Famous theaters of the world are located in such cities as London, Paris, Vienna, Moscow, New York, Sydney, Milan, etc.
A considerable number of theatergoers dream of getting into at least one of the world's theaters. I would also consider it a great blessing. And if I could visit them all...!!!
The most famous theater in London
London is rich in famous, vibrant theatres. The most famous among them is Covent Garden. Since 1946, it has been the venue for opera and ballet performances. This theater is the home stage of the Royal Ballet and the Royal Opera. The location of the Royal Theater is the Covent Garden area, thanks to which the theater got its name.
The modern building is already the third one erected on this site. In 1720, the building of the second London drama theater stood there. In 1808, a fire broke out, leaving almost nothing of the Royal Theater. A year later, a new building appeared there, and the theater continued to work. Shakespeare's "Macbeth" was the first performance in the newly rebuilt walls.
In 1856, a fire broke out again, and again the theater was completely destroyed. It took two years to restore it. It opened with a production of Meyerbeer's Huguenots.
In 1990, it was decided to carry out a complete reconstruction of the building of the Royal London Theater. Now its hall will accommodate two thousand two hundred and sixty-eight visitors. Any ballet dancer, actor, opera singer considers it a great success to receive an invitation and perform on the stage of this famous theater. Entering the stage of Covent Garden is a confirmation of high achievements and professionalism.
The peculiarity of the theater is that all performances are presented in it in the language in which they were written by the author. The fees of the actors of Covent Garden are considered almost the highest in the world.
The most famous theater in Paris
The most famous theater in Paris is the legendary Grand Opera. Its history began already in 1669, when this opera house was founded with the consent of Louis XIV. Its founders are the poet Perrin and the composer Kamber. For hundreds of years, the theater changed not only the name, but also the location, until it ended up in the IX arrondissement of Paris in a building that was built in 1875 by the architect Charles Garnier. The facade of the theater is luxurious, it is decorated with four sculptures, each of which is the personification of Drama, Music, Poetry and Dance, as well as seven arches. The top of the building is a majestic shining dome.
The stage of the Grand Opera "has seen" German, Italian and French composers over the years of the opera's existence. The premiere of I. Stravinsky's opera "Mavra" took place there. Its current name is Palais Garnier and it is the most visited theater in the world.
The most famous opera house
The most famous and perhaps the best opera house can confidently be called the Vienna Opera. No wonder the birthplace of many world-class composers is Austria. The opera house was built in 1869. The opening took place with the opera "Don Giovanni" by Mozart. Since the theater building was built in the Neo-Renaissance style, it was repeatedly subjected to merciless criticism. However, years passed, and the architectural embodiment of the theater was finally recognized. Until today, the building of the Vienna Opera is considered one of the most beautiful in the world.
During the Second World War, the theater was partially destroyed, but already in 1955, its grand opening took place, at which the opera Fidelio by Beethoven was presented. None of the theaters in the world can compare with the Vienna Opera in terms of the number of performances. About sixty operas are staged there every year. Admirers of opera art have the opportunity to enjoy for two hundred and eighty-five days a year. Every year, the Vienna Opera hosts the "Opera Ball", where a huge number of both spectators and participants come.
The most famous theater in the world
It was Renaissance Italy that gave rise to modern opera. In Milan, on the territory that was previously the site of the settlement of the church of Santa Maria della Scala, a theater was built, called La Scala. Today it bears the title of the most famous theater in the world. The first opera that was staged on his stage was Recognized Europe, known to us from the works of Pushkin by the composer Antonio Salieri.
Drama theater performances are based on literary works, in which improvisation occupies a large place. Depending on the scenario, the actors' performance may contain elements of vocals, dances and pantomime. Simply put, drama theater performances are a symbiosis of various art forms that coexist harmoniously on one stage.
Performances of foreign theaters
There are so many drama theaters in the world where masterpieces of classical and modern art are shown on the stage. Life is not enough to attend all the performances in theaters , in which, thanks to an incredible game, a sense of reality and time is lost. We so want to get to the world premieres and screenings of classical works, but, unfortunately, it is impossible to coordinate the performance of leading theater artists with our life schedule. But, nevertheless, fans of this art have a great opportunity to watch video performances in the "here and now" mode, despite the language barrier, time difference and social status in society.
A good alternative to going to the theater is the ability to watch performances for free online. In addition to the fact that lovers of this type of art can watch all the performances that take place in local theaters, there is also an incredible opportunity to join the audience of foreign drama theaters, the productions of which are broadcast online in Russian. Thus, without having the financial ability and not even being a polyglot, everyone can join the beautiful and sublime world of theatrical art, regardless of the language barrier with the country in which the performance is shown.
Virtually visiting any foreign theaters, the performances of which are shown online, is an opportunity to see the amazing play of actors without leaving your home, without observing the dress code and without buying expensive plane tickets and performances. Watching performances in such an unusual format does not in any way reduce the amount of pleasure that you will get from the performance of professional actors, beautiful scenery and excellent broadcast quality. You can attend performances online every day with a large company or the whole family, because it is much easier to gather loved ones for such a viewing than going to the theater. There is nothing more pleasant than after watching, over a cup of coffee, sharing your experiences and emotions with people close to you.
You can watch performances of foreign theaters online on our video portal website
The theater of the 20th century is a theater of searches and numerous experiments that gave it new forms and means of expression, a special artistic style. In the XX century. the leading directions - realism and romanticism - are being replaced by new, contradictory trends in the theater, which will be called modernist. The theatrical art of the 20th century was significantly influenced by the new drama, represented by such names as G. Ibsen (Norway), B. Shaw (Great Britain), G. Hauptmann (Germany), R. Rolland (France). The plays of these authors determined the nature and features of the development of theatrical art for several decades.
George Bernard Shaw (1856 -1950) British (Irish and English) writer, novelist, playwright, Nobel Prize in Literature. He laid the foundation for the formation of an intellectual theater that educates the consciousness and mind of the audience.
Shaw advocated a theater of lofty ideas, capable of teaching one to think and, therefore, to act. He created the theory of "superman", a man of the future, who has the ability to change for the better not only himself, but also the world around him. His hero is full of good, not evil thoughts, the main goal is creation, not destruction. Bernard Shaw used a special way of presenting problems - a paradox. That is why in his works there are simultaneously comic and tragic, sublime and base, fantasy and reality, eccentricity, buffoonery and grotesque. The essence and meaning of Shaw's work was in the words: "The funniest joke in the world is to tell people the truth"
Avant-garde in theatrical art. New, modernist trends in theatrical art of the 20th century are: expressionism in Germany; futurism in Italy; constructivism in Russia; surrealism in France.
Expressionism in Germany. At the end of the First World War in Germany, a new trend emerged that clearly expressed a desperate protest against Edvard Munch's "Scream" of a soulless attitude to human suffering (1895). The severe consequences of the war dictated to the theatrical stage new themes and forms capable of awakening the soul and consciousness of a person. This direction was expressionism (fr. "expression") Theatrical stage revealed to the audience all the nuances of the hero's consciousness: visions, dreams, forebodings, doubts and memories. The dramaturgy of German Expressionism was called the "drama of the scream". The heroes of theatrical plays saw the end of the world, the coming global catastrophe, the "last cataclysm" of nature. A small man, with eyes full of hopeless despair and screaming, appeared on the stage of the expressionist theater in Germany.
LEONHARD FRANK (1882-1961) The title of his first book - "A Good Man" (1917) - became the motto of the expressionists, the program slogan of their "revolution of love". Works: The novel "Gang of robbers" (1914); short story "In the last carriage", (1925); in the novel "On the Left Where the Heart Is" (1952), Frank's sympathies for socialism were expressed. Theatrical plays were staged in Switzerland, France, Great Britain, the USA, and the USSR.
Surrealism in France. (French “superrealism”, “standing above reality”) The followers of S. denied logic in art and suggested that artists turn to the spheres of the human subconscious (to dreams, hallucinations, delusional speeches), while retaining some features of reality. Jean Paul Sartre (1905 - 1980) - French philosopher and writer. In 1943 he staged a drama in occupied Paris - the parable "The Flies" based on the ancient myth of Orestes.
"Epic Theater" by Bertolt Brecht (1898 - 1956) - German playwright of the 20th century. He used in his productions commenting on events from the outside, puts the viewer in the position of an observer, included in the performances the performance of the choir, songs - zongs, insert numbers, most often not related to the plot of the play. Inscriptions and posters were widely used in performances. The “alienation effect” is a special technique when a singer or a narrator appeared before the audience, commenting on what was happening in a completely different way than the characters could do. (People and phenomena appeared before the audience from the most unexpected side)
"The Threepenny Opera" - written in 1928 in collaboration with E. Hauptman; in the genre of zong opera; composer Kurt Weil.
Brecht's legacy. The artistic principles of Brecht's epic theater were developed by many directors of the world. In Italy, they formed the basis for the unique direction of George Strehler (1921-1997) at the Piccolo Theater in Milan (1047). at the Taganka Theatre, 1964), The Caucasian Chalk Circle (Robert Sturua at the Sh. Rustaveli Theatre, 1975), The Threepenny Opera (Valentin Pluchek at the Satire Theater and Vladimir Mashkov at the Satyricon, 1996 - 1997)
Tickets for world-famous theater performances must be booked long in advance. Let's try to find out how these attractions attract theater-goers from all over the world and how much a ticket to the best theater in the world costs.
Of course, this list clearly lacks the Bolshoi or Mariinsky theaters, but we decided to devote a separate article to the most famous theaters in Russia.
The most famous theaters in the world
Life is in full swing in the capitals of Europe. Paris, London, Milan - not only fashionistas and tourists with cameras flock here. Intellectuals - connoisseurs of architecture, theater, opera, ballet and music will also be delighted.Covent Garden Theater
LondonThe capital of Great Britain is rich in theaters with history. It was on the stage of the London Globe that Shakespeare's plays were staged for the first time. But although the Globe, which survived two reconstructions, is still operating today, the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden, the home stage of the Royal Ballet and the Royal Opera, has the status of the most famous theater in London.
The modern building is already the third. In 1732, the theater opened its doors for the first time to spectators who came to see the production of "Secular Customs" based on the play by William Congreve. After 76 years, the Covent Garden building was destroyed by fire. It took 9 months to recover. The re-opened theater delighted the audience with Macbeth. In 1856, the theater burned down again, but two years later it was reborn from the ashes as we can see it now.
A large-scale reconstruction of the theater took place in 1990. Now its 4-tiered hall accommodates 2268 visitors. Ticket prices for the Covent Garden Theater range from £15 to £135.
grand opera
ParisThe most famous theater in Paris is the Grand Opera. In 1669, Louis XIV "gave the go-ahead" for the founding of an opera house to the poet Pierre Perrin and the composer Robert Kamber. Over the centuries, the theater changed its name and location several times, until in 1862 it ended up in the IX arrondissement of Paris, in a building designed by Charles Garnier, built in 1875 by the architect Charles Garnier.
The facade of the theater is luxurious - it is decorated with four sculptures (personifications of Drama, Music, Poetry and Dance), as well as seven arches. The building is crowned with a majestic shining dome.
The stage of the Grand Opera has seen German, Italian and French composers over the years of the opera. It was here that the premiere of Stravinsky's opera "Mavra" took place. Its current name is the Palais Garnier, and it is perhaps the most visited theater in the world.
VeinAustria is the birthplace of many classics: Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, whose music formed the basis of the Vienna Classical Music School. Perhaps that is why the Vienna Opera can be confidently called the most famous opera house in the world.
The opera house was built in 1869. The opening was marked by Mozart's opera Don Giovanni.
Since the theater building was built in the style of an extremely common neo-Renaissance, it was repeatedly subjected to merciless criticism - the facade of the building seemed boring to the inhabitants of Vienna, unremarkable.
During World War II, the theater was partially destroyed, but in 1955 it was solemnly re-opened with the opera Fidelio by Beethoven. In terms of the number of performances, none of the other opera houses is able to compare with the Vienna Opera. For 285 days a year, about 60 operas are staged in this building on the Ringstrasse. Every year, a week before the first day of Lent, the Viennese Ball is held here - an event listed in the list of intangible cultural wealth protected by UNESCO.
La Scala
Milan>It was in Renaissance Italy that modern opera was born. In 1776, the Milanese architect Giuseppe Piermarini liked a piece of land on the site of the destroyed church of Santa Lucia della Scala. It was decided to build an opera house on it, which eventually received the name from its "ancestor".
During the construction of the foundation underground, they found a marble slab with the image of the ancient Roman actor Pylades, which the builders took as a sign from above.
La Scala's first opera was Recognized Europe by composer Antonio Salieri. It was in these walls that the orchestras of Gavazzeni Gianandrea, Arturo Toscanini and Riccardo Muti first sounded.
Today, La Scala is rightfully read by one of the most famous theaters in the world. This is the first after the Milan Cathedral that the tourists who arrived in Milan inspect.
The last time the theater was reconstructed was in the early 2000s. The opening took place in 2004, and Salieri's opera Renewed Europe was again shown on the renovated stage.
Palace of Catalan Music
BarcelonaA rather young (compared to previous) theater, the Palace of Catalan Music in Barcelona opened its doors to musical aesthetes in 1908. Barcelona loves Gaudi's Spanish Art Nouveau, and therefore it was decided to build the main concert hall of the country in the same style - waves and spirals prevail here over straight lines.
The facade of the Palace reminds us that in Spain European and Arab cultures are closely intertwined like nowhere else.
But the main feature of the concert hall is its lighting. The light is completely natural. The dome of the Palace of Catalan Music is made of colored glass mosaics. The rays of the sun, refracted, create an indescribable effect!
Sydney Opera House
SydneyThe Sydney Opera House may not be the most visited in the world, but it is definitely the most recognizable and unusual theater. Its white sail-like walls have become one of the modern wonders of the world.
The grand opening ceremony took place in October 1973 with the participation of Queen Elizabeth II.
Everyone knows what the Sydney Theater looks like from the outside, now check out what it looks like inside - what a delightful combination of futurism and gothic!
The total area of the building exceeds two hectares. Inside you will find almost a thousand rooms, because the building is the "headquarters" for the Australian Opera, the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, the National Ballet and the Sydney Theater Company.
The lighting of the theater consumes energy, quite comparable to the electricity consumption of a small Australian town.
Kabukiza
TokyoWe know a lot about European theaters, but what about the theater in the East? What are the features, in particular, of Japanese theatrical culture?
Classical Japanese theater combines drama, music, dance, and poetry on stage. The scenery at the performances is uncomplicated, which cannot be said about the masks and kimonos of the actors. The meaning of the performance is a tough nut to crack for an unprepared viewer who is unfamiliar with Japanese culture and unable to understand the many subtle references to mythology, literature and history.
Despite the fact that cinema has existed for a long time, theaters are as popular as in the old days.
And can the picture be compared with the performance of an actor “live”, when the feeling of the spirit of the performance literally hovers in the hall?
And ballet, and opera, and comedy, and musical, any production can stir up all the senses.
So today we will talk about theaters, and although this rating is called the top of the best theaters, there are no best or worst here and the division is conditional.
Each theater is unique and unrepeatable, with its atmosphere, actors, history.
So if you don’t see one of the famous theaters here, don’t rush to conclusions, it’s impossible to tell about all of them, and the division, as mentioned above, is conditional.
La Scala
1. Let's start with Italy, because it can be called one of the cradles of the theater, because here, along with Greece and France, many theatrical traditions were born. There were theaters here during the time of Rome and the Renaissance, so the contribution of this country to the theatrical art is undeniable. La Scala in Milan is deservedly considered the best theater in Italy.
It was built in 1776-1778, and owes its name to the church "Santa Maria dela Scala", which was located on this site before the theater.
There is a legend that when laying the foundation, an ancient block with the image of the mime Pylades was found, as if the blessing of the ancient gods to the future theater. The theater hall can accommodate up to 2,800 people. By the way, it is customary to come here dressed in black.
At different times, the works of Bellini, Verdi and Puccini were very fond of here. Also in "La Scala" balls were held and even once there was a bullfight.
Grand Opera
2. In France, the Grand Opera is considered the most famous theater, although its official name is the National Academy of Music and Dance. Founded in 1669 by the poet Perrin and the composer Camber, signed by Louis XIV. This theater survived the centuries, the French Revolution, changed many names, but remained one of the best.
The building in which it is located today was built by the architect C. Garnier in 1875. The hall can accommodate 2,130 people. It is difficult to enumerate the performances staged on the stage of the Grand Opera for three and a half centuries.
Initially, these were works by French composers, then Italian and German. In the twentieth century, Stravinsky's opera "Mavra" was premiered here.
Vienna Opera
3. "Vienna Opera" is also impossible to ignore. Austria has always been proud of its composers, which is why Mozart's operas are so popular here. It also hosted the premiere of the entire Wagner cycle "Ring of the Nibelungen".
The Vienna Opera was built in 1869, the interior decoration is striking in luxury and majesty.
At the end of the 19th century, this place was the center of the cultural life of Europe. Until now, according to tradition, the world-famous “Opera Ball” is held here every year, where people from all over the world come together.
covent garden
4. The most famous theater in England is London's Covent Garden. It was founded in 1732. In the form in which it appears now, it has been preserved since the last restoration in 1856. It is distinguished by a high level of acting and the corresponding fees.
In the 19th century, the best performers of that time, such as Malibran, Tamburini, Giulia Grisi, sang here.
The building itself is shrouded in mystery and legends about ghosts, so suitable for "Foggy Albion". Designed for 2,250 seats.
Metropolitan Opera
5. The New York Metropolitan Opera is the most famous theater in the United States and at the same time the most modern of all listed here.
It was founded in 1883 and is distinguished by the absence of such luxurious decoration as in other theaters. But here many modern technologies are applied, such as, for example, a running line in the back of the chair.
Initially, the Metropolitan Opera liked to stage Wagner. As well as in England, operas are staged here in the original language. The fees for performers here are more modest than in other places, but singing on this stage is still very prestigious.
The hall is large and can accommodate 3,625 people. Interestingly, the theater is not state-owned and is funded by private individuals and donations from firms.
6. In Russia, the Bolshoi Theater can be put on a par with the above-mentioned theaters. It was founded in 1776, the building where it is now appeared in 1825.
Tchaikovsky's operas Mazepa, Voyevoda, Cherevichki and Rachmaninov's The Miserly Knight, Aleko and Francesca da Rimini were premiered here, with Rachmaninoff acting as a conductor.
On the stage of the Bolshoi Theater, performances are also given by visiting troupes from La Scala and the Vienna Opera. Designed for 2,155 seats.
7. "Sydney Opera" - a masterpiece more architectural than theatrical.
This place has become a symbol of Australia, both performances and various shows are held here, there is no usual theatrical design, and the repertoire is not classical. But maybe this is such an idea of the creators of the theater of the future, because the Sydney Opera House was built only 37 years ago. By the way, Queen Elizabeth herself opened it.
8. Another non-classical theater - "Broadway".
It's not a building, it's a tradition. Once “Broadway Theater” meant that it was one of the small theaters located on the corresponding street in New York, today this concept has a completely different meaning.
I invite actors to Broadway for one or several seasons, there is no permanent troupe, and the performance goes on as long as it is interesting to the public. That is why many are drawn here, because of the diversity. The traditions of the “Broadway theater” were formed about a century ago.
Arena di Verona
9. “Arena di Verona”, this theater has no analogues in the whole world, because it was built during the time of Emperor Augustus in the first century AD. This is an oval Roman amphitheater, and what is most interesting, it is functioning.
Arena di Verona. Photo – Ennevi For three hundred years, performances have been given on this stage, and in Roman times, gladiators died here and tournaments were held.
Since 1913, an opera festival has been held here every summer. They put on mainly spectacular productions, such as "Aida", which opened the first of these festivals, "Turandot", "Carmen". "Arena di Verona" can accommodate up to 16,000 spectators at the same time, which is beyond the power of any hall of classical theaters.
10. The largest theater in South America is the Colon Theatre. It was founded in 1857.
It is located in the city of Buenos Aires and can accommodate up to 2,478 people at a time. At the time of construction, the first building of the theater was the most advanced among operas, gas lighting and special effects devices were used here.
The modern building opened in 1908, in addition to seating, it is designed for 500-1000 standing people. Russian performances are often staged here, such as "Boris Godunov", "Sadko", "Eugene Onegin".
