Dmitry Medvedev: “The Bolshoi Theater is a symbol that unites the country, a national brand. Opening of the historical stage of the Bolshoi Theater

Patriarch Alexy and "Gorbachev's wife" were mentioned among those present at the opening of the Bolshoi Theater after reconstruction

As the leading Russian news agency RIA Novosti informed the world, “the first concert began after a welcoming speech by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev. First Deputy Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister arrived at the opening of the theater after reconstruction Alexander Zhukov , Speaker of the Federation Council, head of the Moscow Art Theater. Chekhov Oleg Tabkov , Mikhail Gorbachev with my wife . Among the guests are former Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov, Minister of Culture, singer Elena Obraztsova, head of the Bolshoi Theater of the Bolshoi Symphony Orchestra Fedoseev, Patriarch of All Russia Alexy II ": http://news.rufox.ru/texts/2011/10/28/216045.htm 00:52 29/10/2011

And even if this post was immediately “demolished” from the news feed, nevertheless, it was he who, as a focus, absorbed the whole gamut of emotions that swept over the cultural community, which saw the long-awaited opening after 6 years of reconstruction of the historical (main) on the evening of October 28, 2011 stage of the Bolshoi Theater of Russia. The theater administration apparently wanted to make a lot of money, judging by the ticket prices, which reached up to 2 million rubles in the stalls :-) After the general criticism of this price list in LiveJournal, the theater management announced that “ the most expensive ticket costs 50,000 rubles". The director of the Center for Opera Singing, the ballerina Maya Plisetskaya and Rodion Shchedrin were present in the hall, along with whom Naina Yeltsina, wife of the first president of the Russian Federation, and her family were sitting in the box on the first floor on the left side ...

In his speech at the opening, Dmitry Medvedev gave another trend, calling the Bolshoi Theater " main brand» of the country: «I was convinced that everything is done with the latest technology, theatrical technology, the latest approaches to this kind of very complex structures. I am sure that in this sense the theater will be impeccable, but the most important thing is that it retained the spirit of the Bolshoi Theater". However, no sooner had the audience left the old theater building, plunged into a new-fangled rebranding, as if on a stage worker at 22 o'clock ... the scenery fell! The law enforcement agencies of Moscow told frightened journalists that “a stage worker was injured, he received a chest bruise and was hospitalized at the Sklifosovsky Institute. An ambulance was dispatched to the scene...

By the way, the decoration of the gala concert on October 28, according to many critics, was a number from the ballet "Spartacus" by Khachaturian, where the main part was performed by Ivan Vasilyev - the youngest Spartak in the history of ballet. However, on November 14, 2011, it became known that the Bolshoi Ballet Company Premier Ivan Vasilyev and the prima ballerina Natalya Osipova had written a letter of resignation, although both artists are in demand and dance in many performances of the Bolshoi ...

On March 28, 1776, Catherine II signed a “privilege” to the prosecutor, Prince Peter Urusov, thanks to which he could arrange performances, masquerades, balls and other entertainments for ten years. This date is considered the founding day of the Bolshoi Theatre.

However, Prince Urusov quickly lost interest in the theatrical business: it turned out to be too costly. He shared the costs with his partner, the English businessman Michael Medox. Over time, the entire "privilege" went to the Englishman. He opened on December 30, 1780, on the right bank of the Neglinka, the Petrovsky Theater, which got its name from Petrovka Street, on which it was located. On the first evening they gave a solemn prologue "Wanderers" by A.O. Ablesimov, as well as the pantomimic ballet "Magic School". The repertoire was formed from opera and ballet performances by Russian and Italian authors.

In July 1820, the construction of a new Petrovsky building began. By that time, several of its owners had changed, as a result, in 1806, the sovereign-emperor Alexander I himself became the owner, and the theater acquired the status of an imperial theater and came under the jurisdiction of the created unified Directorate of Imperial Theaters. The theater itself burned twice, including during the fire of 1812.

The new temple of Melpomene, which opened in 1825, was decorated with a portico on eight columns with a large sculptural group - Apollo on a chariot with three horses. Its facade overlooked the Theater Square, which was then under construction, "which contributed to its decoration," as Moscow newspapers wrote. The building significantly exceeded the area of ​​the old one, so the theater began to be called the Bolshoi Petrovsky and, of course, the imperial one. The scene lasted almost 30 years. During this period, the word "Petrovsky" gradually disappears from its name - Muscovites increasingly call it simply "Big". However, the scourge of the wooden buildings of those years - the fire - did not spare the imperial stage, broke out in March 1853, lasted three days and literally destroyed everything - the scenery, costumes and the building.

Rebuilt, the stage reopened in August 1856, on the days of the coronation of Alexander II. This building of the Bolshoi Theater has been considered one of the main attractions of Moscow for many years.

The famous chandelier of the auditorium was originally lit by 300 oil lamps. To light oil lamps, it was raised through a hole in the ceiling into a special room. Around this hole, a circular composition of the ceiling was built, on which the painting "Apollo and the Muses" was made.

After the October Revolution, the existence of the theater was threatened. However, in 1922 the Bolshevik government decided not to close it. By that time, the All-Russian Congresses of Soviets, meetings of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee, and congresses of the Comintern were held in the theater building. Even the formation of a new country - the USSR - was proclaimed from the stage of the Bolshoi. Back in 1921, a special government commission called the condition of the theater building catastrophic. After that, the bases under the annular walls of the auditorium were strengthened, the wardrobe rooms were restored, the stairs were replanned, new rehearsal rooms and artistic latrines were created.

In April 1941, the Bolshoi was closed for repairs, and two months later the Great Patriotic War began. Part of the theater group left for evacuation to Kuibyshev, part remained in Moscow and continued to play performances on the stage of the branch.

On October 22, 1941, a bomb hit the building of the Bolshoi Theater. The blast wave passed between the columns of the portico, broke through the front wall and destroyed the vestibule. Despite the hardships of wartime, restoration work began in the theater, and in the fall of 1943 the Bolshoi opened with a production of M.I. Glinka "Life for the Tsar".

It was only in 1987 that a decision was made to urgently reconstruct the Bolshoi Theatre. But it was clear to everyone that the theater should not stop its creative activity. A branch was needed, but eight years passed before the first stone was laid in the foundation of its foundation. On November 29, 2002, the new stage opened with the premiere of the opera The Snow Maiden by N.A. Rimsky-Korsakov.

Then a large-scale reconstruction began in the theater, which lasted from July 1, 2005 to October 28, 2011. She revived many of the lost features of the historical appearance of the building, put it on a par with the most technically equipped theaters in the world.

If we talk about the repertoire of the Bolshoi, then the first place in it is occupied by the masterpieces of the Russian musical theater of the XIX-XX centuries. The Bolshoi also offers Western classics, as well as specially commissioned works, such as the opera The Children of Rosenthal and the ballet Lost Illusions by Leonid Desyatnikov.

Such directors as Francesca Zambello, Eymuntas Nyakroshyus, Declan Donnellan, Robert Sturua, Peter Konvicny, Temur Chkheidze, Robert Wilson, Graham Vick, Alexander Sokurov, choreographers Roland Petit, John Neumeier, Christopher Wheeldon, Angelin Preljocaj, Wayne Mac- Gregor.

Bolshoi Theater of Russia has always been and remains one of the main symbols of our state and its culture. This is the main national theater of Russia, the bearer of Russian traditions and the center of world musical culture, contributing to the development of the country's theatrical art.
Masterpieces of the Russian musical theater of the 19th-20th centuries occupy a dominant place in the repertoire, the principles of formation of which can be divided into three categories. Bolshoy offers its audience Russian classics, including the 20th century, Western classics, also including recognized masterpieces of the 20th century, and specially commissioned compositions.

big theater It began as a private theater of the provincial prosecutor Prince Peter Urusov. On March 28, 1776, Empress Catherine II signed a “privilege” to the prince for the maintenance of performances, masquerades, balls and other amusements for a period of ten years. This date is considered the founding day of the Moscow Bolshoi Theater. At the first stage of existence Bolshoi Theater opera and drama troupes formed a single whole. The composition was the most diverse: from serf artists to stars invited from abroad.
In the formation of the opera and drama troupe, Moscow University and the gymnasiums established under it, which provided a good musical education, played an important role. Theater classes were established at the Moscow Orphanage, which also supplied personnel to the new troupe.

That building Big, which for many years has been perceived by everyone as one of the main attractions of Moscow, opened on October 20, 1856 during the coronation of Alexander II. It was rebuilt after a fire in 1853. The Bolshoi Theatre, practically rebuilt and with very significant changes compared to the previous building. The restoration work was led by Professor of the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts, Chief Architect of the Imperial Theaters Albert Kavos. The theater opened on August 20, 1856 with the opera "Puritanes" by V. Bellini.

The total height of the building has increased by almost four meters. Despite the fact that the porticos with Beauvais columns have been preserved, the appearance of the main facade has changed quite a lot. A second pediment appeared. The troika of Apollo was replaced by a quadriga cast in bronze. An alabaster bas-relief appeared on the inner field of the pediment, representing flying geniuses with a lyre. The frieze and capitals of the columns have changed. Over the entrances of the side facades, inclined canopies were installed on cast-iron pillars.

But the theatrical architect, of course, paid the main attention to the auditorium and the stage part. In the second half of the 19th century, the Bolshoi Theater was considered one of the best in the world in terms of its acoustic properties. And he owed this to the skill of Albert Cavos, who designed the auditorium as a huge musical instrument. Wooden panels from resonant spruce were used to decorate the walls, a wooden ceiling was made instead of an iron ceiling, and a picturesque ceiling was made of wooden shields - everything in this hall worked for acoustics.

In 1987, by a decree of the Government of the country, a decision was made on the need for an urgent reconstruction of the Bolshoi Theater. But it was clear to everyone that in order to preserve the troupe, the theater should not stop its creative activity. We needed a branch. However, eight years passed before the first stone was laid in the foundation of its foundation. And seven more before the New Stage building was completed.

On November 29, 2002, the new stage opened with the premiere of the opera The Snow Maiden by N. Rimsky-Korsakov, a production that fully corresponds to the spirit and purpose of the new building, that is, innovative, experimental.

In 2005, the Bolshoi Theater was closed for restoration and reconstruction.
This reconstruction lasted from July 1, 2005 to October 28, 2011. It revived many of the lost features of the historical appearance of the famous building and at the same time put it among the most technically equipped theater buildings in the world. The Bolshoi Theater is a stable symbol of Russia for all time. He received this honorary role thanks to the great contribution that he made to the history of Russian art. History continues - and many bright pages in it are still being written by artists of the Bolshoi Theater.

History of reconstruction and restoration of the building Bolshoi Theater began almost from the first years of its existence. By the time the current reconstruction began, the depreciation of the building was, according to various estimates, from 50 to 70 percent. Various options for its restoration have been proposed, ranging from a trivial overhaul to a complete renovation of an existing building. As a result, a project approved by the theater troupe, architects, cultural figures, etc. was chosen. The project provided for the scientific restoration of the audience part of the theater and a radical reconstruction of the stage part with the deepening of the underground space. At the same time, the historical appearance of the building as a monument of architecture was to be preserved.
In addition to restoring the historical appearance and interiors, the designers were tasked with providing the theater with new premises. It was successfully solved by creating an underground space.
Another equally important task was the need to combine strictly scientific restoration in the historical area and the installation of the most modern technological equipment in the stage part and new spaces of the theater.

big theater even largely restored the historical appearance, lost during the years of Soviet power. The auditorium and part of its enfilade acquired the form in which their architect conceived Bolshoi Theater Albert Kavos. The halls of the former imperial foyer have been restored as of 1895, when their interiors were changed during preparations for the celebrations that accompanied the coronation of Emperor Nicholas II.
In 2010, the premises of the suite of the auditorium were restored: the Main Vestibule, the White Foyer, the Choir, the Exposition, the Round and the Beethoven Halls. Muscovites saw the restored facades and the updated symbol Bolshoi Theater- the famous quadriga of Apollo, created by the sculptor Peter Klodt.
The auditorium has regained its original beauty. And now every viewer Bolshoi Theater can feel like a theatergoer of the 19th century and marvel at its magnificent and at the same time “light” decoration. The bright crimson draperies of the interiors of the lodges strewn with gold, various plaster arabesques on each floor, the picturesque plafond "Apollo and the Muses" - all this gives the auditorium the look of a fairy-tale palace.

Bolshoi Theater after reconstruction.

The Bolshoi Theater is a stable symbol of Russia for all time. He received this honorary role thanks to the great contribution that he made to the history of Russian art. History continues - and many bright pages in it are still being written by artists of the Bolshoi Theater.

Each of us at least once in our lives plunged into this magical fairy tale scene. One of the most popular and world-famous Russian theaters is rightly considered to be the Bolshoi, which is located in the city of Moscow.

This is not just the largest temple of art in Russia. The Bolshoi Theater is recognized as a symbol of Great Russia, it is known all over the world. Art lovers dream at least once to visit the halls of the Bolshoi Theater or to get to the performance of his troupe. Hundreds of the most famous works of the great Mozart, Tchaikovsky, Wagner, Rachmaninov, Bellini, Arensky, Berlioz, Ravel and many other composers included in the golden fund of the cultural heritage of the whole world are heard in the theater.

Today, the Bolshoi Theater has been preserved for us exactly in the form in which it was built in 1856 according to the project of the famous architect Albert Cavos. But it should be noted that in 1856 a new theater building was rebuilt and opened, and the theater itself appeared long before this date.

Bolshoi Petrovsky Theatre. Lithograph from a drawing by Pere. 1825

Bolshoi Theater after reconstruction by architect A. Kavos

The first performances of the actors were presented to the Russian aristocracy as early as 1736 by Prince Urusov. He was a great connoisseur of beauty and wanted to bring art to the Russian nobility. The very first production in the fortress theater, where the serfs of Prince Urusov were actors and actresses, was the ballet "Magic Shop". It was directed by Paradise. The premiere of the ballet took place on the eve of the New Year on December 30, 1780. From that moment, the first Russian theater was born. Premieres were sold out. The Russian nobility attended performances with pleasure, ballet performances were especially popular.

Years passed. Theater life has changed. The appearance of the theater itself also changed. This was due to the fact that the building after its opening was twice subjected to fire. After the fires, it was rebuilt from the foundation to the roof. In addition to capital construction, the building has undergone many repairs. It was last restored in 2011.

The restoration lasted for six years and cost the budget $700 million.

Painstaking work on gilding papier-mâché decor, restoration of the Bolshoi Theatre, 2011. A photo:...

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After the last renovation, it became problematic to get into the theater. Tickets for premieres began to cost fabulous money, or you could visit the theater by special invitation.

Currently, the hype with prices has passed, today tickets are available to everyone, and each of us can come to the Bolshoi Theater, enjoy its architectural splendor and the wonderful play of artists on stage. Every tourist who has visited Moscow can recognize the Bolshoi Theater by its colonnade, which is crowned by the god Apollo on a two-wheeled chariot made of bronze. This sculpture was sculpted by a famous Russian sculptor.

By the way, at the mention of the quadriga, the scandal of 2014 involuntarily comes to mind. As we know, the Bolshoi Theater is depicted on a 100 ruble bill, on the front side of which there is a quadriga controlled by a half-naked Apollo. For the first time toThe upyura was put into circulation on January 1, 1998.

So, if you wish, if you look hard (or use a magnifying glass, or just try to enlarge the image), then Apollo can see an uncovered reproductive organ.

This discovery was made in 2014 (the year Crimea was annexed to Russia) by a member of the State Duma from the LDPR faction Roman Ivanovich Khudyakov, who, apparently from January 1998, either reduced or enlarged the image, and finally, suddenly, under random circumstances, in 2014 Mr. discovered the undisguised dignity of the naked Apollo. “Oh God, sexy money. What will the children say if they, like me, try to enlarge the image of a hundred-rouble note? ”- thought Roman Ivanovich, and ... immediately sent a letter to the chairman of the Central Bank Elvira Nabiullina, recalling that, in accordance with federal law No. 436 “On the protection of children from harmful information”, banknotes must be marked “18+”. The deputy also proposed to replace the ancient god on the banknote with the sights of Sevastopol!

It is curious that 3 years before the final detailed study of the banknote by Roman Khudyakov, in 2011, during the restoration of the Bolshoi Theater, Apollo’s manhood was covered with a fig leaf, but the restorers did not guess or did not want to inform the Central Bank about the “new utility” ... Since then, and even after the deputy’s appeal to the Central Bank, the modification of the banknote has not changed ... Maybe it’s cheaper this way? Or was the discovery made by a member of the wrong faction...?

It is not only the outer side of the building that surprises with its splendor. Unusually beautiful and huge theater from the inside. The hall of the Bolshoi Theater consists of five large tiers, decorated with gilding and red velvet. The total number of visual places is 1768.

The theater stage is very large, with excellent lighting. It is fully computerized. The hall has excellent acoustics. And in the center of it hangs a chandelier with a diameter of about 6 meters, unusually beautiful, made of crystal. The chandelier itself hangs from a round ceiling, on which images of Greek gods and muses flaunt.