-Kochetova, E.A. Lavrovskaya and others performed at the Bolshoi Theater. L.V. Sobinova, A.V. Nezhdanova opened a new page in the history of performing arts.

In the 2nd half of the 19th century. ballet art is associated with the names of choreographers: J. Perrot, A. Saint-Leon, M. Petipa; dancers - S. Sokolova, V. Geltser, P. Lebedev, O. Nikolaev, later - L. Roslavlev, A. Dzhuri, V. Polivanov, I. Khlyustin. The ballet repertoire of the Bolshoi Theater included the following performances: The Little Humpbacked Horse Puni (1864) Don Quixote Minkus (1869), Fern, or the night under Ivan Kupala Gerber (1867) and others.

In the 1900s, the operatic repertoire of the Bolshoi Theater was replenished with artistically outstanding productions: the first performances of Rimsky-Korsakov's operas - Pskovityanka(1901), Sadko (1906), Mozart and Salieri(1901) with the participation of F.I. Chaliapin, Pan Governor(conducted by Rachmaninov, 1904) Koschei the Immortal(with the participation of A.V. Nezhdanova, 1917); new productions were carried out: operas by Glinka - Life for the king(with the participation of Chaliapin and Nezhdanova, conducted by Rachmaninoff, 1904), Ruslan and Ludmila(1907), Mussorgsky - Khovanshchina(1912). Operas by young composers were staged - Raphael A.S. Arensky (1903), ice house A.N. Koreshchenko (1900), Francesca da Rimini Rachmaninoff (1906). In addition to Chaliapin, Sobinov, Nezhdanova, such singers as G.A. Baklanov, V.R. Petrov, G.S. Pirogov, A.P. Bonachich, I.A. 1990s, choreographer A.A. Gorsky came to the Bolshoi Ballet Company, who developed the traditions of Russian ballet and brought it closer to dramatic art. Together with Gorsky, the dancer and choreographer V.D.Tikhomirov worked, who brought up a whole generation of dancers. At that time, the ballet troupe worked: E.V. Geltser, A.M. Balashova, S.F. Fedorova, M.M. Mordkin, M.R. Reizen, later L.P. Zhukov, V.V. , A.I. Abramova, L.M. Bank. The performances were conducted by S.V. Rakhmaninov, V.I. Suk, A.F. Anders, E.A. Kuper, the theater decorator K.F. Golovin.

After the October Revolution of 1917, the Bolshoi Theater occupied a prominent place in the cultural life of the country. In 1920 the theater was awarded the title of academic. In 1924, a branch of the Bolshoi Theater was opened in the premises of the former Zimin Private Opera (it worked until 1959). Along with the preservation of the classical repertoire, operas and ballets by Soviet composers were staged: Decembrists V.A.Zolotareva (1925), Breakthrough S.I. Pototsky (1930), Troupe artist I.P. Shishova (1929), son of the sun S.N. Vasilenko (1929), Mother V.V. Zhelobinsky (1933), Bela An. Alexandrova (1946), Quiet Don(1936) and Upturned virgin soil(1937) I.I. Dzerzhinsky, Decembrists Yu.A.Shaporina (1953), Mother T.N. Khrennikova (1957), The Taming of the Shrew V.Ya.Shebalina, War and Peace S.S. Prokofiev (1959). On the stage of the Bolshoi Theater and its branch there were operas by composers of the peoples of the USSR: Almast A.A. Spendiarova (1930), Abesalom and Eteri Z.P. Paliashvili (1939).

The performing culture of the Bolshoi Opera Company during the years of Soviet power is represented by the names of K. G. Derzhinskaya, N. A. Obukhova, V. V. Barsova, E. A. Stepanova, I. S. Kozlovsky, A. S. Pirogov, M. O. Reizen, M. D. Mikhailov, S. Ya. Davydova, I.I. Maslennikova, A.P. Ognevtsev.

Significant stages in the history of Soviet choreography were the productions of ballets by Soviet composers: Red poppy(1927, 1949) R. M. Gliere, Flames of Paris(1933) and Bakhchisarai fountain(1936) B.V. Asafyeva, Romeo and Juliet Prokofiev (1946). The glory of the Bolshoi Ballet is associated with the names of G.S. Ulanova, R.S. Struchkova, O.V. Lepeshinsky, M.M. Plisetskaya, A.N. .M.Messerer, Yu.G.Zhdanova, N.B.Fadeecheva and others ()

Conducting art of the Bolshoi Theater is represented by the names of N.S. Golovanov, S.A. Samosud, L.P. Steinberg, A.Sh. Melik-Pashaev, Yu.F. E.F. Svetlanova, A.M. Zhyuraitis and others. In the opera direction of the Bolshoi Theater - V.A. Lossky, L.V. Baratov, B.A. Pokrovsky. Ballet performances were staged by A.A. Gorsky, L.M. Lavrovsky, V.I. Vainonen, R.V. Zakharov, Yu.N. Grigorovich.

The staging culture of the Bolshoi Theater of those years was determined by the artistic and decorative design of F.F. Fedorovsky, P.V. Williams, V.M. Dmitriev, V.F. Ryndin, B.A. Messerer, V.Ya. ).

In 1961, the Bolshoi Theater received a new stage - the Kremlin Palace of Congresses, which contributed to the wider activities of the ballet troupe. At the turn of the 1950s and 1960s, E.S. Maksimova, N.I. Bessmertnova, E.L. Ryabinkina, N.I. Sorokina, V.V. Vasiliev, M.E. Liepa, M. L. Lavrovsky, Yu. V. Vladimirov, V. P. Tikhonov.

In 1964, Yu.N. Grigorovich became chief choreographer, whose name is associated with a new milestone in the history of the Bolshoi Ballet. Almost every new performance was marked by new creative searches. They appeared in sacred spring I.F. Stravinsky (choreographer N. Kasatkina and Vasiliev, 1965) Carmen suite Bizet-Shchedrin (A. Alonso, 1967), Spartacus A.I. Khachaturian (Grigorovich, 1968), Icarus S.M. Slonimsky (Vasiliev, 1971), Anna Karenina R.K. Shchedrina (M.M. Plisetskaya, N.I. Ryzhenko, V.V. Smirnov-Golovanov, 1972), Those enchanting sounds... to music by G. Torelli, A. Corelli, J.-F. Rameau, W.-A. Mozart (Vasiliev, 1978), Gull Shchedrin (Plisetskaya, 1980), Macbeth K. Molchanova (Vasiliev, 1980) and others.

In the opera troupe of those years, the names of G.P. Vishnevskaya, I.K. Arkhipova, E.V. Obraztsova, M. Kasrashvili, Z. Sotkilava, V. N. Redkin, V. A. Matorin, T. S. Erastova , M.A. Shutova, E.E. Nesterenko and others.

The general trend of the Bolshoi Theater in the 1990s–2000s was to invite foreign directors and performers to stage productions at the Bolshoi Theatre: ballets Cathedral of Notre Dame, Three cards(R. Petit, 2002–2003), Light stream D. D. Shostakovich (A. Ratmansky, 2003), operas by G. Verdi Force of Destiny(P.-F. Maestrini, 2002) and Nabucco(M.S. Kislyarov), Turandot G. Puccini (2002), The Rake's Adventures I.F. Stravinsky (D. Chernyakov), Love for three oranges S.S. Prokofiev (P. Ustinov). During this period, ballets were resumed Swan Lake Tchaikovsky, Raymond A.K. Glazunova, The legend of love A.D. Melikov (staged by Grigorovich), operas Eugene Onegin Tchaikovsky (B. Pokrovsky), Khovanshchina Mussorgsky, Ruslan and Ludmila(A. Vedernikova), Player Prokofiev (Rozhdestvensky).

The Bolshoi Ballet Company is represented by the names of: N. Tsiskaridze, M. Peretokin, A. Uvarov, S. Filin, N. Gracheva, A. Goryacheva, S. Lunkina, M. Alexandrova and others. Opera - I. Dolzhenko, E. Okolisheva , E. Zelenskaya, B. Maisuradze, V. Redkin, S. Murzaev, V. Matorin, M. Shutova, T. Erastova and others. The opera troupe of the theater has a trainee group.

The post of artistic director of the theater in the 1990s was occupied by V. Vasiliev and G. Rozhdestvensky, since 2001 the chief conductor and musical director of the Bolshoi Theater is A. A. Vedernikov, the conductors of opera and ballet performances are P. Sh. Sorokin, A. A. Vedernikov , A.A.Kopylov, F.Sh.Mansurov, A.M.Stepanov, P.E.Klinichev.

The modern building of the Bolshoi Theater is the main building of the architectural ensemble of Theater Square (architect A.K. Kavos). According to the internal arrangement, the theater consists of a five-tiered auditorium that can accommodate more than 2,100 spectators and is distinguished by high acoustic qualities (the length of the hall from the orchestra to the back wall is 25 m, the width is 26.3 m, and the height is 21 m). The stage portal is 20.5 x 17.8 m, the depth of the stage is 23.5 m. Above the stage there is a scoreboard for titles.

In 2003 performance Snow Maiden Rimsky-Korsakov (staged by D. Belov) a new stage of the Bolshoi Theater was opened. The premieres of 2003 were ballet Light stream Shostakovich, opera The Rake's Adventures Stravinsky and opera Macbeth Verdi.

Nina Revenko

GRAND THEATRE

The oldest opera and ballet theater in Russia. The official name is the State Academic Bolshoi Theater of Russia. In colloquial speech, the theater is simply called Big.

Hall of the Bolshoi Theatre:

Russia. Large linguo-cultural dictionary. - M .: State Institute of the Russian Language. A.S. Pushkin. AST-Press. T.N. Chernyavskaya, K.S. Miloslavskaya, E.G. Rostova, O.E. Frolova, V.I. Borisenko, Yu.A. Vyunov, V.P. Chudnov. 2007 .

See what the "GRAND THEATER" is in other dictionaries:

Grand Theatre- The building of the Main Stage of the Bolshoi Theater Location Moscow, Coordinates 55.760278, 37.618611 ... Wikipedia

big theater- Big theater. Moscow. Bolshoi Theater (State Academic Opera and Ballet Theater of Russia) (, 2), the largest center of Russian and world musical culture. The history of the Bolshoi Theater dates back to 1776 (see). Original name Petrovsky ... Moscow (encyclopedia)

big theater- The State Academic Bolshoi Theater of the USSR (SABT), the leading Soviet opera and ballet theater, the largest center of Russian, Soviet and world musical theatrical culture. The modern theater building was built in 1820 24 ... ... Art Encyclopedia

big theater- Big theater. Theater Square on the opening day of the Bolshoi Theater on August 20, 1856. Painting by A. Sadovnikov. BOLSHOY THEATER State Academic Theater (GABT), Opera and Ballet Theatre. One of the centers of Russian and world musical theater ... ... Illustrated Encyclopedic Dictionary

GRAND THEATRE- State Academic (GABT), Opera and Ballet Theatre. One of the centers of Russian and world musical theatrical culture. Founded in 1776 in Moscow. Modern building from 1824 (architect O. I. Bove; reconstructed in 1856, architect A. K. ... ... Russian history

GRAND THEATRE- State Academic (GABT), Opera and Ballet Theatre. One of the centers of Russian and world musical theatrical culture. Founded in 1776 in Moscow. Modern building from 1824 (architect O.I. Bove; reconstructed in 1856, architect A.K. ... ... Modern Encyclopedia

GRAND THEATRE- State Academic (GABT), Founded in 1776 in Moscow. Modern building from 1825 (architect O. I. Bove; reconstructed in 1856, architect A. K. Kavos). Foreign and first Russian operas and ballets were staged by M. I. Glinka, A. S. ... ... Big Encyclopedic Dictionary

big theater- This term has other meanings, see Bolshoi Theater (meanings). Bolshoi Theater ... Wikipedia

big theater- GREAT THEATER, State Order of Lenin Academic Bolshoi Theater of the USSR (GABT), leading Soviet music. t r, who played an outstanding role in the formation and development of nat. traditions of ballet art. Its occurrence is associated with the flourishing of Russian ... ... Ballet. Encyclopedia

GRAND THEATRE- State Order of Lenin Academic Bolshoi Theater of the USSR, the oldest Russian. muses theater, the largest center of muses. theater culture, the building was also a venue for congresses and celebrations. meeting and other societies. events. Main … Soviet historical encyclopedia

Books

• Bolshoi Theater Culture and Politics New History, Volkov S. The Bolshoi Theater is one of the most famous brands in Russia. In the West, the word Bolshoi does not need to be translated. Now it seems like it's always been that way. Not at all. For many years the main musical…

The Bolshoi Theater was solemnly opened 185 years ago.

March 28 (March 17) 1776 is considered to be the founding date of the Bolshoi Theater, when the well-known philanthropist, Moscow prosecutor Prince Pyotr Urusov received the highest permission "to maintain ... theatrical performances of all kinds." Urusov and his companion Mikhail Medox created the first permanent troupe in Moscow. It was organized from the actors of the previously existing Moscow theatrical troupe, pupils of the Moscow University and from the newly accepted 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 project of Christian Rozbergan on the site of the modern Bolshoi Theater. For the construction of the theater building, Medox bought a land plot at the beginning of Petrovsky Street, which was in the possession of Prince Lobanov-Rostotsky. The stone three-story building with a plank roof, the building of the so-called Madox Theater, was erected in just five months.

According to 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 consisted of drama, opera and ballet performances. But operas enjoyed special attention, so the Petrovsky Theater was 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 plan of the architect Osip Bove. According to this project, her current composition arose, the dominant of which was the building of the Bolshoi Theater. The building was built according to the project of Osip Bove in 1824 on the site of the former Petrovsky. The new theater partially included the walls of the burned down Petrovsky Theatre.

The construction of the Bolshoi Petrovsky Theater was a real event for Moscow at the beginning of the 19th century. A beautiful eight-column building in the classical style with the chariot of the god Apollo above the portico, inside decorated in red and gold tones, according to contemporaries, was the best theater in Europe and was second in scale only to La Scala in Milan. Its opening took place on January 6 (18), 1825. In honor of this event, the prologue "The Triumph of the Muses" by Mikhail Dmitriev was given with music by Alexander Alyabyev and Alexei Verstovsky. It allegorically depicted how the Genius of Russia, with the help of the muses, creates a new beautiful temple of art - the Bolshoi Petrovsky Theater on the ruins of the Medox Theater.

The townspeople called the new building "Coliseum". The performances that took place here were invariably a success, bringing together high-society Moscow society.

On March 11, 1853, for some unknown reason, a fire started in the theater. Theatrical costumes, scenery of performances, the troupe archive, part of the musical library, rare musical instruments perished in the fire, and the theater building was also damaged.

A competition was announced for the restoration project of the theater building, in which the plan submitted by Albert Cavos won. After the fire, the walls and columns of the porticos were preserved. When developing a new project, the architect Alberto Cavos took the three-dimensional structure of the Beauvais Theater as a basis. Kavos carefully approached the issue of acoustics. He considered the structure of the auditorium according to the principle of a musical instrument to be optimal: the deck of the plafond, the deck of the parterre floor, wall panels, and balcony structures were wooden. The acoustics of Kavos were perfect. He had to endure many battles with his contemporaries, architects, and firefighters, proving that the installation of a metal ceiling (as, for example, in the Alexandrinsky Theater by the architect Rossi) can be fatal to the acoustics of the theater.

Keeping the layout and volume of the building, Kavos increased the height, changed the proportions and redesigned the architectural decoration; slender cast-iron galleries with lamps were erected on the sides of the building. During the reconstruction of the auditorium, Kavos changed the shape of the hall, narrowing it to 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 theater of Osip Bove, died in a fire. To create a new 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 rebuilt 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 blocked. The project was realized 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 small internal and external reconstructions.

After the Neglinka River was taken into the pipe, the groundwater receded, the wooden piles of the foundation were exposed to atmospheric air and began to rot. In 1920, the entire semi-circular wall of the auditorium collapsed right during the performance, the doors jammed, 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 bring under the auditorium a concrete slab on a central support, shaped like a mushroom. However, the concrete ruined the acoustics.

By the 1990s, the building was extremely dilapidated, its deterioration was estimated at 60%. The theater fell into decay both in terms of design and finishing. During the life of the theater, something was endlessly attached to it, it was improved, they 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, and 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 with the main portico. The columns deviated from the vertical up to 30 cm. The slope was recorded at the end of the 19th century, and since then it has been increasing. These columns of blocks of white stone tried to "cure" the entire twentieth century - the humidity caused visible black spots at the bottom of the columns at a height of up to 6 meters.

Hopelessly lagged behind the modern level of technology: for example, until the end of the twentieth century, a winch for the scenery of the Siemens company, manufactured in 1902, worked here (now it has been handed over to the Polytechnic Museum).

In 1993, the Russian government adopted a resolution on the reconstruction of the complex of buildings of the Bolshoi Theater.
In 2002, with the participation of the Moscow government, the New Stage of the Bolshoi Theater was opened on Theater Square. This hall is more than two times smaller than the historical one and is able to accommodate only 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 hardly change. Only the northern façade, which for many years has been closed by warehouses where scenery is stored, will lose its outbuildings. The building of the Bolshoi Theater will go deep into the ground by 26 meters, in the old-new building there will even be a place for huge scenery structures - they will be lowered to the third underground level. The Chamber Hall for 300 seats will also be hidden underground. After the reconstruction, the New and Main stages, which are located at a distance of 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 bring the rear facade into proper shape.

Unique work is underway to strengthen the underground part of the theater structures, 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 unload the most difficult junction of the city - Theater Square from cars.

Everything that was lost in Soviet times will be recreated in the historical interior of the building. 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 convenient as possible. For the first time in a Russian theater, the floor will change depending on the genre of the performance being shown. Opera will have its 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 building of the Bolshoi Theater is a monument of history and architecture, so a significant part of the work is scientific restoration. The author of the restoration project, Honored Architect of Russia, Director of the Research and Restoration Center "Restaurator-M" Elena Stepanova.

According to the Minister of Culture of the Russian Federation Alexander Avdeev, the reconstruction of the Bolshoi Theater will be completed by the end of 2010 - beginning of 2011.

The material was prepared on the basis of information from RIA Novosti and open sources.

The theater began with a small private troupe of Prince Peter Urusov. The performances of the talented group often pleased Empress Catherine II, who thanked the prince with the right to direct all the entertainment events of the capital. March 17, 1776 is considered the founding date of the theater - the day when Urusov received this privilege. Already six months after the will of the Empress, the prince erected a 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 got a partner - the Russified Englishman Medox, a successful entrepreneur and ballet dancer. The construction of the theater cost the British 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 the management of the theater to the state, after which the Melpomene temple began to be called Imperial. In 1805, the building built by Medox burned down.

For several years, the theater troupe performed on the home stage of the Moscow nobility. The new building, which appeared on the 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 a sad tradition, this building could not escape the fire that happened in 1853 and left behind only the outer walls. The revival of the Bolshoi lasted three years. The chief architect of the Imperial Theatres, Albert Cavos, who supervised the restoration of the building, increased its height, added columns in front of the entrance and a portico, above which towered the bronze quadriga of Apollo by Peter 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 an Italian opera troupe. The Italians performed several times a week, while only one day remained for the Russian productions. The competition between the two theater groups benefited Russian vocalists, who were forced to hone and improve their skills, but the administration's inattention to the national repertoire prevented Russian art from gaining popularity with the audience. A few years later, the directorate had to heed the demands of the public and resume the operas Ruslan and Lyudmila and Rusalka. The year 1969 was marked by the production of The Voyevoda, the first opera by Pyotr Tchaikovsky, for whom the Bolshoi became the main professional venue. In 1981, the theater's repertoire was enriched with the opera Eugene Onegin.

In 1895, the theater underwent a major overhaul, the end of which was marked by such productions as Mussorgsky's Boris Godunov and Rimsky-Korsakov's The Maid of Pskov with Fyodor Chaliapin as 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 world's best works ("Valkyrie", "Tannhäuser", "Pagliacci", "La Boheme") and outstanding Russian operas ("Sadko", "The Golden Cockerel", "The Stone Guest", "The Legend of the Invisible City of Kitezh" ). On the stage of the theater, great Russian singers and singers shine with their talent: Chaliapin, Sobinov, Gryzunov, Savransky, Nezhdanova, Balanovskaya, Azerskaya; famous Russian artists Vasnetsov, Korovin and Golovin are working on the scenery.

The Bolshoi managed to completely preserve its troupe during the revolutionary events and the Civil War. During the 1917-1918 season, the public saw 170 opera and ballet performances. And in 1919 the theater was awarded the title of "Academic".

The 20s and 30s of the last century became the time of the emergence and development of Soviet opera art. For the first time, Love for Three Oranges, Trilby, Ivan the Soldier, Katerina Izmailova by Shostakovich, Quiet Don, Battleship Potemkin are staged at the Bolshoi for the first time.

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 the cultural life of the country.

From 2005 to 2011, a grandiose reconstruction was carried out in the theater, thanks to which a new foundation appeared under the Bolshoi building, 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 born on the stage of the Bolshoi, the premieres of operas by Rachmaninov, Prokofiev, Arensky, Tchaikovsky took place in the theater. The ballet troupe has always been and remains a welcome guest in any country. Actors, 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, accommodating 2500 people;
• New stage, opened in 2002 and designed for 1000 spectators;
• Beethoven Hall with 320 seats, famous for its unique acoustics.

The historical stage appears to visitors in the form in which 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 has been opened at Bolshaya Dimitrovka Street, Building 4, Building 2. During the large-scale reconstruction, all repertoire performances of the Bolshoi were staged here, and currently foreign and Russian theaters are touring on the New Stage.

The Beethoven Hall was opened in 1921. Spectators are fascinated 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 - rich pink "Galina Ulanova" and bright red "Bolshoi Theatre", bred by the Dutch breeder Lefeber. At the beginning of the last century, the florist saw Ulanova on the stage of the Bolshoi. Lefeber was so impressed with the talent of the Russian ballerina that he created new varieties of tulips specifically 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

Theater address: Theater Square, 1. You can get to the Bolshoi by walking along Teatralnaya Proyezd from the Teatralnaya and Okhotny Ryad metro stations. From the station "Revolution Square" you will reach the Bolshoi by crossing the square of the same name. From the station "Kuznetsky most" you need to go along Kuznetsky most street, and then turn to the Theater Square.

You can buy tickets for the Bolshoi's productions both on the theater's website - www.bolshoi.ru, and at the box office opened 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 building of the New Stage (daily from 11.00 to 19.00, break from 14.00 to 15.00).

The cost of tickets varies from 100 to 10,000 rubles, depending on the performance, the time of the performance and the place in the auditorium.

The Bolshoi Theater has a comprehensive security system, which includes video surveillance and the mandatory passage of all visitors through a metal detector. Do not take piercing and sharp objects with you - they will not let you into the theater building with them.

Children are allowed to evening performances from the age of 10. Until this age, the child can attend morning performances on a separate ticket. Children under 5 years old are not allowed in the theater.

On Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, guided tours are held in the Historical Theater Building, telling about the architecture of the Bolshoi and its past.

For those wishing to buy something to remember the Bolshoi Theater daily, from 11.00 to 17.00, a souvenir shop is open. To get into it, you need to enter the theater through entrance number 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 theatre, ground floor, next to the Beethoven Hall.

Photo and video filming is not allowed in the theatre.

When going to the Bolshoi Theater, calculate your time - after the third call you will not be able to enter the hall!