History of the building of the State Academic Bolshoi Theater (Gabt). Bolshoi Theater Bolshoi Theater who is the architect

To the question Who built the Bolshoi Theater? given by the author ~Cutie~ the best answer is It is difficult to find another theater building, other than the Bolshoi, that would be so haunted by all sorts of misfortunes. Let's remember the history of the Bolshoi Theater buildings.
...When in 1776 the Moscow provincial prosecutor Prince P. Urusov received from Catherine II a ten-year privilege to maintain a Russian theater in Moscow, under the terms of this privilege he had to build a stone theater in five years “with such external decoration that it could serve as decoration."
P. Urusov invited the Englishman Mikhail Medox to be his partner - not only a passionate theater lover, but also an enterprising man. Together they acquired land on the right bank of the Neglinka, on Petrovskaya Street, where a new theater building was to be built.
On the evening of February 26, 1780, during the performance of A. Sumarokov’s play “Dmitry the Pretender,” the Znamensky Theater caught fire due to “the carelessness of the lower servants,” and within a few hours the fire destroyed it completely. Prince Urusov was ruined, renounced the privilege he had received and ceded it to Medox.
On December 30, 1780, the new theater received its first spectators. The three-story stone building with a plank roof of the so-called Medox Theater was erected in a time frame that was amazing even for our time - in five months (instead of the five years due to the “privilege”). The theater was built by architect Christian Ivanovich Rozberg, who was involved in the design and construction of buildings in the Moscow police office.
The new theater, due to its location, began to be called Petrovsky. Since then, the corner of Petrovka has become the permanent residence of the Bolshoi Theater.
The theater's auditorium had a round shape, was decorated with mirrors and could be used not only for performances, but also for masquerades, which were popular at that time.
Moscow Governor V.M. Dolgoruky-Krymsky liked the new theater so much that he extended the privilege of Medox until 1796.
The Petrovsky Theater stood for 25 years. But he suffered the same fate as Znamensky: on October 8, 1805, before the start of F. Cauer’s opera “The Dnieper Mermaid,” the building of the Petrovsky Theater burned down, only part of the stone walls remained.
The new Arbat Theater was created by the architect Carl Rossi. Its opening took place on April 13, 1808. This wooden theater, according to contemporaries, was very beautiful, surrounded by columns, the space between which, in the form of long galleries, served as a place for walking. The auditorium had a stalls, a stall, three tiers of boxes, bars and could accommodate up to 3 thousand spectators.
In 1812, during Napoleon's invasion, the theater became one of the first victims of the Moscow fire.
In 1818, a plan was approved that envisaged the restoration of Moscow after the fire of 1812. It was planned to rebuild the Petrovsky Theater in expanded sizes, and to lay out a large square in front of the theater. Two years later, the architect Osip Bove drew up designs for the facade and “transverse profile” of the theater. At the same time, a competition was announced at the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts, the winner of which was the rector of the academy, A. Mikhailov.
Almost 20 years passed before the first major reconstruction of the theater building was undertaken in 1843. It was carried out according to the project of Academician A. Nikitin.
Another 10 years passed, and on the frosty morning of March 11, 1853, for unknown reasons, a huge fire started in the theater. The flames instantly engulfed the entire building. The temperature was so high that the cast iron brackets supporting the boxes melted, and the snow melted all over Theater Square. The flames burned for two days, and the remains of the building smoldered for about a week.
Soon it was decided to build a new theater building on the same site. A competition was announced for the theater restoration project, the winner of which was Albert Kavos. His design was approved on May 14, 1855, and construction began that same month.

Along with the State Tretyakov Gallery, the State Historical Museum, the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, and the Moscow Kremlin, the Bolshoi Theater is a cultural heritage site and one of the outstanding landmarks 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 content 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 in Moscow. It burned down during 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 that 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. In the period from 1825 to 1853, the Bolshoi Theater posters invited connoisseurs of high art to comedic plays - vaudeville ("The Village Philosopher", "Fun of the Caliph"). Operatic works were especially popular at that time: the works of A. N. Verstovsky (“Pan Tvardovsky”, “Askold’s Grave”), M. I. Glinka (the 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. At the 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. It has long 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 stage appeared in the building, created with the latest technology, with comfortable chairs 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 characteristic features of the external and internal decoration by the architects of the Bolshoi Theater 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 most of the repertoire is still performed on it. 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 in Moscow, located in the center of the capital, on Teatralnaya Square, is one of the symbols of Russia and the brilliant skill of its artists. Its talented performers: vocalists and ballet dancers, composers and conductors, choreographers are known all over the world. More than 800 works were staged on its stage. These are the first Russian operas and operas of such celebrities as Verdi and Wagner, Bellini and Donizetti, Berlioz and Ravel and other composers. World premieres of operas by Tchaikovsky and Rachmaninoff, Prokofiev and Arensky took place here. The great Rachmaninov conducted here.

Bolshoi Theater in Moscow - history

In March 1736, the provincial prosecutor, Prince Pyotr Vasilyevich Urusov, began construction of a theater building on the right bank of the Neglinka River, on the corner of Petrovka. Then he began to be called Petrovsky. But Peter Urusov failed to complete the construction. The building burned down. After the fire, his partner, the English entrepreneur Michael Medox, completed the construction of the theater building. This was the first professional theater. His repertoire included drama, opera and ballet performances. Both singers and dramatic actors took part in opera performances. The Petrovsky Theater was opened on December 30, 1780. On this day, the pantomime ballet “The Magic Shop” was staged by Y. Paradise. Ballets with a national flavor, such as Village Simplicity, Gypsy Ballet and The Taking of Ochakov, were especially popular among the audience. Basically, the ballet troupe was formed by students of the ballet school of the Moscow Orphanage and serf actors of E. Golovkina’s troupe. This building lasted 25 years. It was destroyed in a fire in 1805. The new building, built under the leadership of K. Rossi on Arbat Square, also burned down in 1812.

According to the project of A. Mikhailov in 1821-1825. A new theater building is being built on the same site. The construction was supervised by the architect O. Bove. It was significantly increased in size. Therefore, at that time it received the name Bolshoi Theater. On January 6, 1825, the performance “The Triumph of the Muses” was given here. After the fire in March 1853, the building took three years to restore. The work was supervised by the architect A. Kavos. As contemporaries wrote, the appearance of the building “captivated the eye with the proportionality of the parts, in which lightness was combined with grandeur.” This is how it has survived to this day. In 1937 and 1976 the theater was awarded the Order of Lenin. During the Great Patriotic War, he was evacuated to the city of Kuibyshev. On November 29, 2002, the New Stage opened with the premiere of Rimsky-Korsakov's opera The Snow Maiden.

Bolshoi Theater - architecture

The building that we can now admire is one of the best examples of Russian classical architecture. It was built in 1856 under the direction of architect Albert Kavos. During restoration after the fire, the building was completely rebuilt and decorated with a white stone portico with eight columns. The architect replaced the hipped roof with a gable roof with pediments, repeating the shape of the portico pediment along the main façade and removing the arched niche. The Ionic order of the portico was replaced by a complex one. All exterior details have been changed. Some architects believe that Kavos's changes diminished the artistic merit of the original building. The building is crowned by the world-famous bronze quadriga of Apollo by Pyotr Klodt. We see a two-wheeled chariot with four harnessed horses galloping across the sky and the god Apollo driving them. A plaster double-headed eagle, the state emblem of Russia, was installed on the pediment of the building. On the ceiling of the auditorium there are nine muses with Apollo at their head. Thanks to the creativity of Albert Kavos, the building fits perfectly into the surrounding architectural structures.

The five tiers of the auditorium can accommodate more than 2,100 spectators. In terms of its acoustic properties, it is considered one of the best in the world. The length of the hall from the orchestra to the back wall is 25 meters, width - 26.3 meters, height - 21 meters. The stage portal is 20.5 by 17.8 meters, the depth of the stage is 23.5 meters. This is one of the beautiful architectural structures of the capital. It was called "the palace of sun rays, gold, purple and snow." The building also hosts important state and public celebrations.

Reconstruction of the Bolshoi Theater

In 2005, the reconstruction of the theater began and after 6 years of colossal work, on October 28, 2011, the opening of the country's main stage took place. The area of ​​the Bolshoi Theater doubled and amounted to 80 thousand square meters, an underground part appeared and the unique acoustics of the hall were restored. The stage now has the volume of a six-story building, all processes in which are computerized. The paintings in the White Foyer have been restored. The jacquard fabrics and tapestries in the Round Hall and the Imperial Foyer were restored by hand over the course of 5 years, restoring every centimeter. 156 craftsmen from all over Russia were engaged in gilding the interiors, 5 microns thick, covering an area of ​​981 square meters, which took 4.5 kg of gold.

There were 17 elevators with buttons for floors from the 10th to the 4th, and an additional 2 floors located below were occupied by mechanics. The auditorium seats 1,768 people, before reconstruction - 2,100. The theater buffet moved to the 4th floor and this is the only room where windows are located on both sides. Interestingly, the tiles in the central foyer were made in the same factory as in the 19th century. The chandelier with a diameter of more than 6 meters with gilded pendants is especially beautiful. The new curtain is embroidered with a double-headed eagle and the word Russia.

The modern Bolshoi Theater includes opera and ballet troupes, a stage and brass band and the Bolshoi Theater Orchestra. The names of the opera and ballet school are the heritage of all of Russia and the entire theatrical world. More than 80 artists were awarded the title of People's Artists of the USSR during the Soviet period. The title of Hero of Socialist Labor was received by eight stage masters - I. Arkhipova and Y. Grigorovich, I. Kozlovsky and E. Nesterenko, E. Svetlanov, as well as world-famous ballerinas - G. Ulanova, M. Plisetskaya and M. Semyonova. Many artists are People's Artists of the Russian Federation.

The Bolshoi Theater in Moscow represents one of the world's main theater stages. He played an outstanding role in the formation of the Russian musical and stage school and in the development of Russian national art, including the famous Russian ballet.

The Bolshoi Theater, known to everyone in the cultural world, had several predecessors with sad fates. The history of the theater is usually counted from 1776 with the highest permission of Catherine II to contain ... theatrical performances of all kinds, as well as concerts, voxels and masquerades, in accordance with which Prince Urusov began to build a theater on Petrovka on the banks of the Neglinka. The theater burned down without being completed. The Bolshoi Petrovsky Theater, built soon by the English entrepreneur Medox, also burned down during the Moscow fire in 1805.

The theater was built in 1825 on the original site above Neglinka. The eight-column building with Apollo's chariot above the portico, which soon came under the direction of the St. Petersburg directorate of imperial theaters, suffered the same fate in 1853. However, the building was rebuilt and restored several years later. It is still considered one of the best examples of Russian classical architecture.

The coat of arms of Russia - a two-headed eagle - was installed on the pediment of the theater. The theater began to be called the Imperial and Bolshoi. For a long time, the theater performed its functions as one of the main entertainment venues in Moscow. However, the ground began to sink under the piles and the theater entered the 20th century in a state that was far from prosperous.

In recent years, the theater has been undergoing reconstruction. The external appearance of the building remained virtually unchanged, but it was deepened into the ground and the underground part was strengthened. The theater recently reopened its halls to the public for concerts. In the near future, restoration of the facade is planned, and next year, the artists should appear on the main stage of the Bolshoi Theater. Recently, after restoration, the unique Vase with Parrots was returned to the theater - a porcelain vessel one and a half meters high, painted with exotic plants and birds. And the State Academic Bolshoi Theater celebrated the centenary of the birth of the great Russian ballerina Galina Ulanova with the performance Swan Lake.

Grand Theatre

The Bolshoi Theater is the largest opera and ballet theater in Russia and one of the most significant opera and ballet theaters in the world. The history of the theater dates back to March 1776, when the provincial prosecutor, Prince Pyotr Vasilyevich Urusov, received the highest permission from Empress Catherine II to “contain... theatrical performances of all kinds, as well as concerts, vauxhalls and masquerades.” The prince began construction of the theater, which - based on its location on Petrovka Street - was named Petrovsky. However, the Urusov Theater burned down even before it opened, and the prince handed over the business to his companion, the English entrepreneur Michael Medox. It was Medox who built the Bolshoi Petrovsky Theater. Petrovsky Theater of Medox stood for 25 years - in 1805 the building burned down. In 1821, construction began on the next theater building designed by O. Bove and the rector of the St. Petersburg Academy A. Mikhailov. On March 11, 1853 the theater burned down; The fire preserved only the stone outer walls and the colonnade of the main entrance. In three years, the theater was restored under the leadership of architect A.K. Kavos. To replace the alabaster sculpture of Apollo that was lost in the fire, a bronze quadriga by Pyotr Klodt was installed above the entrance portico. The theater reopened on August 20, 1856.

The five-tier hall of the Bolshoi Theater is famous for its excellent acoustics and can accommodate up to 2,150 people. The hall is decorated with gilded stucco and red velvet, which gives it special pomp and solemnity.

An important role in the history of the Bolshoi Theater was played by opera and ballet productions to the music of Pyotr Tchaikovsky, including Eugene Onegin, The Queen of Spades, Iolanta, Swan Lake, and Sleeping Beauty. The names of famous artists are associated with the Bolshoi Theater - Anton Rubinstein, Pyotr Tchaikovsky, Sergei Rachmaninov, Fyodor Chaliapin, Galina Ulanova, Maya Plisetskaya and many others.

The Bolshoi Theater Orchestra is one of the best symphony orchestras in the world. Today its repertoire includes ballet and opera performances performed by brilliant masters of art.

True connoisseurs of theatrical performances will never replace them with films, because... they understand what's so special about it. After all, the Bolshoi Theater is an almost live interaction between actors and spectators, where the former convey to them their mood, character, and energy. Nowhere else but in the theater can you get such a charge of positivity and good mood by visiting, for example, a funny comedy or other exciting performance. Many who attended the cinema and theater undoubtedly noted the difference and advantage of the latter. It is thanks to this, despite the fact that theater has existed for a long time and, it would seem, should have become outdated and out of fashion, this industry continues to develop, theater institutions today operate successfully throughout Russia.

What is the most famous theater in our country? This is, of course, the academic opera and ballet theater located in Moscow. It is one of the largest and most significant not only in Russia, but also in the world. The name of this establishment was given to the square on which it is located, Teatralnaya.

If you look at history, initially the Bolshoi Theater was a state-owned, or imperial, theater, and was part of the same troupe as the Maly Theater in Moscow. These two institutions separated after the revolution, when all property was nationalized. The history of the Bolshoi Theater began in 1776, at which time Empress Catherine II issued an order to Prince Pyotr Vasilyevich Urusov, which spoke about the organization and content of theatrical performances, concerts and masquerades. The prince organized the construction of a theater building on the street. Petrovka, however, it burned down without opening. Construction was resumed again by the English entrepreneur Michael Medox, who built the Bolshoi Theater, also called the Petrovsky Theatre. But 25 years later the building burned down again. After this, a new building was erected on Arbat Square, K.I. Rossi, which suffered the same fate, already during the Napoleonic invasion. The new building, which at times also suffered from fires but was restored again, was erected in 1821 by the architect Beauvais. The new stage of the Moscow Theater, as you can see it today, was opened in 2002, the first stage of which was the opera Snow Maiden by Rimsky-Korsakov.

Interestingly, today you can buy a ticket at the Bolshoi Theater box office only by presenting your passport. This system was introduced in 2011, when the number of scalpers who sold tickets at incredibly inflated prices increased greatly.

So, today this establishment is the largest not only in Russia, but also in the world. This includes ballet and opera troupes, two large orchestras. Since 1990, more than 900 artists have been active at the Bolshoi Theater. In total, during the entire time this institution was opened, almost a thousand works were staged here. Today, both classical ballet and opera performances, as well as new, experimental works are staged here.

The history of the theater dates back to March 1776, when the provincial prosecutor, Prince Pyotr Vasilyevich Urusov, received the highest permission from Empress Catherine II to support all kinds of theatrical performances, as well as concerts, vauxhalls and masquerades. The prince began construction of the theater, which was named Petrovsky based on its location on Petrovka Street. However, the Urusov Theater burned down even before it opened, and the prince handed over the business to his companion, the English entrepreneur Michael Medox. It was Medox who built the Bolshoi Petrovsky Theater.

Petrovsky Theater of Medox stood for 25 years. On October 8, 1805, the building burned down. The new building was built by K.I. Rossi on Arbat Square. However, it, being wooden, burned down in 1812 during Napoleon’s invasion.

In 1821, construction of the theater began on the original site according to the design of O. Bove and the rector of the St. Petersburg Academy A. Mikhailov.

Sources: www.privetstrana.ru, 900igr.net, www.votpusk.ru, www.tourblogger.ru, tourout.ru

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In continuation of the series of stories about opera houses around the world, I want to talk about the Bolshoi Opera Theater in Moscow. The State Academic Opera and Ballet Theater of Russia, or simply the Bolshoi Theater, is one of the largest opera and ballet theaters in Russia and one of the largest opera and ballet theaters in the world. Located in the center of Moscow, on Teatralnaya Square. The Bolshoi Theater is one of the main assets of the city of Moscow

The origin of the theater dates back to March 1776. This year, Groti ceded his rights and obligations to Prince Urusov, who undertook to build a stone public theater in Moscow. With the assistance of the famous M.E. Medox, a place was chosen on Petrovskaya Street, in the parish of the Church of the Savior, in Kopje. With the tireless labor of Medox, the building was built in five months. Grand Theatre, according to the plan of the architect Rosberg, cost 130,000 rubles. Petrovsky Theater of Medox stood for 25 years - on October 8, 1805, during the next Moscow fire, the theater building burned down. The new building was built by K.I. Rossi on Arbat Square. But it, being wooden, burned down in 1812, during Napoleon’s invasion. In 1821, construction of the theater began on the original site according to the design of O. Bove and A. Mikhailov.

The theater opened on January 6, 1825 with the performance “The Triumph of the Muses.” But on March 11, 1853, the theater burned down for the fourth time; The fire preserved only the stone outer walls and the colonnade of the main entrance. In three years, the Bolshoi Theater was restored under the leadership of architect A.K. Kavos. To replace the alabaster sculpture of Apollo that was lost in the fire, a bronze quadriga by Pyotr Klodt was installed above the entrance portico. The theater was reopened on August 20, 1856.

In 1895, a major renovation of the theater building was carried out, after which many wonderful operas were staged in the theater, such as “Boris Godunov” by M. Mussorgsky, “The Woman of Pskov” by Rimsky-Korsakov with Chaliapin in the role of Ivan the Terrible and many others. In 1921-1923, another reconstruction of the theater building took place, and the building was also reconstructed in the 40s and 60s

Above the pediment of the Bolshoi Theater is a sculpture of Apollo, patron of the arts, in a chariot drawn by four horses. All figures of the composition are hollow, made of sheet copper. The composition was made by Russian craftsmen in the 18th century according to the model of the sculptor Stepan Pimenov

The theater includes a ballet and opera troupe, the Bolshoi Theater Orchestra and the Stage Brass Band. At the time of the theater's creation, the troupe included only thirteen musicians and about thirty artists. At the same time, the troupe initially had no specialization: dramatic actors took part in operas, and singers and dancers - in dramatic performances. Thus, the troupe at different times included Mikhail Shchepkin and Pavel Mochalov, who sang in operas by Cherubini, Verstovsky and other composers

Throughout the history of the Bolshoi Theater in Moscow, its artists, in addition to admiration and gratitude from the public, have repeatedly received various signs of recognition from the state. During the Soviet period, more than 80 of them received the title of People's Artists of the USSR, Stalin and Lenin Prizes, eight were awarded the title of Heroes of Socialist Labor. Among the theater soloists are such outstanding Russian singers as Sandunova, Zhemchugova, E. Semyonova, Khokhlov, Korsov, Deisha-Sionitskaya, Salina, Nezhdanova, Chaliapin, Sobinov, Zbrueva, Alchevsky, E. Stepanova, V. Petrov, the Pirogov brothers, Katulskaya, Obukhova, Derzhinskaya, Barsova, L. Savransky, Ozerov, Lemeshev, Kozlovsky, Reizen, Maksakova, Khanaev, M. D. Mikhailov, Shpiller, A. P. Ivanov, Krivchenya, P. Lisitsian, I. Petrov, Ognivtsev, Arkhipova, Andzhaparidze, Oleinichenko, Mazurok, Vedernikov, Eizen, E. Kibkalo, Vishnevskaya, Milashkina, Sinyavskaya, Kasrashvili, Atlantov, Nesterenko, Obraztsova and others.
Among the singers of the younger generation who emerged in the 80-90s, it is necessary to note I. Morozov, P. Gluboky, Kalinina, Matorina, Shemchuk, Rautio, Tarashchenko, N. Terentyeva. Major conductors Altani, Suk, Cooper, Samosud, Pazovsky, Golovanov, Melik-Pashaev, Nebolsin, Khaikin, Kondrashin, Svetlanov, Rozhdestvensky, Rostropovich worked at the Bolshoi Theater. Rachmaninov (1904-06) performed here as a conductor. Among the best directors of the theater are Bartsal, Smolich, Baratov, B. Mordvinov, Pokrovsky. The Bolshoi Theater hosted tours of the world's leading opera houses: La Scala (1964, 1974, 1989), the Vienna State Opera (1971), the Berlin Komische Oper (1965)

Bolshoi Theater repertoire

During the theater's existence, more than 800 works were staged here. The Bolshoi Theater's repertoire includes such operas as "Robert the Devil" by Meyerbeer (1834), "The Pirate" by Bellini (1837), "Hans Geiling" by Marschner, "The Postman from Longjumeau" by Adam (1839), "The Favorite" by Donizetti (1841), "The Mute of Portici" by Auber (1849), "La Traviata" by Verdi (1858), "Il Trovatore", "Rigoletto" by Verdi (1859), "Faust" by Gounod (1866), "Mignon" by Thomas (1879), "Un ballo in maschera" "Verdi (1880), "Siegfried" by Wagner (1894), "The Trojans in Carthage" by Berlioz (1899), "The Flying Dutchman" by Wagner (1902), "Don Carlos" by Verdi (1917), "A Midsummer Night's Dream" by Britten ( 1964), "The Castle of Duke Bluebeard" by Bartok, "The Spanish Hour" by Ravel (1978), "Iphigenia in Aulis" by Gluck (1983) and others.

The Bolshoi Theater hosted world premieres of Tchaikovsky's operas "The Voevoda" (1869), "Mazeppa" (1884), and "Cherevichki" (1887); Rachmaninov's operas "Aleko" (1893), "Francesca da Rimini" and "The Miserly Knight" (1906), Prokofiev's "The Gambler" (1974), a number of operas by Cui, Arensky and many others.

At the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, the theater reached its peak. Many St. Petersburg artists are seeking the opportunity to participate in Bolshoi Theater performances. The names of F. Chaliapin, L. Sobinov, A. Nezhdanova are becoming widely known throughout the world. In 1912 Fyodor Chaliapin staged M. Mussorgsky’s opera “Khovanshchina” at the Bolshoi Theater.

In the photo Fyodor Chaliapin

During this period, Sergei Rachmaninov collaborated with the theater, who proved himself not only as a composer, but also as an outstanding opera conductor, attentive to the peculiarities of the style of the work being performed and achieving a combination of ardent temperament with subtle orchestral finishing in the performance of operas. Rachmaninov improves the organization of the conductor's work - thus, thanks to Rachmaninov, the conductor's stand, previously located behind the orchestra (facing the stage), is moved to its modern place.

In the photo Sergei Vasilievich Rachmaninov

The first years after the 1917 revolution are characterized by the struggle to preserve the Bolshoi Theater as such and, secondly, to preserve part of its repertoire. Operas such as The Snow Maiden, Aida, La Traviata and Verdi in general were attacked for ideological reasons. There were also proposals to destroy ballet, as “a relic of the bourgeois past.” However, despite this, both opera and ballet continued to develop in Moscow. The opera is dominated by works by Glinka, Tchaikovsky, Borodin, Rimsky-Korsakov, and Mussorgsky. In 1927, director V. Lossky created a new edition of “Boris Godunov”. Operas by Soviet composers are staged - “Trilby” by A. Yurasovsky (1924), “The Love for Three Oranges” by S. Prokofiev (1927).

In the 1930s, Joseph Stalin’s demand for the creation of “Soviet opera classics” appeared in the press. Works by I. Dzerzhinsky, B. Asafiev, R. Gliere are staged. At the same time, a strict ban on works by foreign composers is introduced. In 1935, the premiere of D. Shostakovich’s opera “Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk” took place with great success among the public. However, this work, highly appreciated throughout the world, causes sharp discontent at the top. The well-known article “Confusion Instead of Music,” authored by Stalin, became the reason for the disappearance of Shostakovich’s opera from the repertoire of the Bolshoi Theater

During the Great Patriotic War, the Bolshoi Theater was evacuated to Kuibyshev. The theater celebrates the end of the war with bright premieres of S. Prokofiev’s ballets “Cinderella” and “Romeo and Juliet,” in which Galina Ulanova shone. In subsequent years, the Bolshoi Theater turns to the work of composers of the “fraternal countries” - Czechoslovakia, Poland and Hungary, and also revises productions of classical Russian operas (new productions of Eugene Onegin, Sadko, Boris Godunov, Khovanshchina and many other). Most of these productions were carried out by opera director Boris Pokrovsky, who came to the Bolshoi Theater in 1943. His performances in these years and the next few decades served as the “face” of the Bolshoi Theater opera

The Bolshoi Theater troupe often tours, having success in Italy, Great Britain, the USA and many other countries


Currently, the Bolshoi Theater's repertoire retains many classical productions of opera and ballet performances, but at the same time the theater strives for new experiments. Directors who have already gained fame as film directors are involved in working on operas. Among them are A. Sokurov, T. Chkheidze, E. Nyakrosius and others. Some new productions of the Bolshoi Theater aroused the disapproval of part of the public and the honored masters of the Bolshoi. Thus, a scandal accompanied the production of L. Desyatnikov’s opera “Children of Rosenthal” (2005), due to the reputation of the author of the libretto, writer V. Sorokin. The famous singer Galina Vishnevskaya expressed her indignation and rejection of the new play “Eugene Onegin” (2006, director D. Chernyakov), refusing to celebrate her anniversary on the Bolshoi stage, where similar productions are staged. At the same time, the mentioned performances, no matter what, have their fans