Bolshoi Theater full name. About the Bolshoi Theater
Grand Theatre: History of creation
The year of birth of the theater is considered to be 1776. It was on this day that Prince Peter Urusov received permission from Catherine II to hold balls and masquerades, as well as various performances and other events. At first, the number of artists did not exceed fifty people. The history of the Bolshoi Theater building in Moscow is particularly interesting. At that time, the troupe did not have space for performances, and all performances took place in the Vorontsovs’ house. Then the audience saw the opera production “Rebirth” for the first time. Later, the construction of the building itself began, and since the facade of the building was directed towards Petrovskaya Street, the theater received the corresponding name - Petrovsky. The architect was H. Rosberg. Mainly shown here musical performances- it is not surprising that over time the theater began to be called the Opera House.
Bolshoi Theater: the story of the first fire
1805 is a fateful year for the Bolshoi Theater. At this time there was a fire that completely destroyed the creation of H. Rosberg. The theater troupe had to seek shelter in other cultural institutions. Then their performances took place in the house of Apraksin, Pashkov, in the new Arbat Theater.
Early XIX century
The new building project was developed by A. Mikhailov, and O. Bove took over its implementation. Soon a new building appeared on the site of the fire, which surpassed the previous building in its scale and majesty. In size it was second only to the La Scala theater in Milan.
Second fire
In 1853, a fire broke out again, the causes of which are still unknown. Flame of fire for a short time Almost the entire building was destroyed. The theater suffered colossal damage. Two years later, construction of a new one has already begun on this site. cultural institution under the leadership of A. Kavos. The famous sculptor P. Klodt and the professional painter Cosroe-Duzi from Venice took part in the process of creating the famous statues and curtain.
Mid XIX centuries - first half of the 20th century
This time is characterized by creative upsurge. Musical art is becoming increasingly popular at the Bolshoi Theater. The main vocalists are such famous opera singers, like F. Shalyapin, A. Nezhdanova, L. Sobinov. The theater's repertoire is being transformed, and new interesting works are appearing.
The Great Patriotic War
The work of the Bolshoi Theater was suspended. Part of the team was transported to Samara. Those who remained in the capital continued to give performances. Performances were often interrupted due to bombing: spectators hid in protective structures. During the war, one of the shells destroyed the facade of the theater. A year later it was already restored.
USSR times
At this time, the number of performances on the stage of the Bolshoi Theater increased several times. The building was built new hall for rehearsals, which is located at the very top. At that time, there were many shortcomings in the building's design - it was necessary to revive the foundation and solve the problem with the number of visual seats in the hall. A decision was made to restore the Bolshoi and build a New Stage. It was possible to begin the task only in 1993. In 2005 the theater was closed for reconstruction.
Currently, the Bolshoi Theater has three spacious halls, each of which corresponds modern trends. Thanks to the renovation, new visual and acoustic structures were installed within the walls of the theater, made using the latest technologies. The size of the scenes is striking in its scale and monumentality.
On a par with the State Tretyakov Gallery, the State Historical Museum, the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, the Moscow Kremlin, the Bolshoi Theater is an object cultural heritage and one of the outstanding attractions of the city of Moscow. The history of the creation of the Bolshoi Theater has seen both light and dark periods, periods of prosperity and decline. Since its foundation in 1776, the theater has undergone numerous restorations: fires were merciless to the house of art.
The beginning of formation. Maddox Theater
The starting point in the history of the theater’s formation is considered to be 1776, when Empress Catherine II allowed Prince P. V. Urusov to engage in the maintenance and development of theatrical performances. A small theater was built on Petrovka Street, named after the street Petrovsky. However, it was destroyed by fire even before its official opening.
P.V. Urusov transfers ownership of the theater to his friend, an entrepreneur from England, Michael Maddox. Six months of construction under the leadership of the Bolshoi Theater architect Christian Rosberg and 130 thousand silver rubles made it possible by 1780 to create a theater with a capacity of one thousand people. More than 400 performances were staged between 1780 and 1794. In 1805, Maddox's theater burned down, and the acting troupe was forced to give performances in private theaters until 1808. From 1808 to 1812, the wooden theater, designed by K. I. Rossi, was located on the Patriotic War, in the 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 the time took part in the organized competition, among whom A. A. Mikhailov became the winner. However, his project turned out to be quite expensive, so the matter was entrusted to O.I. Bove, a specialist who was part 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 “Creativity of the Muses,” which tells the story of the revival of the Bolshoi Theater from the ashes, was solemnly presented on the stage of the theater. Between 1825 and 1853, Bolshoi Theater posters invited connoisseurs high art for comedy plays - vaudeville ("The Village Philosopher", "Fun of the Caliph"). Opera was especially popular at that time: works by A. N. Verstovsky (“Pan Tvardovsky”, “Askold’s Grave”), M. I. Glinka ( famous operas“A 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 severely damaged after the fire of 1853. The competition for its reconstruction was won by Albert Katerinovich Kavos, an outstanding architect under whose care the Imperial Theaters were located. He increased the building's height and width, redesigned the interior and exterior decoration, diluting the classical architectural style with elements of early eclecticism. The sculpture of Apollo above the entrance to the theater was replaced with a bronze quadriga (chariot) created by Pyotr Klodt. On this moment The architectural style of the Bolshoi Theater in Moscow is considered to be neoclassicism.
In 1890 The theater building was again in need of 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, the half-rotten wooden piles were replaced with new ones by 1898. This temporarily slowed down the building's settlement.
From 1919 to 1922, there were debates in Moscow about the possibility of closing the Bolshoi Theater. 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 along one of the walls of the auditorium. In the same year, restoration work began under the leadership 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 Bolshoi Theater building was empty and covered with 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 was replenished with a luxurious and extremely expensive curtain made of brocade. He for a long time served as the main highlight of the historical scene.
Reconstructions of the 2000s
The beginning of the 2000s was marked by a historical event for the Bolshoi Theater: a New scene, created by last word technology, with comfortable seating and thoughtful acoustics. The entire repertoire of the Bolshoi Theater was staged there. 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 initial plans to complete the work back in 2008. The last performance on the Historical Stage before its closure was M. P. Mussorgsky’s opera “Boris Godunov”. During the restoration, technicians managed to computerize all 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 characteristics The exterior and interior decoration of the Bolshoi Theater architects were preserved. The building's area was doubled, which ultimately amounted to 80 thousand m2.
New stage of the Bolshoi Theater
In 2002, on November 29, after 7 years of construction, the New Stage was inaugurated. It is less luxurious and pompous than the Historical Stage, but it is still staged most of repertoire. On the posters of the Bolshoi Theater, inviting spectators to the New Stage, you can see excerpts from various ballets and operas. Particularly popular are the ballet productions of D. Shostakovich: “Bright Stream” and “Bolt”. Opera productions are represented by the works of 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, in contrast to 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 Theater. The auditorium, which includes 5 tiers, seats about 2,100 people. The stage area is about 360 m2. The most famous opera and ballet productions are held on the Historical Stage: “Boris Godunov”, “Swan Lake”, “Don Quixote”, “Candide” and others. However, not everyone can afford to buy a ticket. Typically, the minimum price for a ticket is 4,000 rubles, while the maximum can reach 35,000 rubles and above.
General conclusion
The Bolshoi Theater in Moscow is a treasure and one of the main attractions not only of the city, but of all 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 Theater. Some historians date the history of the theater back to 1853, with the theater revived by the architect A.K. Kavos. Its history has seen wars: the Patriotic War, the Great Patriotic War, but the theater was able to survive. Therefore, even now, connoisseurs of high art can see the best opera and ballet productions on the New and Historical stages.
The Bolshoi Theater is one of the main symbols of the greatness of the culture of our state.
It was on the stage of the Bolshoi Theater that the first Russian operas and ballets were staged. Thanks to the Bolshoi Theater's productions, Russian vocal and ballet schools have earned recognition throughout the world.
The year of foundation of the theater is considered to be 1776, when Pyotr Urusov received permission from Catherine II “to support him with all kinds of theatrical performances, as well as concerts, vocals and masquerades, and not to allow anyone other than him any such entertainment at all times appointed by privilege, so that he would not be undermined.” was". Construction of the Bolshoi Theater began three years later on Pokrovka Street. But this project was not destined to come true; even before construction was completed, the building burned down. The construction of the theater was continued by Urusov's partner. But this building also burned down during the capture of Moscow by Napoleon in 1812.
The new building of the Bolshoi Theater, erected in 1825 according to the design of architects O. Bove and A. Mikhailov, became one of the most beautiful theater buildings in the world. However, the fire did not spare this building either. In the 1850s, the architect Kavos made significant changes to the building.
Now it is a magnificent eight-column building, above the portico of which there is a sculpture of the chariot of the god Apollo. The inside of the room is decorated in red and gold tones, this gives the theater a special splendor and solemnity. The auditorium has a capacity of 2155 seats.
The Bolshoi Theater hosted world premieres of famous operas: P.I. Tchaikovsky “The Voevoda”, “Mazeppa”; S.V. Rachmaninov "Aleko", " Stingy Knight"; S.P. Prokofiev's "The Gambler" and many other composers. In the modern repertoire of the Bolshoi Theater classic masterpieces world art. The Bolshoi Theater, intended for the production of serious operas and ballets, does not forget about small fans.
This is how the Bolshoi Theater posters tell the story of the ballet “Cipollino”: “More than a quarter of a century has passed since the day when the cheerful onion-colored family from Gianni Rodari’s beloved fairy tale settled on the Moscow stage. The simple-minded tale about the struggle of the garden people against fruit oppressors is in every way similar to a real adult ballet. The performance consists of two acts. Classical dance is cleared of convention and “arranged” according to modern style. There is no tedious explanation in sign language - the action flies rapidly forward, and each character is endowed with his own unique choreographic language. This is probably why the most famous masters of the Bolshoi Theater did not refuse the “matinee.”
There is a children's choir at the Bolshoi Theater. It accepts gifted children over five years of age who have passed the audition.
Where the Bolshoi Theater is located is of interest to many art lovers. After all, this is one of the largest theaters in Russia, one of the most significant opera and ballet theaters in the world. It is immediately worth noting that the complex of buildings that belong to the Bolshoi Theater is located in the very center of Moscow on Teatralnaya Square.
The importance of the Bolshoi Theater
Everyone who wants to attend a production strives to find out where the Bolshoi Theater is located. Indeed, during its existence since 1776, when it was founded, more than 800 performances were staged here. At different periods, the repertoire was as varied as possible - operas by Russian and Italian composers, dance films of folk life, and classical performances on mythological subjects were staged.
Today the repertoire still includes a large number of classical productions are ballet and opera premieres, which are staged annually at the Bolshoi Theater. But the team is not averse to experimenting. For example, fundamentally new ballet works are staged. So, in 2003, “Bright Stream” was released, and in 2005, “Bolt” based on the works of Shostakovich.
Theater repertoire
World-famous directors are attracted to work, not only theater directors, but also those making films. These are Alexander Sokurov, Temur Chkheidze, Eimuntas Nyakrosius.
Careful and scrupulous work is being carried out to return to the original scores and author's editions of the works. Modern directors free them from the marks and layers that appeared in more later years. For example, this is how the production of “Boris Godunov” by Modest Mussorgsky, as well as “Ruslan and Lyudmila” by Mikhail Glinka, was prepared.
At the same time, some productions cause obvious disapproval from the public and critics; not all experiments go off with a bang. Thus, a scandal accompanied the appearance on stage of Leonid Desyatnikov’s opera entitled “Children of Rosenthal.” This was largely due to the ambiguous attitude towards the figure of the author of the libretto - the famous Russian writer Vladimir Sorokin.
Sharply criticized the Bolshoi Theater legendary singer Galina Vishnevskaya after the release of the updated play "Eugene Onegin" work of the same name Alexandra Pushkina. She even refused to celebrate her anniversary on the stage of the theater where such productions are staged.
But still, most of the works cause constant delight, so it is important for many to find out where the Bolshoi Theater is located.
How to get to the theater by metro
There are several options for arriving at the premiere. This article describes in detail where the Bolshoi Theater is located in Moscow. It is located at: Teatralnaya Square, building 1.
To get there, you can use the capital's metro. To do this, you need to get to the Teatralnaya station and follow the signs “Exit to the Bolshoi Theater”.
Knowing where the Bolshoi Theater is located, you can easily get there by metro. Moreover, there is another route option. You can get off at Okhotny Ryad station. In this case, you will need to head towards the exit to Theater Square.
Now that you know where the Bolshoi Theater is located in Moscow, the address of this cultural institution, you can easily find it as soon as you emerge from the metro.
How to get there by car
If you prefer personal transport to public transport, then it is important for you to carefully study where the Bolshoi Theater is located.
You can drive your own car in three different ways. For example, on Mokhovaya Street. When you reach this street, drive straight without turning anywhere. So you will eventually find yourself on Teatralnaya Square, where the goal of your trip is located - the Moscow Bolshoi Theater.
The second option is to choose the direction along Tverskaya Street. You have to drive towards the city center. In this case, from Tverskaya you will end up on Teatralny Proezd, which will lead you directly to the Bolshoi Theater.
And finally, the last option. Drive along Petrovka street. Just don’t forget what is organized on it One Way. At the end of the street you will come straight to the Bolshoi Theater.
Bolshoi Theater opening hours
The Bolshoi Theater's operating hours strictly correspond to the time in which the productions are released. Therefore, for viewers, first of all, the opening hours of the box office matter. It is important to know what time it makes sense to go for tickets.
There are several ticket offices where you can always purchase tickets for premieres and current productions. Firstly, these are the cash desks in the administrative building. It is located to the left of the metro exit from the Okhotny Ryad or Teatralnaya stations. The opening hours of this ticket office are from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. There are no days off, but there is a break at the box office every day from 3 to 4 p.m.
There is also a permanent box office located in the New Stage building; we will tell you more about it later. It is also open seven days a week from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. But the break here is at a different time - from 14 to 15 hours.
The box office in the building of the Historical Stage of the Bolshoi Theater opens daily at 11 a.m. and closes only at 8 p.m. The cash desk is open seven days a week, with a break from 4 to 6 p.m.
There is also a constantly working cash desk in the GUM building. It is located on the first floor of the first line. Open daily, seven days a week, from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Features of cash registers
It is important to never forget that on the first day when pre-sale of tickets is announced, as a rule, this happens on Saturdays, the box office located in the directorate building opens at 10 am.
Attention! On days when matinee performances are organized at the Bolshoi Theater, the box office in the New and Historical Stage buildings opens to visitors at 10 a.m. There is one more rule that is important to remember. One hour before the start of the performance, the box office begins selling tickets only for the upcoming performance. You will have to buy a ticket for another performance at another time.
New Stage Building
The new stage of the Bolshoi Theater was inaugurated in 2002. It also hosts opera and ballet performances. Where is the New Stage of the Bolshoi Theater located? You will find the address of this cultural institution in this article.
To get to the performance at this venue, you have to go to Bolshaya Dmitrovka Street, building 4, building 2. Fundamental difference There is no way to get to the New Stage. You can use the same car routes and tips for traveling by metro. The thing is that the New Stage is located in close proximity to the main building. It is located across Shchepkinsky Proezd, also overlooking Teatralnaya Square. Directly in front of it is the building of the Russian Academic Youth Theater, which, like the BT itself, directly overlooks Teatralnaya Square.
Now you know where the New Stage of the Bolshoi Theater is located.
History of the New Stage
Finding out where the New Stage of the Bolshoi Theater is located has become important relatively recently. After all, it opened only in 2002.
Construction of the building began in 1995. The building appeared on the site of historical apartment buildings. The designers approached the design of the auditorium with great care. It was built according to sketches created by the famous set designer and designer Leon Bakst, as revised by the Soviet and Russian monumental artist Zurab Tsereteli.
The first production on the New Stage of the Bolshoi Theater was the opera “The Snow Maiden” by Rimsky-Korsakov. It is noteworthy that during the reconstruction of the main stage of the Bolshoi Theater, which lasted from 2005 to 2011, the entire repertoire of the theater was performed on the New Stage.
The full name is “State Academic Bolshoi Theater of Russia” (SABT).
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 the formation of the Russian musical and 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...”. Since 1776, performances were staged in the house of Count R.I. Vorontsov on Znamenka. Urusov, together with the entrepreneur M.E. Medox, built a special theater building (on the corner of Petrovka Street) - the “Petrovsky Theater”, or “Opera House”, where opera, drama and ballet performances were held in 1780-1805. It was the first permanent theater in Moscow (it burned down in 1805). In 1812, a fire destroyed another theater building - on Arbat (architect K. I. Rossi) and the troupe performed in temporary premises. On January 6 (18), 1825, the Bolshoi Theater (design by A. A. Mikhailov, architect O. I. Bove), built on the site of the former Petrovsky, opened with the prologue “The Triumph of the Muses” with music by A. N. Verstovsky and A. A. Alyabyev. The premises are the second largest in Europe after Milan theater“La Scala” - after the fire of 1853 it was significantly rebuilt (architect A.K. Kavos), acoustic and optical defects were corrected, the auditorium was divided into 5 tiers. The opening took place on August 20, 1856.
The first Russian folk musical comedies were staged in the theater - “The Miller - the Sorcerer, the Deceiver and the Matchmaker” by Sokolovsky (1779), “The St. Petersburg Gostiny Dvor” by Pashkevich (1783) and others. The first pantomime ballet, The Magic Shop, was shown in 1780 on the opening day of the Petrovsky Theater. Among the ballet performances, conventional fantastic-mythological spectacular performances predominated, but performances were also staged that included Russian folk dances, which had big success from the public (“Village Festival”, “ Village painting", "The Capture of Ochakov", etc.). The repertoire also included the most significant operas foreign composers 18th century (G. Pergolesi, D. Cimarosa, A. Salieri, A. Grétry, N. Daleirac, etc.).
In the late 18th and early 19th centuries, opera singers performed in dramatic performances, and dramatic actors performed in operas. The troupe of the Petrovsky Theater was often replenished by talented serf actors and actresses, and sometimes by entire groups of serf theaters, which the theater management bought from landowners.
The theater troupe included serf actors from Urusov, actors from 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, later E. S. Sandunova and others. The first ballet artists - students of the Orphanage (where a ballet school was founded in 1773 under the direction of choreographer I. Walberch) and serf dancers of the troupes of Urusov and E. A. Golovkina (including: A. Sobakina, D. Tukmanova, G. Raikov, S. Lopukhin and others).
In 1806, many serf actors of the theater received their freedom, the troupe was transferred to the disposal of the Directorate of 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: “The Village Philosopher” by Alyabyev (1823), “Teacher and Student” (1824), “Humpster” and “Fun of the Caliph” (1825) by Alyabyev and Verstovsky, etc. From the end of the 20th century In the 1980s, the Bolshoi Theater staged operas by A. N. Verstovsky (inspector of music for Moscow theaters since 1825), marked by national-romantic tendencies: “Pan Tvardovsky” (1828), “Vadim, or the Twelve Sleeping Virgins” (1832), “Askold’s Grave” "(1835), which remained in the theater's repertoire for a long time, "Longing for the Motherland" (1839), "Churova Dolina" (1841), "Thunderbreaker" (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, etc.). The theater also staged operas by German, French and Italian composers, including Mozart's Don Giovanni and The Marriage of Figaro, Beethoven's Fidelio, Weber's The Magic Shooter, Fra Diavolo, Fenella and The Bronze Horse" by Ober, "Robert the Devil" by Meyerbeer, " Barber of Seville"Rossini, "Anna Boleyn" by Donizetti, etc. In 1842, the Moscow Theater Administration became subordinate to the St. Petersburg Directorate. Glinka’s opera “A Life for the Tsar” (“Ivan Susanin”), staged in 1842, turned into a magnificent performance that was staged on solemn court holidays. Thanks to the efforts of the artists of the St. Petersburg Russian Opera Troupe (transferred to Moscow in 1845-50), this opera was performed on the stage of the Bolshoi Theater in incomparably best production. In the same performance, Glinka's opera Ruslan and Lyudmila was staged in 1846, and Dargomyzhsky's Esmeralda in 1847. In 1859, the Bolshoi Theater staged "The Mermaid". The appearance of operas by Glinka and Dargomyzhsky on the stage of the theater marked new stage its development and was of great importance in the formation of realistic principles of vocal and stage art.
In 1861, the Directorate of Imperial Theaters leased the Bolshoi Theater to an Italian opera troupe, which performed 4-5 days a week, essentially leaving Russian opera 1 day. The competition between the two groups brought a certain benefit to Russian singers, forcing them to persistently improve their skills and borrow some principles of Italian vocal school, but the neglect of the Directorate of Imperial Theaters for approval national repertoire and the privileged position of the Italians made the work of the Russian troupe difficult and prevented Russian opera from gaining public recognition. The new Russian opera house could only be born in the fight against Italian mania and entertainment trends to establish the national identity of art. Already in the 60-70s, the theater was forced to listen to the voices of progressive figures in Russian musical culture, to the needs of the new democratic viewer. The operas “Rusalka” (1863) and “Ruslan and Lyudmila” (1868), which had become established in the theater’s repertoire, were resumed. In 1869, the Bolshoi Theater staged P. I. Tchaikovsky’s first opera, “The Voevoda,” and in 1875, “The Oprichnik.” In 1881, “Eugene Onegin” was staged (the second production, 1883, became established in the theater’s repertoire).
Since the mid-80s of the 19th century, there has been a turning point in the attitude of the theater management towards Russian opera; productions of outstanding works by Russian composers were carried out: “Mazepa” (1884), “Cherevichki” (1887), “The Queen of Spades” (1891) and “Iolanta” (1893) by Tchaikovsky, first appeared on the stage of the Bolshoi Theater of Opera Composers " Mighty bunch" - "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 paid to French operas (J. Meyerbeer, F. Aubert, F. Halévy, 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 “The Trojans in Carthage” was staged. German opera represented by the works of F. Flotov, Weber's The Magic Shooter, and single productions of Wagner's Tannhäuser and Lohengrin.
Among the Russian singers of the mid 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. Alexandrova-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, etc. There is a shift not only in the repertoire, but also in the quality of 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. Rubinstein 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, a 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 best works world art, at the same time Russian opera occupies a central place on its stage. For the first time, the Bolshoi Theater staged productions of Rimsky-Korsakov’s operas “The Pskov Woman” (1901), “Pan-voevoda” (1905), “Sadko” (1906), “The Tale of the Invisible City of Kitezh” (1908), “The Golden Cockerel” (1909) , as well as “The Stone Guest” by Dargomyzhsky (1906). At the same time, the theater stages such significant works by foreign composers as “Die Walküre”, “The Flying Dutchman”, “Tannhäuser” by Wagner, “The Trojans in Carthage” by Berlioz, “Pagliacci” by Leoncavallo, “Honor Rusticana” by Mascagni, “La Bohème” by Puccini, etc.
The flourishing 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 mastery of the domestic 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, S. V. Rachmaninov conducted at the Bolshoi Theater, 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 honed skills. Prominent artists are involved in the design of performances - A. M. Vasnetsov, A. Ya. Golovin, K. A. Korovin.
The Great October Socialist Revolution opened a new era in the development of the Bolshoi Theater. In difficult years 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 the October Revolution, which included the ballet “Stepan Razin” to the music of Glazunov’s symphonic poem, the “Veche” scene from the opera “Pskovite” by Rimsky-Korsakov and the choreographic picture “Prometheus” to the music of A. N. Scriabin. During the 1917/1918 season, the theater gave 170 opera and ballet performances. Since 1918, the Bolshoi Theater Orchestra has given cycles of symphony concerts with the participation of soloists. In parallel there were chamber instrumental concerts and singer concerts. In 1919, the Bolshoi Theater was awarded the title of academic. In 1924, a branch of the Bolshoi Theater opened in the premises of Zimin's former private opera house. Performances were performed on this stage until 1959.
In the 20s, operas appeared on the stage of the Bolshoi Theater Soviet composers- “Trilby” by Yurasovsky (1924, 2nd production 1929), “Decembrists” by Zolotarev and “Stepan Razin” by Triodin (both in 1925), “The Love for Three Oranges” by Prokofiev (1927), “Ivan the Soldier” by Korchmarev (1927 ), “Son of the Sun” by Vasilenko (1928), “Zagmuk” by Crane and “Breakthrough” by Pototsky (both in 1930), etc. At the same time, big job over opera classics. New productions of R. Wagner's operas took place: “Das Rheingold” (1918), “Lohengrin” (1923), “Die Meistersinger of Nuremberg” (1929). In 1921, G. Berlioz’s oratorio “The Damnation of Faust” was performed. The production of M. P. Mussorgsky’s opera “Boris Godunov” (1927), performed for the first time in its entirety with scenes, became fundamentally important. Under Kromy And At St. Basil's(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 “Sorochinskaya Fair” took place. Among the significant works of the Bolshoi Theater of this period: “The Tale 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), etc., staged for the first time in Moscow.
Significant events in creative history The Bolshoi Theater of the 30s are associated with the development of Soviet opera. In 1935, D. D. Shostakovich’s opera “Katerina Izmailova” (based on the story “Lady Macbeth” by N. S. Leskov) was staged Mtsensk district"), then " Quiet Don"(1936) and "Virgin Soil Upturned" by Dzerzhinsky (1937), "Battleship Potemkin" by Chishko (1939), "Mother" by Zhelobinsky (after M. Gorky, 1939), etc. Works by composers of the Soviet republics are staged - "Almast" by Spendiarov (1930), “Abesalom and Eteri” by Z. Paliashvili (1939). 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 choir scenes acquired special significance.
In 1937, the Bolshoi Theater was awarded the Order of Lenin, and its greatest masters were awarded the title People's Artist 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 conductors of the theater are V. I. Suk, M. M. Ippolitov-Ivanov, N. S. Golovanov, A. M. Pazovsky, S. A. Samosud, Yu. F. Fayer, L. P. Steinberg, V.V. Nebolsin. Bolshoi Theater opera and ballet performances were staged by directors V. A. Lossky, N. V. Smolich; choreographer R.V. Zakharov; choirmasters U. O. Avranek, M. G. Shorin; artist P. W. Williams.
During the Great Patriotic War (1941-45), part of the Bolshoi Theater troupe was evacuated to Kuibyshev, where in 1942 the premiere of Rossini's opera William Tell took place. 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 post-war years the opera troupe turned to the classical heritage of peoples socialist countries, the operas “The Bartered Bride” by Smetana (1948) and “Pebble” 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. Vivid examples of Soviet ballet classics were the ballets “Cinderella” (1945) and “Romeo and Juliet” (1946) by Prokofiev.
Since the mid-40s, the role of directing has been increasing 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 ideological and artistic tasks performance, which is achieved thanks to high skill orchestra, choir and other theater groups. All this determined the performing style of the modern Bolshoi Theater and brought it worldwide fame.
In the 50-60s, the theater's work on operas by Soviet composers intensified. In 1953, the monumental epic opera “Decembrists” by Shaporin was staged. Prokofiev's opera War and Peace (1959) was included in the golden fund of the Soviet musical theater. The productions were “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” person" by Dzerzhinsky (1961), "Not Only Love" by Shchedrin (1962), "October" by Muradeli (1964), "The Unknown Soldier" by Molchanov (1967), "Optimistic Tragedy" by Kholminov (1967), "Semyon Kotko" by Prokofiev (1970 ).
Since the mid-50s, the Bolshoi Theater's repertoire has been replenished with modern foreign operas. For the first time, works by composers L. Janacek (Her Stepdaughter, 1958), F. Erkel (Bank-Ban, 1959), F. Poulenc (The Human Voice, 1965), B. Britten (A Midsummer's Dream) were staged 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). The opera troupe of this time included singers I. I. and L. I. Maslennikov, 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. Conductors worked on the musical and stage embodiment of the performances - A. Sh. Melik-Pashaev, M. N. Zhukov, G. N. Rozhdestvensky, E. F. Svetlanov; directors - L. B. Baratov, B. A. Pokrovsky; choreographer L. M. Lavrovsky; artists - P. P. Fedorovsky, V. F. Ryndin, S. B. Virsaladze.
Leading masters of the Bolshoi Theater opera and ballet troupes have performed in many countries around the world. The opera troupe toured in 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 stage. The main stage of the theater is a five-tier auditorium with 2,155 seats. The length of the hall, including the orchestra shell, is 29.8 m, width - 31 m, height - 19.6 m. Depth of the stage - 22.8 m, width - 39.3 m, size of the stage portal - 21.5 × 17.2 m. In 1961, the Bolshoi Theater received a new stage venue - the Kremlin Palace of Congresses (auditorium for 6000 seats; stage size in plan - 40 × 23 m and height to the grate - 28.8 m, stage portal - 32 × 14 m; tablet The stage is equipped with sixteen lifting and lowering platforms). The Bolshoi Theater and the Palace of Congresses host ceremonial meetings, congresses, decades of art, etc.
Literature: The Bolshoi Moscow Theater and a review of the events that preceded the founding of the proper Russian theater, M., 1857; Kashkin N.D., Opera stage of the Moscow Imperial Theater, M., 1897 (in the region: Dmitriev N., Imperial Opera stage in Moscow, M., 1898); Chayanova O., “Triumph of the Muses”, Memo of historical memories for the centennial anniversary of the Moscow Bolshoi Theater (1825-1925), M., 1925; hers, Medox Theater in Moscow 1776-1805, M., 1927; Moscow Bolshoi Theater. 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, collection. articles edited by I. F. Belzy, M., 1947; “Theater”, 1951, No. 5 (dedicated to the 175th anniversary of the Bolshoi Theater); Shaverdyan A.I., Bolshoi Theater of the USSR, M., 1952; Polyakova L. V., Youth opera stage Bolshoi Theater, M., 1952; Khripunov Yu. D., Architecture of the Bolshoi Theater, 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; by him, Russian Opera Theater of the 19th century, vol. 1-2, L., 1969-71.
L. V. Polyakova
Musical Encyclopedia, ed. Yu.V.Keldysh, 1973-1982
History of ballet
Leading Russian Musical Theatre, who played an outstanding role in the formation and development national traditions ballet art. Its emergence 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 the theater business. The performances were given in the house of R.I. Vorontsov on Znamenka. In 1780 Medox built in Moscow on the corner of the street. Petrovka theater building, which became known as the Petrovsky Theater. Drama, opera and ballet performances took place here. It was the first permanent professional theater in Moscow. His ballet troupe was soon replenished with students ballet school Moscow Orphanage (existed from 1773), and then by 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 Sex,” “The Feigned Death of Harlequin, or the Deceived Pantalon,” “The Deaf Mistress” and “The Feigned Anger of Love” - all productions by choreographer F. Morelli (1782); “Village morning entertainment when the sun awakens” (1796) and “The Miller” (1797) - choreographer P. Pinucci; “Medea and Jason” (1800, after J. Nover), “The Toilet of Venus” (1802) and “Revenge for the Death of Agamemnon” (1805) - choreographer D. Solomoni, etc. These performances were based on the principles of classicism, in comic ballets (“The Deceived Miller,” 1793; “Cupid’s Deceptions,” 1795) features of sentimentalism began to appear. Among the dancers of the troupe, G. I. Raikov, A. M. Sobakina and others stood out.
In 1805, the building of the Petrovsky Theater burned down. In 1806 the troupe came under the jurisdiction of the Directorate of Imperial Theaters and played in various rooms. Its composition was replenished, new ballets were staged: “Gishpan Evenings” (1809), “Pierrot’s School”, “Algerians, or the Defeated Sea Robbers”, “Zephyr, or the Anemone, who became permanent” (all - 1812), “Semik, or Festivities in Maryina Roshcha" (to music by S. I. Davydov, 1815) - all staged by I. M. Abletz; “The New Heroine, or the Cossack Woman” (1811), “Celebration in the Camp of the Allied Armies in Montmartre” (1814) - both to the music of Kavos, choreographer I. I. Valberkh; “Festival on the Sparrow Hills” (1815), “Triumph of the Russians, or Bivouac near Krasny” (1816) - both to music by Davydov, choreographer A. P. Glushkovsky; “Cossacks on the Rhine” (1817), “Neva Walk” (1818), “Ancient Games, or Yule 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), “Festival in Petrovsky” (1824) - all choreographed by I. K. Lobanov, etc. Most of these performances were divertissements with extensive use of folk rituals And character dance. Especially important there 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 the work of A. S. Pushkin (“Ruslan and Lyudmila” to the music of Scholz).
In 1825, with the prologue “The Triumph of the Muses,” staged by F. Gyullen-Sor, performances began in the new building of the Bolshoi Theater (architect O. I. Bove). She also staged the ballets “Fenella” to the music of Ober’s opera of the same name (1836), “Tom Thumb” (“The Cunning Boy and the Cannibal”) by Varlamov and Guryanov (1837), etc. T. N. stood out in the ballet troupe of this time Glushkovskaya, D. S. Lopukhina, A. I. Voronina-Ivanova, T. S. Karpakova, K. F. Bogdanov and others. In the 1840s. The Bolshoi Theater ballet was decisively influenced by the principles of romanticism (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 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 “Rusalka” (1859, 1865), Serov’s “Judith” (1865), and then in productions of operas by P. I. Tchaikovsky and the composers of “The Mighty Handful.” In most cases, dances in operas were choreographed by F. N. Manokhin.
In 1853, a fire destroyed all the interior of the Bolshoi Theater. The building was restored in 1856 by the architect A.K. Kavos.
In the 2nd half of the 19th century, the Bolshoi Theater ballet 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, enjoyed enormous success; This revealed the long-standing tendency of Moscow ballet towards genre, comedy, everyday and national characteristics. But few original performances were created. A number of productions by K. Blazis (“Pygmalion”, “Two Days in Venice”) and S. P. Sokolov (“Fern, or Night under Ivan Kupala”, 1867) indicated some decline creative principles theater The only significant event was the play “Don Quixote” (1869), staged on the Moscow stage by M. I. Petipa. 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 Virgin of Hell, 1879) invited from abroad. The production of “Swan Lake” by Reisinger (1877) and Hansen (1880) was also unsuccessful, as they failed to understand the innovative essence of Tchaikovsky’s music. During this period, the troupe had strong performers: P. P. Lebedeva, O. N. Nikolaeva, A. I. Sobeshchanskaya, P. M. Karpakova, S. P. Sokolov, V. F. Geltser, and later L. N. Gaten, L. A. Roslavleva, A. A. Dzhuri, A. N. Bogdanov, V. E. Polivanov, I. N. Khlustin and others; talented mimic actors worked - F.A. Reishausen and V. Vanner, the best traditions were passed on from generation to generation in the families of the Manokhins, Domashovs, Ermolovs. The reform carried out in 1882 by the Directorate of Imperial Theaters led to a reduction in the ballet troupe and aggravated the crisis (especially manifested in the eclectic productions of the choreographer J. Mendes, invited from abroad - “India”, 1890; “Daita”, 1896, etc.).
Stagnation and routine were overcome only with the arrival of choreographer A. A. Gorsky, whose activities (1899-1924) marked an entire era in the development of the Bolshoi Theater ballet. Gorsky sought to free ballet from bad conventions and cliches. Enriching ballet with the achievements of modern dramatic theater and visual arts, he carried out new productions of “Don Quixote” (1900), “Swan Lake” (1901, 1912) and other ballets by Petipa, created the mimodrama “Gudula’s Daughter” by Simon (based on “Notre Dame Cathedral” by V. Hugo, 1902), the ballet “ Salammbô" Arends (by novel of the same name G. Flaubert, 1910), etc. In his pursuit of the dramatic fullness of a ballet performance, Gorsky sometimes exaggerated the role of the script and pantomime, and sometimes underestimated music and effective symphonic dance. At the same time, Gorsky was one of the first ballet directors at symphonic music, not intended for dance: “Love is fast!” to the music of Grieg, "Schubertian" to the music of Schubert, the divertissement "Carnival" to the music of various composers - all 1913, "The Fifth Symphony" (1916) and "Stenka Razin" (1918) to the music of Glazunov. In Gorsky’s performances, the talent of E. V. Geltser, S. V. Fedorova, A. M. Balashova, V. A. Coralli, M. R. Reisen, V. V. Krieger, V. D. Tikhomirova, M. M. Mordkina, V. A. Ryabtseva, A. E. Volinina, L. A. Zhukova, I. E. Sidorova and others.
At the end of 19 - beginning. 20th centuries Ballet performances of the Bolshoi Theater were conducted by I. K. Altani, V. I. Suk, A. F. Arends, E. A. Cooper, theater decorator K. F. Waltz, artists K. A. Korovin, A. took part in the design of the performances. Ya. Golovin et al.
The Great October Socialist Revolution opened up new paths for the Bolshoi Theater and determined its blossoming as the leading opera and ballet company in artistic life countries. During the Civil War, the theater troupe, thanks to the attention of the Soviet state, was preserved. In 1919, the Bolshoi Theater joined the group of academic theaters. In 1921-22, performances at the Bolshoi Theater were also given at the New Theater. A branch of the Bolshoi Theater opened in 1924 (operated 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 and bring it to a new audience. In 1919, “The Nutcracker” was staged for the first time in Moscow (choreographer Gorsky), 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 implement modern theme(children's ballet extravaganza “Eternally Living Flowers” to the music of Asafiev and others, choreographer Gorsky, 1922; allegorical ballet “Smerch” by Bera, choreographer K. Ya. Goleizovsky, 1927), development of choreographic language (“Joseph the Beautiful” Vasilenko, ballet Goleizovsky, 1925; “Footballer” by Oransky, ballet by L. A. Lashchilin and I. A. Moiseev, 1930, etc.). The play “The Red Poppy” (choreographer Tikhomirov and L.A. Lashchilin, 1927) acquired landmark significance, in which the realistic presentation of a modern theme was based on the implementation and renewal of classical traditions. The creative search for the theater was 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 Theater ballet were marked by major successes in the embodiment of the historical and revolutionary theme (“Flames of Paris”, ballet by V. I. Vainonen, 1933) and images literary classics(“The Bakhchisarai Fountain”, ballet by R.V. Zakharov, 1936). A direction that brought it closer to literature and literature has triumphed in ballet. drama theater. The importance of directing has increased and acting skills. The performances were distinguished by the dramatic integrity of the development of action and the psychological development of 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 Little Stork” (1937) and “Svetlana” (1939) by Klebanova (both - ballet by A. I. Radunsky, N. M. Popko and L. A. Pospekhin), as well as “Prisoner of the Caucasus” by Asafiev (after A. S. Pushkin, 1938) and “Taras Bulba” by Solovyov-Sedoy (after N. V. Gogol, 1941, both by ballet. Zakharov), “Three Fat Men” by Oransky (after Yu. K. Olesha, 1935, ballet by I. A. Moiseev), etc. During these years, the art of M. T. flourished at the Bolshoi Theater Semenova, O.V. Lepeshinskaya, A.N. Ermolaev, M.M. Gabovich, A.M. Messerer, the activities of S.N. Golovkina, M.S. Bogolyubskaya, I.V. . Preobrazhensky, Yu. G. Kondratov, S. G. Koren and others. Artists V. V. Dmitriev, P. V. Williams participated in the design of ballet performances, Yu. F. Fayer achieved high conducting skills in ballet.
During the Great Patriotic War, the Bolshoi Theater was evacuated to Kuibyshev, but part of the troupe that remained in Moscow (headed by M. M. Gabovich) soon resumed performances in a branch of the theater. Along with showing the old repertoire, a new performance « Scarlet Sails"Yurovsky (ballet choreographer A. I. Radunsky, N. M. Popko, L. A. Pospekhin), 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 following were staged (the names of the choreographers in brackets): “Cinderella” (R.V. Zakharov, 1945), “Romeo and Juliet” (L.M. Lavrovsky, 1946), “Mirandolina” (V.I. Vainonen, 1949), " Bronze Horseman"(Zakharov, 1949), "Red Poppy" (Lavrovsky, 1949), "Shurale" (L. V. Yakobson, 1955), "Laurencia" (V. M. Chabukiani, 1956), etc. The Bolshoi Theater repeatedly contacted to revivals of the classics - “Giselle” (1944) and “Raymonda” (1945) directed by Lavrovsky, etc. In the post-war years, the pride of the Bolshoi Theater stage was the art of G. S. Ulanova, dance images which conquered with its lyrical and psychological expressiveness. A new generation of artists has grown up; among them M. M. Plisetskaya, R. S. Struchkova, M. V. Kondratyeva, 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 Bolshoi Theater productions, the negative consequences of choreographers’ passion for one-sided dramatization of a ballet performance (everydayism, the predominance of pantomime, underestimation of the role of effective dance) began to be felt, which was especially reflected in the performances “The Tale of the Stone Flower” by Prokofiev (Lavrovsky, 1954), “Gayane” (Vainonen, 1957), “Spartak” (I. A. Moiseev, 1958).
A new period began in the late 50s. The repertoire included landmark performances for Soviet ballet by Yu. N. Grigorovich - “The Stone Flower” (1959) and “The Legend of Love” (1965). In Bolshoi Theater productions, the range of images and ideological and moral problems expanded, the role of the dance element increased, the forms of dramaturgy became more diverse, the choreographic vocabulary was enriched, and interesting searches 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) Karetnikova; O. G. Tarasova and A. A. Lapauri - “Second 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 Bartók's The Marvelous Mandarin (1961).
In 1961, the Bolshoi Theater received a new stage venue - the Kremlin Palace of Congresses, which contributed to more broad activities ballet troupe. Along with mature masters - Plisetskaya, Struchkova, Timofeeva, Fadeechev and others - the leading position was taken 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, the chief choreographer of the Bolshoi Theater has been Yu. N. Grigorovich, who consolidated and developed progressive trends in the activities of the ballet troupe. Almost every new performance at the Bolshoi Theater is marked by interesting creative explorations. They appeared in “The Rite of Spring” (ballet by Kasatkina and Vasilev, 1965), “Carmen Suite” by Bizet - Shchedrin (Alberto Alonso, 1967), “Aseli” by Vlasov (O. M. Vinogradov, 1967), “Icare” by Slonimsky (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. Khachaturyan (G. Mayorov, 1977), “These enchanting 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), etc. It acquired outstanding significance in the development of Soviet ballet play “Spartacus” (Grigorovich, 1968; Lenin Prize 1970). Grigorovich staged ballets on the themes of Russian history (“Ivan the Terrible” to the music of Prokofiev, arranged by M. I. Chulaki, 1975) and modernity (“Angara” by Eshpai, 1976), which synthesized and generalized the creative searches of previous periods in the development of Soviet ballet. Grigorovich's performances are characterized by ideological and philosophical depth, a wealth 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 the 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 staged entirely anew, 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. Zhiuraitis, A. A. Kopylov, F. Sh. Mansurov and others. V. F. Ryndin, E. G. Stenberg, A. D. participated in the design. Goncharov, B. A. Messerer, V. Ya. Levental and others. The designer of all performances staged by Grigorovich is S. B. Virsaladze.
The Bolshoi Theater ballet troupe toured 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 opera “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.
