What style is the building of the Bolshoi Theater in? Grand Theatre
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
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.
185 years ago the Bolshoi Theater was inaugurated.
The founding date of the Bolshoi Theater is considered to be March 28 (March 17), 1776, when the famous philanthropist and Moscow prosecutor, Prince Pyotr Urusov, received the highest permission to “contain ... theatrical performances of all kinds.” Urusov and his companion Mikhail Medox created the first permanent troupe in Moscow. It was organized from actors of a previously existing Moscow theater troupe, students of Moscow University and from newly recruited serf actors.
The theater initially did not have an independent building, so performances were staged in Vorontsov’s private house on Znamenka Street. But in 1780, the theater moved to a stone theater building specially built according to the design of Christian Rozbergan on the site of the modern Bolshoi Theater. To build the theater building, Medox bought a plot of land at the beginning of Petrovskaya Street, which was in the possession of Prince Lobanov-Rostotsky. The three-story stone building with a plank roof, the so-called Medox Theater, was erected in just five months.
Based on the name of the street on which the theater was located, it became known as “Petrovsky”.
The repertoire of this first professional theater in Moscow included drama, opera and ballet performances. But operas received special attention, so the Petrovsky Theater was more often called the “Opera House”. The theater troupe was not divided into opera and drama: the same artists performed in both drama and opera performances.
In 1805, the building burned down, and until 1825, performances were staged at various theater venues.
In the early 20s of the 19th century, Petrovskaya Square (now Teatralnaya) was completely rebuilt in the classicist style according to the plans of the architect Osip Bove. According to this project, its current composition arose, the dominant feature of which was the building of the Bolshoi Theater. The building was built according to the design of Osip Bove in 1824 on the site of the former Petrovsky. The new theater partially included the walls of the burnt Petrovsky Theater.
The construction of the Bolshoi Petrovsky Theater was a real event for Moscow at the beginning of the 19th century. A beautiful eight-column building in the classical style with the chariot of the god Apollo above the portico, decorated inside in red and gold tones, according to contemporaries, was the best theater in Europe and was second in scale only to Milan's La Scala. Its opening took place on January 6 (18), 1825. In honor of this event, a prologue “The Triumph of the Muses” was given by Mikhail Dmitriev with music by Alexander Alyabyev and Alexei Verstovsky. It allegorically depicted how the Genius of Russia, with the help of the muses, on the ruins of the Medox Theater creates a new beautiful temple of art - the Bolshoi Petrovsky Theater.
The townspeople called the new building "Colosseum". The performances held here were invariably a success, gathering high-society Moscow society.
On March 11, 1853, for an unknown reason, a fire started in the theater. Theatrical costumes, stage sets, the troupe's archives, part of the music library, and rare musical instruments were destroyed in the fire, and the theater building was also damaged.
A competition was announced for the restoration of the theater building, in which the winning plan was submitted by Albert Kavos. After the fire, the walls and columns of the porticos were preserved. When developing a new project, architect Alberto Cavos took the three-dimensional structure of the Beauvais Theater as a basis. Kavos approached the issue of acoustics carefully. He considered the optimal arrangement of the auditorium to be based on the principle of a musical instrument: the deck of the ceiling, the deck of the ground floor, wall panels, and balcony structures were made of wood. The acoustics of Kavos were perfect. He had to endure many battles with his contemporaries, architects, and with firefighters, proving that the installation of a metal ceiling (as, for example, in the Alexandrinsky Theater by architect Rossi) could be detrimental to the acoustics of the theater.
While maintaining the layout and volume of the building, Kavos increased the height, changed the proportions and reworked the architectural decoration; Slender cast-iron galleries with lamps were built on the sides of the building. During the reconstruction of the auditorium, Kavos changed the shape of the hall, narrowing it towards the stage, changed the size of the auditorium, which began to accommodate up to 3 thousand spectators. The alabaster group of Apollo, which adorned the Osip Bove Theater, died in a fire. To create a new one, Alberto Cavos invited the famous Russian sculptor Pyotr Klodt, the author of the famous four equestrian groups on the Anichkov Bridge over the Fontanka River in St. Petersburg. Klodt created the now world-famous sculptural group with Apollo.
The new Bolshoi Theater was built in 16 months and opened on August 20, 1856 for the coronation of Alexander II.
The Kavos Theater did not have enough space to store scenery and props, and in 1859 the architect Nikitin made a project for a two-story extension to the northern facade, according to which all the capitals of the northern portico were covered. The project was implemented in the 1870s. And in the 1890s, another floor was added to the extension, thereby increasing the usable area. In this form, the Bolshoi Theater has survived to this day, with the exception of minor internal and external reconstructions.
After the Neglinka River was drawn into the pipe, the groundwater receded, the wooden foundation piles were exposed to atmospheric air and began to rot. In 1920, the entire semi-circular wall of the auditorium collapsed during the performance, the doors jammed, and the audience had to be evacuated through the barriers of the boxes. This forced the architect and engineer Ivan Rerberg in the late 1920s to place a concrete slab on a central support, shaped like a mushroom, under the auditorium. However, the concrete spoiled the acoustics.
By the 1990s, the building was extremely dilapidated, its deterioration was estimated at 60%. The theater fell into disrepair both structurally and decoratively. During the life of the theater, they endlessly added something to it, improved it, tried to make it more modern. Elements of all three theaters coexisted in the theater building. Their foundations were at different levels, and accordingly, cracks began to appear on the foundations, on the walls, and then on the interior decoration. The brickwork of the facades and the walls of the auditorium were in disrepair. The same goes for the main portico. The columns deviated from the vertical by up to 30 cm. The tilt was recorded at the end of the 19th century, and since then it has been increasing. These columns of white stone blocks tried to “heal” the entire 20th century - humidity caused visible black spots at the bottom of the columns at a height of up to 6 meters.
The technology is hopelessly behind the modern level: for example, until the end of the 20th century, a decoration winch from the Siemens company, manufactured in 1902, operated here (now it has been handed over to the Polytechnic Museum).
In 1993, the Russian government adopted a decree on the reconstruction of the Bolshoi Theater complex.
In 2002, with the participation of the Moscow government, the New Stage of the Bolshoi Theater was opened on Teatralnaya Square. This hall is more than two times smaller than the historical one and can only accommodate a third of the theater’s repertoire. The launch of the New Stage made it possible to begin the reconstruction of the main building.
According to the plan, the appearance of the theater building will remain almost unchanged. The only thing that will lose its extensions is the northern façade, which has been covered for many years by warehouses where decorations are stored. The Bolshoi Theater building will go 26 meters deep into the ground; in the old and new building there will even be room for huge set structures - they will be lowered to the third underground level. The Chamber Hall with 300 seats will also be hidden underground. After reconstruction, the New and Main stages, which are located 150 meters from each other, will be connected to each other and to the administrative and rehearsal buildings by underground passages. In total, the theater will have 6 underground tiers. The storage will be moved underground, which will allow the rear facade to be restored to its proper form.
Unique work is underway to strengthen the underground part of the theater buildings, with a guarantee from the builders for the next 100 years, with parallel placement and modern technical equipment of parking lots under the main building of the complex, which will make it possible to relieve traffic from the most complex interchange in the city - Theater Square.
Everything that was lost during Soviet times will be recreated in the historical interior of the building. One of the main tasks of the reconstruction is to restore the original, largely lost, legendary acoustics of the Bolshoi Theater and make the stage floor covering as comfortable as possible. For the first time in the Russian theater, the gender will change depending on the genre of the performance being shown. Opera will have its own gender, ballet will have its own. In terms of technological equipment, the theater will become one of the best in Europe and the world.
The Bolshoi Theater building is a historical and architectural monument, so a significant part of the work is scientific restoration. The author of the restoration project, Honored Architect of Russia, Director of the scientific and restoration center "Restavrator-M" Elena Stepanova.
According to Russian Minister of Culture Alexander Avdeev, the reconstruction of the Bolshoi Theater will be completed by the end of 2010 - beginning of 2011.
The material was prepared based on information from RIA Novosti and open sources.
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 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. 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.
On the site of the Bolshoi Theater in Moscow Previously there was the Petrovsky Theater, which completely burned down on October 8, 1805.
In 1806, with money from the Russian treasury, the site was purchased, and with it the surrounding buildings.
According to the original plans, this was done in order to simply clear large areas to prevent large fires in Moscow.
But even then they began to think about creating a theater square on this site. There was neither a project nor money at that time, and they returned to their plans only at the beginning of 1816, after the war with Napoleon.
To the already approved territory for the creation of Theater Square, the courtyards of two demolished churches were added. And in May the project was approved by Alexander I.
History of the Bolshoi Theater in Moscow begins in 1817, when the tsar was presented with a project for a new theater that was to be built on this site.
It is interesting that the building’s façade was already oriented in the design with access to the square (this is exactly how the theater looks now), although the old Petrovsky Theater had a central entrance from the side of the current Central Department Store. The project was presented to the Tsar by General Engineer Corbinier.
But then the unimaginable happened!
The project somehow disappeared without a trace on the eve of its presentation to the Governor General of Moscow D.V. Golitsyn. Architect O.I. Beauvais is urgently preparing new drawings of the building plan with two floors and a sketch of the facade.
In 1820, work began to clear the territory and begin construction of the Bolshoi Theater. By this time, the project of the architect A. Mikhailov had already been approved, which preserved the concept laid down by the architect O.I. Beauvais.
The appearance of the theater in Moscow was influenced by the design of the Bolshoi St. Petersburg Theater, reconstructed in 1805 by the architect Tom de Thomas. The building also featured a sculpted pediment and Ionic columns.
Simultaneously with the construction of the theater, work was underway to enclose the Neglinnaya River in a pipe (it runs from the corner of the Maly Theater building and goes to the Alexander Garden).
The freed “wild stone” with which the river embankment was covered, as well as the steps of the Kuznetsky Bridge, were used for the construction of the Bolshoi Theater. The bases of the columns at the central entrance were made of stone.
The Bolshoi Theater building turned out to be grandiose.
The stage alone occupied an area equal to the area of the entire former Petrovsky Theater, and the walls left after the fire became the frame of this part of the theater. The auditorium was designed for 2200-3000 seats. The theater boxes were supported on cast iron brackets, the weight of which was more than 1 ton. Enfilades of masquerade rooms stretched along both side facades.
The construction of the building took a little over 4 years.
The opening took place on January 6, 1825 with the play “The Triumph of the Muses”, the musical accompaniment for which was written by A. Alyabyev and A. Verstovsky.
In the initial years of its development, the Bolshoi Theater was not a purely musical platform. Representatives of all genres were able to give performances here.
And the name of Teatralnaya Square, on which the Bolshoi Theater stood, did not reflect the essence. At first, it was intended for drill training; it was fenced and entry to it was severely limited.
Over the following years, the theater was constantly reconstructed. This is how separate entrances to the royal and ministerial boxes appeared, the ceiling of the hall was completely rewritten, and artillery chambers were built in place of the masquerade halls. The main stage did not go unnoticed.
In March 1853, a fire started in the theater. A fire began to burn in one of the closets and the fire quickly engulfed the scenery and the theater curtain. Wooden buildings contributed to the rapid spread of the flames and the force of the elements, which subsided only after a few days.
7 people died during the fire. Only thanks to the actions of two servants was it possible to avoid more casualties (they took a group of children who were studying on the main stage of the theater from the fire).
The building was heavily damaged by fire.
The roof and back wall of the stage collapsed. The interior was burnt out. The cast iron columns of the mezzanine boxes melted, and in place of the tiers only metal brackets were visible.
Immediately after the fire, a competition was announced to restore the Bolshoi Theater building. Many famous architects presented their works: A. Nikitin (created designs for many Moscow theaters, took part in the last reconstruction of the building before the fire), K.A. Ton (architect of the Grand Kremlin Palace and the Cathedral of Christ the Savior).
The competition was won by A.K. Kavos, who had more experience in building music halls. He also had a deep knowledge of acoustics.
For better sound reflection, the architect changed the curvature of the hall walls. The ceiling was made flatter and gave the appearance of a guitar soundboard. Under the stalls, they filled in a corridor that had previously served as a dressing room. The walls were covered with wooden panels. All this led to a significant improvement in acoustics, an important component of any theater.
The portal arch of the stage was increased to the width of the hall, and the orchestra pit was deepened and expanded. We reduced the width of the corridors and created outer rooms. The height of the tiers became the same on all floors.
During this reconstruction, a royal box was built and placed opposite the stage. Internal transformations have added comfort to the seats, but at the same time reduced their number.
The curtain for the theater was painted by the then famous artist Kozroe Duzi. The plot was the theme with Prince Pozharsky at the head, who enters the Moscow Kremlin through the gates of the Spasskaya Tower.
The appearance of the building has also undergone changes.
The Bolshoi Theater building has increased in height. An additional pediment was erected above the main portico, which covered an impressive decorative hall. Klodt's quadriga was brought forward a little and it began to hang directly over the colonnade. The side entrances were decorated with cast iron canopies.
More sculptural decorations were added to the external decoration, and decorative niches were built in. The walls were covered with rustication and they were no longer smoothly plastered as before. The podium in front of the entrance was equipped with a ramp for carriages to enter.
By the way, the most common question is: “How many columns does the Bolshoi Theater have?” Their number did not change even after the reconstruction. There were still 8 of them.
The revived theater stopped staging any performances on its stage, but began to limit its repertoire only to ballet and opera performances.
At the end of the century, noticeable cracks appeared on the building. A thorough examination showed that the building needed major repairs and work to strengthen the foundation.
From 1894 until the first years of the new millennium, a grandiose reconstruction of the Bolshoi was carried out: the lighting became completely electric, the heating was switched to steam, and the ventilation system was improved. At the same time, the first telephones appeared in the theater.
The foundation of the building could only be strengthened during the years of Soviet Power, 1921-1925. Supervised the work of I.I. Rerberg is the architect of the Kievsky railway station and the Central Moscow Telegraph.
Reconstruction of the theater is carried out constantly. Our time was no exception.
At the beginning of the third millennium, transformations affected not only the interior decoration and the exterior of the building. The theater began to grow in depth. A new concert hall is located under the current Theater Square.
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