When was the Bolshoi Theater built and by whom? The history of the building of the State Academic Bolshoi Theater (GABT)

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 Tale 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 is open at Bolshaya Dimitrovka Street, Building 4, Building 2. During the large-scale reconstruction, all repertoire performances of the Bolshoi were staged here, and at present 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 - the deep pink "Galina Ulanova" and the 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!

The Bolshoi Theater was solemnly opened 185 years ago.

The Bolshoi Theater was founded on March 28 (March 17), 1776, when the well-known philanthropist, the 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 only to La Scala in Milan in scale. 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 both his contemporaries-architects and firefighters, proving that the construction of a metal ceiling (as, for example, in the Alexandrinsky Theater by the architect Rossi) could be detrimental 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 across 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.

The technology was hopelessly behind the modern level: for example, until the end of the 20th 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 designs - 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 interchange 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 objectives 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.

One of the symbols of theatrical art is rightfully the Bolshoi Theater in. The theater is located on Theater Square - in the heart of the capital. The most talented performers of the theater are known all over the world: ballet dancers and vocalists, choreographers and composers who have left a noticeable mark on the world theatrical art. Over 800 works have been staged on its stage for all the time. From the first Russian operas to the works of such titans as Verdi and Wagner, Berlioz and Ravel, Donizetti and Bellini. The world premieres of operas and, Arensky and were held on the stage of the theater.
theater dates back to March 1736, when Prince Peter Vasilievich Urusov ordered the construction of a theater building on the corner of Petrovka. Then he got his first name - Petrovsky. But to complete the construction, Peter Urusov was not destined, as the theater building burned down in a fire. This glorious business was completed by the English businessman and companion of the prince Michael Medox. The Petrovsky Theater opened its doors to the Moscow public on December 30, 1780. In fact, from that moment, the first professional theater in Russia originates. On that day, the production of "I" took place. Paradisa ballet-pantomime "Magic Shop". Ballets with a national flavor were especially popular, including The Capture of Ochakov and Village Simplicity. The troupe of the theater consisted mainly of pupils of the Moscow ballet school and serf actors of the troupe of E. Golovkina. The Petrovsky Theater lasted only 25 years. The building was destroyed in a fire in 1805.
In the period from 1821 - 1825. a new theater is being built in the same place, according to the project of A. Mikhailov. The famous architect O. Bove became the construction manager. It was significantly increased in size, due to which it was called the Bolshoi Theater. The first production was The Celebration of the Muses, which sent the new building on an exciting theatrical journey that has been going on for more than 185 years. A new fire befell the theater in 1853, after which its building was restored for about three years under the guidance of architect A. Kavos.
During the restoration of the Bolshoi Theater in 1856. the building was thoroughly altered and it was decorated with a white stone portico with eight columns, which is still its symbol. Also, in addition to the external appearance, the interior decoration of the theater has changed significantly. Known throughout the world and, of course, the bronze chariot of Apollo, which crowned the theater building and became its eternal symbol. Thanks to the creative talent of Albert Kavos, the building of the Bolshoi Theater fit perfectly into the surrounding architectural ensemble of the center of Moscow.
Since 2005, a global reconstruction of the theater began, and after 6 years of painstaking and laborious work, on October 28, 2011, the long-awaited opening of the main stage of the country took place.

The full name is the State Academic Bolshoi Theater of Russia (GABT).

Opera history

One of the oldest Russian musical theaters, the leading Russian opera and ballet theater. The Bolshoi Theater played an outstanding role in establishing the national realistic traditions of opera and ballet art, and in shaping the Russian musical stage performing school. The Bolshoi Theater traces its history back to 1776, when the Moscow provincial prosecutor, Prince P. V. Urusov, received the government privilege "to be the owner of all theatrical performances in Moscow ...". From 1776 performances were staged in the house of Count R. I. Vorontsov on Znamenka. Urusov, together with the entrepreneur M. E. Medoks, built a special theater building (on the corner of Petrovka Street) - the Petrovsky Theater, or the Opera House, where opera, drama and ballet performances were staged in 1780-1805. It was the first permanent theater in Moscow (it burned down in 1805). In 1812, another building of the theater was also destroyed by fire - on the Arbat (architect K. I. Rossi) and the troupe performed in temporary premises. On January 6 (18), 1825, the Bolshoi Theater (designed by A. A. Mikhailov, architect O. I. Bove), built on the site of the former Petrovsky, was opened with the prologue "The Triumph of the Muses" with music by A. N. Verstovsky and A. A. Alyabyev. The room - the second largest in Europe after the La Scala theater in Milan - was significantly rebuilt after the fire of 1853 (architect A.K. Cavos), acoustic and optical shortcomings were corrected, the auditorium was divided into 5 tiers. The opening took place on August 20, 1856.

The first Russian folk-everyday musical comedies were staged in the theater - Sokolovsky's "Melnik - a sorcerer, a deceiver and a matchmaker" (1779), Pashkevich's "St. Petersburg Gostiny Dvor" (1783) and others. The first pantomime ballet, The Magic Shop, was shown in 1780 on the opening day of the Petrovsky Theatre. Among the ballet performances, conditional fantasy-mythological spectacular performances prevailed, but performances were also staged, including Russian folk dances, which were a great success with the public (“Village Holiday”, “Village Picture”, “The Capture of Ochakov”, etc.). The repertoire also included the most significant operas by foreign composers of the 18th century (J. Pergolesi, D. Cimarosa, A. Salieri, A. Grétry, N. Daleyrak, and others).

In the late 18th and early 19th centuries, opera singers played in dramatic performances, and dramatic actors performed in operas. The troupe of the Petrovsky Theater was often replenished with talented serf actors and actresses, and sometimes entire groups of serf theaters, which the theater management bought from the landowners.

The troupe of the theater included the serf actors of Urusov, the actors of the theater troupes of N. S. Titov and the Moscow University. Among the first actors were V. P. Pomerantsev, P. V. Zlov, G. V. Bazilevich, A. G. Ozhogin, M. S. Sinyavskaya, I. M. Sokolovskaya, and later E. S. Sandunova and others. ballet dancers - pupils of the Orphanage (in which a ballet school was founded in 1773 under the direction of choreographer I. Valberkh) and serf dancers of the troupes of Urusov and E. A. Golovkina (among them: A. Sobakina, D. Tukmanov, G. Raikov, S. Lopukhin and others).

In 1806, many serf actors of the theater received their freedom, the troupe was placed at the disposal of the Directorate of the Moscow Imperial Theaters and turned into a court theater, which was directly subordinate to the Ministry of the Court. This determined the difficulties in the development of advanced Russian musical art. The domestic repertoire was initially dominated by vaudevilles, which were very popular: Alyabyev’s Village Philosopher (1823), Teacher and Student (1824), Khlopotun and Caliph’s Fun (1825) by Alyabyev and Verstovsky and others. In the 1990s, operas by A. N. Verstovsky (since 1825 music inspector of Moscow theaters) were staged at the Bolshoi Theater, marked by national romantic tendencies: “Pan Tvardovsky” (1828), “Vadim, or the Twelve Sleeping Virgins” (1832), “Askold’s Grave "(1835), which has long been in the repertoire of the theater, "Sickness for the Motherland" (1839), "Churova Valley" (1841), "Thunderbolt" (1858). Verstovsky and the composer A. E. Varlamov, who worked in the theater in 1832-44, contributed to the education of Russian singers (N. V. Repina, A. O. Bantyshev, P. A. Bulakhov, N. V. Lavrov, and others). The theater also hosted operas by German, French and Italian composers, including Mozart's Don Giovanni and Marriage of Figaro, Beethoven's Fidelio, Weber's The Magic Shooter, Fra Diavolo, Fenella and The Bronze Horse by Auber, Robert the Devil by Meyerbeer, The Barber of Seville by Rossini, Anna Boleyn by Donizetti and others. Staged in 1842, Glinka's opera A Life for the Tsar (Ivan Susanin) turned into a lavish spectacle that ran on solemn court holidays. With the help of the artists of the St. Petersburg Russian Opera Company (transferred to Moscow in 1845-50), this opera was performed on the stage of the Bolshoi Theater in an incomparably better production. Glinka's opera Ruslan and Lyudmila was staged in the same performance in 1846, and Dargomyzhsky's Esmeralda in 1847. In 1859, the Bolshoi Theater staged The Mermaid. The appearance on the stage of the opera theater of Glinka and Dargomyzhsky outlined a new stage in its development and was of great importance in the formation of the realistic principles of vocal and stage art.

In 1861, the Directorate of the Imperial Theaters leased the Bolshoi Theater to an Italian opera troupe, which performed 4-5 days a week, effectively leaving the Russian opera 1 day. The competition between the two groups brought certain benefits to Russian singers, forcing them to stubbornly improve their skills and borrow some of the principles of the Italian vocal school, but the neglect of the Directorate of the Imperial Theaters to establish the national repertoire and the privileged position of the Italians made it difficult for the Russian troupe to work and prevented the Russian opera from winning public recognition. The new Russian opera theater could only be born in the fight against Italian mania and entertainment trends for the assertion of the national identity of art. Already in the 1960s and 1970s, the theater was forced to listen to the voices of progressive figures in Russian musical culture, to the demands of the new democratic audience. The operas Rusalka (1863) and Ruslan and Lyudmila (1868) were resumed and established themselves in the theatre's repertoire. In 1869, the Bolshoi Theater puts on the first opera by P. I. Tchaikovsky "Voevoda", in 1875 - "Oprichnik". In 1881, Eugene Onegin was staged (the second production, 1883, was fixed in the theater's repertoire).

From the mid-80s of the 19th century, a turning point began in the attitude of the theater management towards Russian opera; performances of outstanding works by Russian composers were staged: Mazeppa (1884), Cherevichki (1887), The Queen of Spades (1891) and Iolanta (1893) by Tchaikovsky, first appeared on the stage of the Bolshoi Opera Theater of the composers of The Mighty Handful - "Boris Godunov" by Mussorgsky (1888), "The Snow Maiden" by Rimsky-Korsakov (1893), "Prince Igor" by Borodin (1898).

But the main attention in the repertoire of the Bolshoi Theater in these years was still given to French operas (J. Meyerbeer, F. Aubert, F. Halevi, A. Thomas, C. Gounod) and Italian (G. Rossini, V. Bellini, G. Donizetti, G. Verdi) composers. In 1898, Bizet's Carmen was staged for the first time in Russian, and in 1899, Berlioz's Trojans in Carthage. The German opera is represented by the works of F. Flotov, Weber's "Magic Shooter", single productions of "Tannhäuser" and "Lohengrin" by Wagner.

Among the Russian singers of the middle and 2nd half of the 19th century are E. A. Semyonova (the first Moscow performer of the parts of Antonida, Lyudmila and Natasha), A. D. Aleksandrova-Kochetova, E. A. Lavrovskaya, P. A. Khokhlov (who created images of Onegin and the Demon), B. B. Korsov, M. M. Koryakin, L. D. Donskoy, M. A. Deisha-Sionitskaya, N. V. Salina, N. A. Preobrazhensky and others. but also as productions and musical interpretations of operas. In 1882-1906 the chief conductor of the Bolshoi Theater was I. K. Altani, in 1882-1937 the chief choirmaster was U. I. Avranek. P. I. Tchaikovsky and A. G. Rubinshtein conducted their operas. More serious attention is paid to the decorative design and staging culture of performances. (In 1861-1929 K. F. Waltz worked as a decorator and mechanic at the Bolshoi Theater).

By the end of the 19th century, the reform of the Russian theater was brewing, its decisive turn towards the depth of life and historical truth, towards the realism of images and feelings. The Bolshoi Theater is entering its heyday, gaining fame as one of the largest centers of musical and theatrical culture. The theater's repertoire includes the best works of world art, while Russian opera occupies a central place on its stage. For the first time, the Bolshoi Theater staged productions of Rimsky-Korsakov's operas The Maid of Pskov (1901), Pan Voyevoda (1905), Sadko (1906), The Tale of the Invisible City of Kitezh (1908), The Golden Cockerel (1909) , as well as Dargomyzhsky's Stone Guest (1906). At the same time, the theater staged such significant works by foreign composers as The Valkyrie, The Flying Dutchman, Wagner's Tannhäuser, Berlioz's Trojans in Carthage, Leoncavallo's Pagliacci, Mascagni's Rural Honor, Puccini's La Bohème, and others.

The heyday of the performing school of Russian art came after a long and intense struggle for Russian opera classics and is directly related to the deep development of the Russian repertoire. At the beginning of the 20th century, a constellation of great singers appeared on the stage of the Bolshoi Theater - F. I. Chaliapin, L. V. Sobinov, A. V. Nezhdanova. Outstanding singers performed with them: E. G. Azerskaya, L. N. Balanovskaya, M. G. Gukova, K. G. Derzhinskaya, E. N. Zbrueva, E. A. Stepanova, I. A. Alchevsky, A V. Bogdanovich, A. P. Bonachich, G. A. Baklanov, I. V. Gryzunov, V. R. Petrov, G. S. Pirogov, L. F. Savransky. In 1904-06 SV Rachmaninov conducted at the Bolshoi Theatre, giving a new realistic interpretation of Russian opera classics. Since 1906 V. I. Suk became the conductor. The choir under the direction of U. I. Avranek achieves perfected mastery. Prominent artists A. M. Vasnetsov, A. Ya. Golovin, K. A. Korovin are involved in the design of performances.

The Great October Socialist Revolution opened a new era in the development of the Bolshoi Theatre. During the difficult years of the Civil War, the theater troupe was completely preserved. The first season began on November 21 (December 4), 1917 with the opera Aida. A special program was prepared for the first anniversary of October, which included the ballet "Stepan Razin" to the music of Glazunov's symphonic poem, the scene "Veche" from the opera "The Maid of Pskov" by Rimsky-Korsakov, and the choreographic painting "Prometheus" to music by A. N. Scriabin. During the 1917/1918 season, the theater gave 170 opera and ballet performances. From 1918, the Bolshoi Theater Orchestra gave cycles of symphony concerts with the participation of solo singers. In parallel, there were chamber instrumental concerts and concerts of singers. In 1919 the Bolshoi Theater was awarded the title of academic. In 1924, a branch of the Bolshoi Theater was opened in the premises of Zimin's former private opera. Performances were staged on this stage until 1959.

In the 1920s, operas by Soviet composers appeared on the stage of the Bolshoi Theater - Trilby by Yurasovsky (1924, 2nd production in 1929), The Decembrists by Zolotarev and Stepan Razin by Triodin (both in 1925), Love for Three Oranges Prokofiev (1927), Ivan the Soldier by Korchmaryov (1927), Vasilenko's Son of the Sun (1928), Krein's Zagmuk and Pototsky's Breakthrough (both in 1930), etc. At the same time, a lot of work is being done on opera classics. New productions of R. Wagner's operas took place: The Rhine Gold (1918), Lohengrin (1923), The Nuremberg Mastersingers (1929). In 1921 G. Berlioz's oratorio "The Condemnation of Faust" was performed. Of fundamental importance was the staging of M. P. Mussorgsky's opera Boris Godunov (1927), performed for the first time in its entirety with scenes Pod Kromy and Basil the Blessed(the latter, orchestrated by M. M. Ippolitov-Ivanov, has since been included in all productions of this opera). In 1925, the premiere of Mussorgsky's opera The Sorochinskaya Fair took place. Among the significant works of the Bolshoi Theater of this period are: The Legend of the Invisible City of Kitezh (1926); The Marriage of Figaro by Mozart (1926), as well as the operas Salome by R. Strauss (1925), Cio-Cio-san by Puccini (1925), and others staged in Moscow for the first time.

Significant events in the creative history of the Bolshoi Theater in the 1930s are associated with the development of Soviet opera. In 1935, D. D. Shostakovich’s opera Katerina Izmailova (based on the novel by N. S. Leskov “Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk District”) was staged, then The Quiet Flows the Don (1936) and Dzerzhinsky’s Virgin Soil Upturned (1937), The Battleship "Potemkin"" by Chishko (1939), "Mother" by Zhelobinsky (after M. Gorky, 1939) and others. Works by composers of the Soviet republics - "Almast" by Spendiarov (1930), "Abesalom and Eteri" by Z. Paliashvili (1939) are staged. In 1939 the Bolshoi Theater revived the opera Ivan Susanin. The new production (libretto by S. M. Gorodetsky) revealed the folk-heroic essence of this work; mass choral scenes acquired special significance.

In 1937, the Bolshoi Theater was awarded the Order of Lenin, and its leading masters were awarded the title of People's Artist of the USSR.

In the 20-30s, outstanding singers performed on the stage of the theater - V. R. Petrov, L. V. Sobinov, A. V. Nezhdanova, N. A. Obukhova, K. G. Derzhinskaya, E. A. Stepanova, E. K. Katulskaya, V. V. Barsova, I. S. Kozlovsky, S. Ya. Lemeshev, A. S. Pirogov, M. D. Mikhailov, M. O. Reizen, N. S. Khanaev, E. D. Kruglikova, N. D. Shpiller, M. P. Maksakova, V. A. Davydova, A. I. Baturin, S. I. Migai, L. F. Savransky, N. N. Ozerov, V. R. Slivinsky and others. Among the theater's conductors are V. I. Suk, M. M. Ippolitov-Ivanov, N. S. Golovanov, A. M. Pazovsky, S. A. Samosud, Yu. Shteinberg, V. V. Nebolsin. The performances of opera and ballet performances of the Bolshoi Theater were staged by directors V. A. Lossky, N. V. Smolich; choreographer R. V. Zakharov; choirmasters U. O. Avranek, M. G. Shorin; artist P. V. Williams.

During the Great Patriotic War (1941-45), part of the Bolshoi Theater troupe was evacuated to Kuibyshev, where in 1942 Rossini's opera William Tell premiered. On the stage of the branch (the main building of the theater was damaged by a bomb) in 1943, the opera On Fire by Kabalevsky was staged. In the post-war years, the opera troupe turned to the classical heritage of the peoples of the socialist countries, the operas The Bartered Bride by Smetana (1948) and Pebbles by Moniuszko (1949) were staged. The performances Boris Godunov (1948), Sadko (1949), Khovanshchina (1950) are noted for the depth and integrity of the musical and stage ensemble. The ballets Cinderella (1945) and Romeo and Juliet (1946) by Prokofiev became striking examples of Soviet ballet classics.

Since the mid-1940s, the role of directing has been growing in revealing the ideological content and embodying the author's intention of a work, in educating an actor (singer and ballet dancer) capable of creating deeply meaningful, psychologically truthful images. The role of the ensemble in solving the ideological and artistic tasks of the performance becomes more significant, which is achieved thanks to the high skill of the orchestra, choir and other theater groups. All this determined the performing style of the contemporary Bolshoi Theatre, bringing it worldwide fame.

In the 1950s and 1960s, the theatre's work on operas by Soviet composers became more active. In 1953 Shaporin's monumental epic opera The Decembrists was staged. The opera "War and Peace" by Prokofiev (1959) entered the golden fund of the Soviet musical theater. Were staged - "Nikita Vershinin" by Kabalevsky (1955), "The Taming of the Shrew" by Shebalin (1957), "Mother" by Khrennikov (1957), "Jalil" by Zhiganov (1959), "The Tale of a Real Man" by Prokofiev (1960), "Fate Man" by Dzerzhinsky (1961), "Not Only Love" by Shchedrin (1962), "October" by Muradeli (1964), "Unknown Soldier" by Molchanov (1967), "Optimistic Tragedy" by Kholminov (1967), "Semyon Kotko" by Prokofiev (1970 ).

Since the mid-1950s, the repertoire of the Bolshoi Theater has been replenished with contemporary foreign operas. The works of composers L. Janáček (Her Stepdaughter, 1958), F. Erkel (Bank-Ban, 1959), F. Poulenc (The Human Voice, 1965), B. Britten (A Midsummer Dream) were staged for the first time. night", 1965). The classical Russian and European repertoire has expanded. Among the outstanding works of the opera group is Beethoven's Fidelio (1954). Operas were also staged - Falstaff (1962), Don Carlos (1963) by Verdi, The Flying Dutchman by Wagner (1963), The Tale of the Invisible City of Kitezh (1966), Tosca (1971), Ruslan and Lyudmila (1972), Troubadour (1972); ballets - The Nutcracker (1966), Swan Lake (1970). In the opera troupe of this time, the singers are I. I. and L. I. Maslennikovs, E. V. Shumskaya, Z. I. Andzhaparidze, G. P. Bolshakov, A. P. Ivanov, A. F. Krivchenya, P. G. Lisitsian, G. M. Nelepp, I. I. Petrov and others. The conductors - A. Sh. Melik-Pashaev, M. N. Zhukov, G. N. Rozhdestvensky, E. F. Svetlanov worked on the musical stage embodiment of the performances; directors - L. B. Baratov, B. A. Pokrovsky; choreographer L. M. Lavrovsky; artists - R. P. Fedorovsky, V. F. Ryndin, S. B. Virsaladze.

The leading masters of the opera and ballet troupes of the Bolshoi Theater have performed in many countries of the world. The opera troupe toured Italy (1964), Canada, Poland (1967), East Germany (1969), France (1970), Japan (1970), Austria, Hungary (1971).

In 1924-59 the Bolshoi Theater had two stages - the main stage and a branch. The main stage of the theater is a five-tier auditorium with 2155 seats. The length of the hall, taking into account the orchestra shell, is 29.8 m, the width is 31 m, the height is 19.6 m. The depth of the stage is 22.8 m, the width is 39.3 m, the size of the stage portal is 21.5 × 17.2 m. In 1961, the Bolshoi Theater received a new stage platform - the Kremlin Palace of Congresses (an auditorium for 6000 seats; the stage size in plan is 40 × 23 m and the height to the grate is 28.8 m, the stage portal is 32 × 14 m; tablet stage is equipped with sixteen lifting and lowering platforms). Solemn meetings, congresses, decades of arts, etc. are held at the Bolshoi Theater and the Palace of Congresses.

Literature: The Bolshoi Moscow Theater and a review of the events that preceded the foundation of the correct Russian theater, M., 1857; Kashkin N. D., Opera stage of the Moscow Imperial Theatre, M., 1897 (on the region: Dmitriev N., Imperial Opera Stage in Moscow, M., 1898); Chayanova O., "The Triumph of the Muses", Memo of historical memories for the centennial anniversary of the Moscow Bolshoi Theater (1825-1925), M., 1925; her own, Madox Theater in Moscow 1776-1805, M., 1927; Moscow Bolshoi Theatre. 1825-1925, M., 1925 (collection of articles and materials); Borisoglebsky M., Materials on the history of Russian ballet, vol. 1, L., 1938; Glushkovsky A.P., Memoirs of a choreographer, M. - L., 1940; State Academic Bolshoi Theater of the USSR, M., 1947 (collection of articles); S.V. Rachmaninov and Russian opera, Sat. articles ed. I. F. Belzy. Moscow, 1947. Theater, 1951, No 5 (dedicated to the 175th anniversary of the Bolshoi Theatre); Shaverdyan A. I., Bolshoi Theater of the USSR, M., 1952; Polyakova L. V., Youth of the opera stage of the Bolshoi Theatre, M., 1952; Khripunov Yu. D., Architecture of the Bolshoi Theatre, M., 1955; Bolshoi Theater of the USSR (collection of articles), M., 1958; Grosheva E. A., Bolshoi Theater of the USSR in the past and present, M., 1962; Gozenpud A. A., Musical theater in Russia. From the origins to Glinka, L., 1959; his, Russian Soviet Opera Theater (1917-1941), L., 1963; his own, Russian Opera Theater of the 19th century, vol. 1-2, L., 1969-71.

L. V. Polyakova
Music Encyclopedia, ed. Yu.V.Keldysh, 1973-1982

History of ballet

The leading Russian musical theater that has played an outstanding role in the formation and development of national traditions of ballet art. Its origin is associated with the flourishing of Russian culture in the 2nd half of the 18th century, with the emergence and development of professional theater.

The troupe began to form in 1776, when the Moscow philanthropist Prince P. V. Urusov and the entrepreneur M. Medox received a government privilege to develop theatrical business. Performances were given in the house of R. I. Vorontsov on Znamenka. In 1780 Medox was built in Moscow on the corner of st. Petrovka theater building, which became known as the Petrovsky Theatre. There were drama, opera and ballet performances. It was the first permanent professional theater in Moscow. His ballet troupe was soon replenished with pupils of the ballet school of the Moscow Orphanage (which existed since 1773), and then with serf actors of the troupe of E. A. Golovkina. The first ballet performance was The Magic Shop (1780, choreographer L. Paradise). It was followed by: "The Triumph of the Pleasures of the Female", "The Feigned Death of the Harlequin, or the Deceived Pantaloon", "The Deaf Mistress" and "The Feigned Anger of Love" - ​​all productions by choreographer F. Morelli (1782); “Village morning entertainments at the awakening of the sun” (1796) and “The Miller” (1797) - choreographer P. Pinyucci; “Medea and Jason” (1800, after J. Nover), “Toilet of Venus” (1802) and “Vengeance for the death of Agamemnon” (1805) - choreographer D. Solomoni, and others. These performances were based on the principles of classicism, in comic ballets ("The Deceived Miller", 1793; "Cupid's Deceptions", 1795) began to show features of sentimentalism. G. I. Raikov, A. M. Sobakina and others stood out from the dancers of the troupe.

In 1805 the building of the Petrovsky Theater burned down. In 1806, the troupe came under the jurisdiction of the Directorate of the Imperial Theaters, and played in various rooms. Its composition was replenished, new ballets were staged: Guishpan Evenings (1809), Pierrot's School, Algerians, or Defeated Sea Robbers, Zephyr, or Anemone, which has become permanent (all - 1812), Semik, or Walking in the Maryina Grove ”(to music by S. I. Davydov, 1815) - all staged by I. M. Ablets; “A New Heroine, or a Cossack Woman” (1811), “A Holiday in the Camp of the Allied Armies in Montmartre” (1814) - both to the music of Kavos, choreographer I. I. Valberkh; “Festivities on the Sparrow Hills” (1815), “The Triumph of the Russians, or Bivouac under the Red” (1816) - both to the music of Davydov, choreographer A. P. Glushkovsky; "Cossacks on the Rhine" (1817), "Neva Walk" (1818), "Old Games, or Christmas Evening" (1823) - all to the music of Scholz, the choreographer is the same; “Russian swing on the banks of the Rhine” (1818), “Gypsy camp” (1819), “Festivities in Petrovsky” (1824) - all choreographer I. K. Lobanov, and others. Most of these performances were divertissements with extensive use of folk rituals and character dance. Of particular importance were performances dedicated to the events of the Patriotic War of 1812 - the first ballets on a modern theme in the history of the Moscow stage. In 1821 Glushkovsky created the first ballet based on a work by A. S. Pushkin (Ruslan and Lyudmila to music by Scholz).

In 1825, performances began in the new building of the Bolshoi Theater (architect O. I. Bove) with the prologue "The Triumph of the Muses" staged by F. Güllen-Sor. She also staged the ballets Fenella to the music of the opera of the same name by Aubert (1836), The Boy with Finger (The Sly Boy and the Cannibal) by Varlamov and Guryanov (1837), and others. T. N. Glushkovskaya, D. S. Lopukhina, A. I. Voronina-Ivanova, T. S. Karpakova, K. F. Bogdanov and others. the principles of romanticism had a decisive influence on the ballet of the Bolshoi Theater (the activities of F. Taglioni and J. Perrot in St. Petersburg, the tours of M. Taglioni, F. Elsler, etc.). Outstanding dancers of this direction are E. A. Sankovskaya, I. N. Nikitin.

Of great importance for the formation of the realistic principles of stage art were the productions at the Bolshoi Theater of the operas Ivan Susanin (1842) and Ruslan and Lyudmila (1846) by Glinka, which contained detailed choreographic scenes that played an important dramatic role. These ideological and artistic principles were continued in Dargomyzhsky's Mermaid (1859, 1865), Serov's Judith (1865), and then in productions of operas by P. I. Tchaikovsky and composers of The Mighty Handful. In most cases, dances in operas were staged by F. N. Manokhin.

In 1853, a fire destroyed all the interior of the Bolshoi Theatre. The building was restored in 1856 by the architect A.K. Kavos.

In the second half of the 19th century, the ballet of the Bolshoi Theater was significantly inferior to that of St. Petersburg (there was neither such a talented director as M. I. Petipa, nor the same favorable material conditions for development). The Little Humpbacked Horse by Pugni, staged by A. Saint-Leon in St. Petersburg and transferred to the Bolshoi Theater in 1866, was a huge success; this manifested the long-standing attraction of the Moscow ballet to the genre, comedy, everyday and national characteristics. But there were few original performances. A number of productions by K. Blazis (“Pygmalion”, “Two Days in Venice”) and S. P. Sokolov (“The Fern, or the Night under Ivan Kupala”, 1867) testified to a certain decline in the creative principles of the theater. Only the play Don Quixote (1869), staged on the Moscow stage by M. I. Petipa, became a significant event. The deepening of the crisis was associated with the activities of choreographers V. Reisinger (The Magic Slipper, 1871; Kashchei, 1873; Stella, 1875) and J. Hansen (The Maiden of Hell, 1879) invited from abroad. The staging of Swan Lake by Reisinger (1877) and Hansen (1880), who failed to understand the innovative essence of Tchaikovsky's music, was also unsuccessful. During this period, the troupe included strong performers: P. P. Lebedeva, O. N. Nikolaeva, A. I. Sobeshchanskaya, P. M. Karpakova, S. P. Sokolov, V. F. Geltser, and later L. N. Geiten, L. A. Roslavleva, A. A. Dzhuri, A. N. Bogdanov, V. E. Polivanov, I. N. Khlyustin, and others; talented mimic actors - F. A. Reishausen and V. Vanner worked, the best traditions were passed down from generation to generation in the families of the Manokhins, Domashovs, Yermolovs. The reform carried out by the Directorate of the Imperial Theaters in 1882 led to a reduction in the ballet troupe and exacerbated the crisis (especially evident in the eclectic productions of India, 1890, Daita, 1896, by choreographer H. Mendez, invited from abroad).

Stagnation and routine were overcome only with the arrival of the choreographer A. A. Gorsky, whose activity (1899-1924) marked an entire era in the development of the Bolshoi Ballet. Gorsky sought to free the ballet from bad conventions and clichés. Enriching the ballet with the achievements of modern dramatic theater and fine arts, he staged new productions of Don Quixote (1900), Swan Lake (1901, 1912) and other ballets by Petipa, and created Simon’s midrama The Daughter of Gudula (based on Notre Dame Cathedral) V. Hugo, 1902), the ballet Salammbô by Arends (based on the novel of the same name by H. Flaubert, 1910) and others. In his striving for the dramatic fullness of the ballet performance, Gorsky sometimes exaggerated the role of script and pantomime, sometimes underestimated the music and effective symphonic dance. At the same time, Gorsky was one of the first directors of ballets to symphonic music not intended for dance: “Love is fast!” to the music of Grieg, "Schubertiana" to the music of Schubert, divertissement "Carnival" to the music of various composers - all 1913, "The Fifth Symphony" (1916) and "Stenka Razin" (1918) to the music of Glazunov. In the performances of Gorsky, the talent of E. V. Geltser, S. V. Fedorova, A. M. Balashova, V. A. Koralli, M. R. Reizen, V. V. Krieger, V. D. Tikhomirova, M M. Mordkina, V. A. Ryabtseva, A. E. Volinina, L. A. Zhukova, I. E. Sidorova, etc.

At the end of 19 - early. 20th century ballet performances of the Bolshoi Theater were conducted by I. K. Altani, V. I. Suk, A. F. Arends, E. A. Cooper, theatrical decorator K. F. Waltz, artists K. A. Korovin, A. Ya. Golovin and others.

The Great October Socialist Revolution opened new paths for the Bolshoi Theater and determined its heyday as the leading opera and ballet company in the artistic life of the country. During the Civil War, the theater troupe, thanks to the attention of the Soviet state, was saved. In 1919 the Bolshoi Theater entered the group of academic theaters. In 1921-22 performances of the Bolshoi Theater were also given in the premises of the New Theatre. In 1924, a branch of the Bolshoi Theater was opened (it worked until 1959).

From the first years of Soviet power, the ballet troupe faced one of the most important creative tasks - to preserve the classical heritage, to convey it to a new audience. In 1919, The Nutcracker (choreographer Gorsky) was staged for the first time in Moscow, then new productions of Swan Lake (Gorsky, with the participation of V. I. Nemirovich-Danchenko, 1920), Giselle (Gorsky, 1922), Esmeralda "(V. D. Tikhomirov, 1926)," The Sleeping Beauty "(A. M. Messerer and A. I. Chekrygin, 1936), etc. Along with this, the Bolshoi Theater sought to create new ballets - one-act works were staged to symphonic music (“Spanish Capriccio” and “Scheherazade”, choreographer L. A. Zhukov, 1923, etc.), the first experiments were made to embody a modern theme (children’s ballet extravaganza “Forever Living Flowers” ​​to the music of Asafiev and others, choreographer Gorsky , 1922; the allegorical ballet "Smerch" by Ber, choreographer K. Ya. Goleizovsky, 1927), the development of choreographic language ("Joseph the Beautiful" Vasilenko, ballet. Goleizovsky, 1925; "Football Player" Oransky, ballet. L. A. Lashchilin and I. A. Moiseev, 1930, etc.). The play The Red Poppy (choreographer Tikhomirov and L. A. Lashchilin, 1927) acquired a landmark significance, in which the realistic disclosure of a modern theme was based on the implementation and renewal of classical traditions. The creative searches of the theater were inseparable from the activities of artists - E. V. Geltser, M. P. Kandaurova, V. V. Krieger, M. R. Reizen, A. I. Abramova, V. V. Kudryavtseva, N. B. Podgoretskaya , L. M. Bank, E. M. Ilyushenko, V. D. Tikhomirova, V. A. Ryabtseva, V. V. Smoltsova, N. I. Tarasova, V. I. Tsaplina, L. A. Zhukova and others .

1930s in the development of the Bolshoi Ballet were marked by major successes in the embodiment of the historical and revolutionary theme (The Flames of Paris, ballet by V. I. Vainonen, 1933) and the images of literary classics (The Fountain of Bakhchisarai, ballet by R. V. Zakharov, 1936) . In ballet, the direction that brought it closer to literature and drama theater triumphed. The importance of directing and acting has increased. The performances were distinguished by the dramatic integrity of the development of the action, the psychological development of the characters. In 1936-39, the ballet troupe was headed by R. V. Zakharov, who worked at the Bolshoi Theater as a choreographer and opera director until 1956. Performances on a modern theme were created - The Stork (1937) and Svetlana (1939) Klebanov (both - ballet by A. I. Radunsky, N. M. Popko and L. A. Pospekhin), as well as Asafiev’s Prisoner of the Caucasus (after A. S. Pushkin, 1938) and Taras Bulba by Solovyov-Sedoy (after N. V. Gogol, 1941, both - ballet. Zakharov), Oransky's "Three Fat Men" (after Yu. K. Olesha, 1935, ballet. I. A. Moiseev), etc. During these years, the art of M. T flourished at the Bolshoi Theater Semyonova, O. V. Lepeshinsky, A. N. Ermolaev, M. M. Gabovich, A. M. Messerer, the activity of S. N. Golovkina, M. S. Bogolyubskaya, I. V. Tikhomirnova, V. A. Preobrazhensky, Yu.G.

During the Great Patriotic War, the Bolshoi Theater was evacuated to Kuibyshev, but the part of the troupe that remained in Moscow (headed by M. M. Gabovich) soon resumed performances at the theater branch. Along with the showing of the old repertoire, a new play Scarlet Sails by Yurovsky (ballet dancer A. I. Radunsky, N. M. Popko, L. A. Pospekhin) was created, staged in 1942 in Kuibyshev, in 1943 transferred to the stage of the Bolshoi Theater. Brigades of artists repeatedly went to the front.

In 1944-64 (with interruptions) the ballet troupe was headed by L. M. Lavrovsky. The choreographers' names were put in brackets: Cinderella (R. V. Zakharov, 1945), Romeo and Juliet (L. M. Lavrovsky, 1946), Mirandolina (V. I. Vainonen, 1949), The Bronze Horseman (Zakharov, 1949), Red Poppy (Lavrovsky, 1949), Shurale (L. V. Yakobson, 1955), Laurencia (V. M. Chabukiani, 1956) and others. The Bolshoi Theater and the revivals of the classics - Giselle (1944) and Raymonda (1945) staged by Lavrovsky, etc. expressiveness. A new generation of artists has grown up; among them are M. M. Plisetskaya, R. S. Struchkova, M. V. Kondratieva, L. I. Bogomolova, R. K. Karelskaya, N. V. Timofeeva, Yu. T. Zhdanov, G. K. Farmanyants, V. A. Levashov, N. B. Fadeechev, Ya. D. Sekh and others.

In the mid 1950s. in the productions of the Bolshoi Theater, the negative consequences of the choreographers' enthusiasm for the one-sided dramatization of the ballet performance (everydayism, the prevalence of pantomime, the underestimation of the role of effective dance) began to be felt, which was especially felt in the performances of Prokofiev's The Tale of the Stone Flower (Lavrovsky, 1954), Gayane (Vainonen, 1957), "Spartacus" (I. A. Moiseev, 1958).

A new period began in the late 1950s. The repertoire included Y. N. Grigorovich's landmark performances for the Soviet ballet - "The Stone Flower" (1959) and "The Legend of Love" (1965). In the productions of the Bolshoi Theater, the circle of images and ideological and moral problems expanded, the role of the dance principle increased, the forms of dramaturgy became more diverse, the choreographic vocabulary was enriched, and interesting searches began to be carried out in the embodiment of a modern theme. This was manifested in the productions of choreographers: N. D. Kasatkina and V. Yu. Vasilyov - “Vanina Vanini” (1962) and “Geologists” (“Heroic Poem”, 1964) Karetnikov; O. G. Tarasova and A. A. Lapauri - "Lieutenant Kizhe" to the music of Prokofiev (1963); K. Ya. Goleizovsky - “Leyli and Majnun” by Balasanyan (1964); Lavrovsky - "Paganini" to the music of Rachmaninov (1960) and "Night City" to the music of Bartok's "Wonderful Mandarin" (1961).

In 1961, the Bolshoi Theater received a new stage - the Kremlin Palace of Congresses, which contributed to the wider activities of the ballet troupe. Along with the mature masters - Plisetskaya, Struchkova, Timofeeva, Fadeechev and others - the leading position was occupied by talented young people who came to the Bolshoi Theater at the turn of the 50-60s: E. S. Maksimova, N. I. Bessmertnova, N. I. Sorokina, E. L. Ryabinkina, S. D. Adyrkhaeva, V. V. Vasiliev, M. E. Liepa, M. L. Lavrovsky, Yu. V. Vladimirov, V. P. Tikhonov and others.

Since 1964, Yu. N. Grigorovich, chief choreographer of the Bolshoi Theater, has consolidated and developed progressive trends in the activities of the ballet troupe. Almost every new performance of the Bolshoi Theater is marked by interesting creative searches. They appeared in The Rite of Spring (ballet by Kasatkina and Vasilev, 1965), Bizet-Shchedrin's Carmen Suite (Alberto Alonso, 1967), Vlasov's Aseli (O. M. Vinogradov, 1967), Slonimsky's Icarus (V. V. Vasiliev, 1971), “Anna Karenina” by Shchedrin (M. M. Plisetskaya, N. I. Ryzhenko, V. V. Smirnov-Golovanov, 1972), “Love for Love” by Khrennikov (V. Boccadoro, 1976), "Chippolino" by K. Khachaturian (G. Mayorov, 1977), "These bewitching sounds ..." to the music of Corelli, Torelli, Rameau, Mozart (V.V. Vasiliev, 1978), "Hussar Ballad" by Khrennikov ( O. M. Vinogradov and D. A. Bryantsev), “The Seagull” by Shchedrin (M. M. Plisetskaya, 1980), “Macbeth” by Molchanov (V. V. Vasiliev, 1980) and others. performance "Spartacus" (Grigorovich, 1968; Lenin Prize 1970). Grigorovich staged ballets on the themes of Russian history (“Ivan the Terrible” to music by Prokofiev, arranged by M. I. Chulaki, 1975) and modernity (“Angara” by Eshpay, 1976), synthesizing and summarizing the creative searches of previous periods in the development of Soviet ballet. Grigorovich's performances are characterized by ideological and philosophical depth, richness of choreographic forms and vocabulary, dramatic integrity, and a wide development of effective symphonic dance. In the light of new creative principles, Grigorovich also staged productions of classical heritage: The Sleeping Beauty (1963 and 1973), The Nutcracker (1966), Swan Lake (1969). They achieved a deeper reading of the ideological and figurative concepts of Tchaikovsky’s music (“The Nutcracker” was completely re-staged, in other performances the main choreography of M. I. Petipa and L. I. Ivanov was preserved and the artistic whole was decided in accordance with it).

Ballet performances of the Bolshoi Theater were conducted by G. N. Rozhdestvensky, A. M. Zhuraitis, A. A. Kopylov, F. Sh. Mansurov and others. V. F. Ryndin, E. G. Stenberg, A. D. Goncharov, B. A. Messerer, V. Ya. Levental and others. The artist of all the performances staged by Grigorovich is S. B. Virsaladze.

The Bolshoi Ballet Company toured the Soviet Union and abroad: in Australia (1959, 1970, 1976), Austria (1959. 1973), Argentina (1978), Egypt (1958, 1961). Great Britain (1956, 1960, 1963, 1965, 1969, 1974), Belgium (1958, 1977), Bulgaria (1964), Brazil (1978), Hungary (1961, 1965, 1979), East Germany (1954, 1955, 1956, 1958) ), Greece (1963, 1977, 1979), Denmark (1960), Italy (1970, 1977), Canada (1959, 1972, 1979), China (1959), Cuba (1966), Lebanon (1971), Mexico (1961 , 1973, 1974, 1976), Mongolia (1959), Poland (1949, 1960, 1980), Romania (1964), Syria (1971), USA (1959, 1962, 1963, 1966, 1968, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1979), Tunisia (1976), Turkey (1960), Philippines (1976), Finland (1957, 1958), France. (1954, 1958, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1977, 1979), Germany (1964, 1973), Czechoslovakia (1959, 1975), Switzerland (1964), Yugoslavia (1965, 1979), Japan (1957, 1961, 1970, 1973, 1975, 1978, 1980).

Encyclopedia "Ballet" ed. Yu.N. Grigorovich, 1981

On November 29, 2002, the New Stage of the Bolshoi Theater opened with the premiere of Rimsky-Korsakov's The Snow Maiden. On July 1, 2005, the Main Stage of the Bolshoi Theater was closed for reconstruction, which lasted more than six years. On October 28, 2011, the grand opening of the Historical Stage of the Bolshoi Theater took place.

Publications

Along with the State Tretyakov Gallery, the State Historical Museum, the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, the Moscow Kremlin, the Bolshoi Theater is a cultural heritage site and one of the outstanding sights of the city of Moscow. The history of the creation of the Bolshoi Theater saw both light and dark periods, periods of prosperity and decline. Since its foundation in 1776, the theater has undergone numerous restorations: the fires were merciless to the house of art.

Beginning of formation. Maddox Theater

The starting point in the history of the theater is considered to be 1776, when Empress Catherine II allowed Prince P. V. Urusov to deal with the maintenance and development of theatrical performances. A small theater was built on Petrovka Street, named after Petrovsky Street. However, it was destroyed by fire even before its official opening.

P. V. Urusov transfers the ownership of the theater to his friend, an entrepreneur from England - Michael Maddox. Six months of construction under the leadership of the architect of the Bolshoi Theater Christian Rozberg and 130 thousand silver rubles made it possible to create a theater with a capacity of a thousand people by 1780. Between 1780 and 1794 more than 400 performances were staged. In 1805, the Maddox Theater burned down, and the acting troupe until 1808 was forced to give performances in private theaters. From 1808 to 1812, the wooden theater, designed by C. I. Rossi, was located on It burned down during the Patriotic War, in a Moscow fire.

Period from 1812 to 1853

After the fire of 1812, the Moscow authorities returned to the issue of restoring the theater only in 1816. The most prominent architects of that time took part in the organized competition, among which A. A. Mikhailov became the winner. However, his project turned out to be quite expensive, so the case was entrusted to O. I. Bove, a specialist who was a member of the Commission on the structure of Moscow. The architect of the Bolshoi Theater Beauvais took Mikhailov's plan as a basis, slightly modifying it. The estimated height of the theater was reduced by 4 meters to 37 meters, and the interior decoration was also revised.

The project was approved by the authorities in 1821, and 4 years later, the work “The Creativity of the Muses” was solemnly presented on the stage of the theater, which tells about the revival of the Bolshoi Theater from the ashes. In the period from 1825 to 1853, the posters of the Bolshoi Theater invited connoisseurs of high art to comedy plays - vaudeville ("The Village Philosopher", "The Fun of the Caliph"). Opera was especially popular at that time: the works of A. N. Verstovsky ("Pan Tvardovsky", "Askold's Grave"), M. I. Glinka (the famous operas "Life for the Tsar", "Ruslan and Lyudmila"), as well as works by Mozart, Beethoven, Rossini. In 1853, the theater was again engulfed in flames and almost completely burned out.

Reconstructions of the second half of the 20th century

The building of the Bolshoi Theater was badly damaged after a fire in 1853. The competition for its reconstruction was won by Albert Katerinovich Kavos, an outstanding architect, under whose care the Imperial Theaters were. He increased the height and width of the building, redesigned the interior and exterior decoration, diluting the classical architectural style with elements of early eclecticism. The sculpture of Apollo over the entrance to the theater was replaced with a bronze quadriga (chariot) created by Peter Klodt. At the moment, neoclassicism is considered to be the architectural style of the Bolshoi Theater in Moscow.

In the 1890s the theater building again needed repair: it turned out that its foundation was on barely holding wooden piles. The theater was also in dire need of electrification. According to the project of the architects of the Bolshoi Theater - I. I. Rerberg and K. V. Tersky, half-rotten wooden piles were replaced by new ones by 1898. This temporarily slowed down the settlement of the building.

From 1919 to 1922 there were disputes in Moscow about the possibility of closing the Bolshoi Theatre. This, however, did not happen. In 1921, a large-scale inspection of the structures and the entire theater building was carried out. She identified major problems at one of the walls of the auditorium. In the same year, restoration work began under the guidance of the architect of the Bolshoi Theater of that time - I. I. Rerberg. The foundation of the building was strengthened, which made it possible to stop its settlement.

During the Great Patriotic War, from 1941 to 1943, the building of the Bolshoi Theater was empty and was covered with a protective camouflage. The entire acting troupe was transferred to Kuibyshev (modern Samara), where a residential building located on Nekrasovskaya Street was allocated for the theater premises. After the end of the war, the theater building in Moscow was reconstructed: the interior decoration was replenished with a luxurious and extremely expensive curtain made of brocade. It has long served as the main highlight of the historical scene.

Reconstructions in the 2000s

The beginning of the 2000s was marked by a historic event for the Bolshoi Theatre: the New Stage appeared in the building, created with the latest technology, with comfortable seats and thoughtful acoustics. The entire repertoire of the Bolshoi Theater was staged on it. The new stage began operating in 2002, its opening was accompanied by the opera The Snow Maiden by N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov.

In 2005, a grandiose reconstruction of the Historical Stage began, which lasted until 2011, despite the initial plans to complete the work in 2008. The last performance on the Historical stage before its closing was MP Mussorgsky's opera Boris Godunov. During the restoration, the technicians managed to computerize all the processes in the theater building, and the restoration of the interior decoration required about 5 kg of gold and the painstaking work of hundreds of the best restorers in Russia. However, the main features and characteristic features of the external and internal decoration by the architects of the Bolshoi Theater were preserved. The building area was doubled, which eventually amounted to 80 thousand m 2.

New stage of the Bolshoi Theater

In 2002, on November 29, after 7 years of construction, the New Stage was solemnly opened. It is less luxurious and pompous than the Historical Stage, but it still hosts most of the repertoire. On the posters of the Bolshoi Theater, inviting the audience to the New Stage, you can see excerpts from various ballets and operas. The ballet performances of D. Shostakovich are especially popular: "The Bright Stream" and "The Bolt". Opera productions are presented by P. Tchaikovsky (Eugene Onegin, The Queen of Spades) and N. Rimsky-Korsakov (The Golden Cockerel, The Snow Maiden). The price of tickets for the New Stage, unlike the Historical Stage, is usually lower - from 750 to 4000 rubles.

Historical stage of the Bolshoi Theater

The historical stage is rightfully considered the pride of the Bolshoi Theatre. The auditorium, which includes 5 tiers, can accommodate about 2100 people. The area of ​​the stage is about 360 m 2 . The most famous performances of opera and ballet are held on the Historical Stage: Boris Godunov, Swan Lake, Don Quixote, Candide and others. However, not everyone can afford to buy a ticket. Usually the minimum ticket price is 4,000 rubles, while the maximum can reach up to 35,000 rubles and more.

General conclusion

The Bolshoi Theater in Moscow is the property and one of the main attractions not only of the city, but of the whole of Russia. The history of its formation since 1776 is dotted with both bright and sad moments. Severe fires destroyed several predecessors of the Bolshoi Theatre. Some historians count the history of the theater from 1853, from the theater, revived by the architect A.K. Kavos. Its history also knew wars: Patriotic, Great Patriotic, but the theater was able to survive. Therefore, connoisseurs of high art can still see the best opera and ballet performances on the New and Historical Stages.