Theaters of the 17th century. History of Russia XVII–XVIII centuries The first court theater appeared during

In Ancient Rus' we will not meet wandering theater actors similar to Western European troupes. Something close to minstrels can only be seen in buffoons, but these jokers did not have a significant impact on Russian professional theater. Its appearance in Russia is associated with the name of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich.

The court of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich was significantly different from its predecessors. It would seem that the way of life of the Moscow autocrat was traditional. But the interiors of his chambers and the external manifestations of palace life no longer resembled the ancient order. One of the main directions in the ideology of the Russian Tsar was the confirmation of him as the “Ecumenical Monarch” - not just the Tsar of the Muscovite Kingdom, but the only Orthodox sovereign (which corresponded to reality), that is, from the point of view of Moscow politicians, the only “true”, “faithful” ruler on earth . Traditionally, the Moscow tsars considered themselves successors to the Byzantine emperors. Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich achieved recognition of this right in the world through diplomatic means, agreeing with the envoys of the Caesar of the Holy Roman Empire Leopold I to write themselves as “brotherhood”. Thus, his equal position with the first monarch in the political hierarchy of Europe was confirmed. This important achievement of Russian diplomacy entailed a number of innovations in the organization of court life.

In the 1660s, by order of Alexei Mikhailovich, the Moscow Kremlin was rebuilt. New elements appear in the decoration of the interiors of palace chambers. In the New Dining Chamber, where official receptions of ambassadors were held, the walls were covered with French trellises, and the ceiling was painted with a picture of the starry sky. In the Kolomensky Palace, the Tsar's country residence, they also painted paintings with zodiacs and seasons - similar motifs would later decorate the famous Peter the Great's Monplaisir in Petrodvorets. Their appearance is not accidental; similar compositions decorated many palaces of European sovereigns.

In country residences - places of recreation and entertainment - gardens with labyrinths and fountains were installed. “Landscape writing” appeared in the decorations of the chambers of the royal towers: paintings on the shutters, copying the real view from the window. Naturally, to carry out all this work, the tsar attracted not only Russian craftsmen, but also foreigners.

A kind of theatricalization of palace life took place in a new style: the tsar played the role of the new “brother” of the Caesar of Rome, and the interiors and faces around him confirmed his true dignity and greatness.

At the court of Alexei Mikhailovich, the court poet-hieromonk Simeon of Polotsk appeared. On the occasion of various celebrations, he recited his panegyrics (poetic “greetings” glorifying the sovereign), sometimes performing them together with his students in person, performing small “performances”.

All this was done as “in other lands” and among “other sovereigns.” It is no coincidence that the Russian bailiffs accompanying the foreign ambassadors, after the tsar’s audiences, asked them what impression the tsar’s court and chambers made on foreigners. The inevitable question was: is everything so with their sovereigns and what unusual, special things did they see? The ambassadors' replies were recorded and reported to the king.

In this joyful atmosphere of the formation of a new palace way of life, the first professional theater in Russia arose. It was as unusual as the copying of European customs and works of art by Moscow people was unusual. The Moscow Tsar's interest in theater appeared already in the 1660s. From the stories of Russian ambassadors, he knew about similar “actions” at the courts of “other sovereigns.” However, attempts then to hire “comedy masters” in the “German Lands” ended unsuccessfully...

PASTOR GREGORY

In 1658, Johann Gottfried Gregory came to Moscow as a teacher at a school at the Lutheran Church. A few years later, he would leave Russia for a short time to return to Germany and receive the title of master of the University of Jena and the position of pastor, in order to return to Russia again as the pastor of a Lutheran church. His biography is practically unknown. He was born in the city of Merseburg in the family of a physician, received a good education, knew Greek, Latin, Hebrew, wrote poetry, like all German students of that time, was interested in theater and, apparently, participated in school plays. The talent of the poet and expert in theater became known to the Moscow authorities in the Ambassadorial Prikaz, with which he was connected not only by his origin and place of residence in Moscow (Deutsche Sloboda), but also by a number of diplomatic assignments he carried out during his trip to Germany. It is very likely that as a teacher in a Lutheran school, Gregory staged plays, as was done in all European schools. The themes of school plays were edifying in nature and were most often based on biblical legends. Such a theater of Jesuits and Protestants was called a school - didactic theater, the main goal of which was to educate and train spectators and actors.

In Moscow, Gregory was seen as a man capable of fulfilling the dream of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich. On June 4, 1672, the royal decree followed: “...to the foreigner Master Yagan Gottfried, make a comedy, and based on the comedy, act from the Bible “The Book of Esther.” While Gregory was writing a play, which was then translated from German into Russian by the translators of the Ambassadorial Prikaz, and his students schools taught it in Russian, in the village of Preobrazhenskoye the construction of the “Comidey Hall” began, the construction of a stage and decorations began.

Then everything was done more thoroughly than in subsequent times. Theatrical props were made from real expensive fabrics. The decorations were executed by masters of “landscape and perspective painting” who worked in the royal chambers. Everything was real.

Alexey Mikhailovich longed for the show as a new outlandish fun, unfamiliar to Moscow people. The actual re-enactment of ancient biblical times on stage was central to the anticipated wonder of the theatre. “Now” was exclaimed so often in the first play! Real persons who had been imprisoned in coffins for two thousand years had to pass before the king, - recited Mamurza, the "orator of the kings" - a special character who explained what was happening on the stage; Before the start of the performance, Mamurza read the preface written for the king, explaining the essence of the theatrical performance.

FIRST PERFORMANCE

On October 17, 1672, the first professional performance took place in Russia. Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich was amazed. For nine hours with the boyars and Duma officials, he continuously followed the “Artaxerxes action.” Tsarina Natalia Kirillovna with the princes and princesses watched the performance from a special room separated from the hall by a grille (not near the Tsar's Majesty - this was the custom in the Moscow state). The Tsar was sitting in a chair, the courtiers were standing (they didn’t dare sit in front of the sovereign!), according to one of his contemporaries, they were silently amazed at what they saw for the entire nine hours, from which it is clear that there were no intermissions at the first performance, although the text of the play “Artaxerxes’ Action” was divided into actions and paintings.

The plot of the play was based on the biblical story of Esther, a humble beauty who attracted the attention of the Persian king Artaxerxes and saved her people from death by becoming his wife.

The first performance amazed the Moscow courtyard. It was repeated several more times: either in the “Comedian Hall” in Preobrazhenskoye, or in a specially constructed room above the Apothecary Prikaz. The Moscow autocrat turned into a theatergoer, and Pastor Gregory became Russia’s first playwright and “theater director.”

At the beginning of 1673, a new performance, “The Holofernes Act” or “Judith,” was given, also based on the biblical narrative: it told how the pagan Holofernes, who besieged her hometown, died at the hands of the beautiful Judith. In November of the same year they also showed “The Comedy of Tobias the Younger”; the text of this play has not survived to this day.

The author of all three works was Pastor Gregory; He also trained actors and staged plays. The choice of subjects was not accidental. Perhaps Gregory was guided by Martin Luther’s advice to choose primarily scenes from the biblical books “Esther”, “Judith”, “Tobias” for popular spectacles. But, apparently, there were other motives. In the Kremlin chambers, especially in the chambers of queens and princesses, we find murals, paintings, and icons on the same subjects. Perhaps, in the opinion of the Moscow sovereign, they were especially suitable for courtiers, for from them “many good teachings... can be learned... in order to stop all villainy and stick to all good things.”

THE DESTINY OF THE THEATER

In 1675, Pastor Gregory fell ill and died on February 16 of the same year. With his death, the activity of the court theater did not stop. Management of the theater passed to the translator of the Ambassadorial Prikaz, Yuri Mikhailovich Givner (Gibner) (Georg Hübner). He was a native of Saxony and went to Poland in 1649. in 1656, during the Russian-Polish war for Ukraine, he was captured, then settled in Moscow, was a teacher of Latin and German in the German settlement. At the very beginning of the “comedy business,” Givner became one of Gregory’s assistants. Based on various sources, he compiled the play “Temir-Aksakov Action” - a drama about Tamerlane, who defeated Sultan Bayazet, and staged it.

In 1675 - 1676, Stepan Chizhinsky, a Polish nobleman, teacher and translator of the Ambassadorial Prikaz, who carried out a number of diplomatic assignments, sent as a messenger to European countries, and the author of the translation and preface of the first scientific book on astronomy in Russia, began to take an active part in the “sovereign comedy business.” Selenography" by John Hevelius, according to which Peter I studied this science. He wrote a play about "Bacchus and Venus" (the text of which has not survived to this day) and a ballet with arias "Orpheus", for which young men were specially trained.

The court poet Simeon of Polotsk also wrote plays for the court theater: “The Comedy of the Parable of the Prodigal Son” and “About King Nechadnezzar, about the golden body and the three youths who were not burned in the cave.”

In 1676, Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich died, and with him the first Russian professional theater ceased to exist. Under his successor, Tsar Fyodor Alekseevich, “all comedy supplies” were ordered to be kept under wraps.

Thus the “new fun” of the Russian court ended. It would seem that the first theater was forgotten, but the example of edifying entertainment lived on for a long time.

Apparently in 1685 interest arose in Simeon of Polotsk's play about the Prodigal Son. This year dates back to a popular folk book printed from engraved copper boards (the image and text were applied to them with a special cutter, then the indentations were filled with paint and imprinted on a special machine - printed). Her illustrations present us with an unusual scene: people in German clothes and spectators. Perhaps the real heroes of the 17th century stage had similar costumes. There is nothing unusual about this. The 17th century theater presented a revived picture of a past life. Long-dead heroes ran and shouted and joked. Their appearance was unlike the traditionally calm, magnificent structure of Russian miniatures and icons. The heroes were “alive”, dynamic - after all, the tsar himself and his entourage spent their lives actively, in worries and labors, just as decades later Tsar Peter would demand that his subjects live. In this sense, the style of behavior of the heroes of the stage of the court theater was ahead of the era, showing what in real life they were still afraid of, but what Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich demanded from his subordinates, who lived by the motto “time for business - time for fun,” the author of which he himself was.

"German" biblical heroes are not an accident on the Russian stage. The same faces appeared in the paintings of temples and icon paintings, which copied the illustrated Bibles of the Dutch publisher Piscator, the Frankfurt Merian, and others. Their images were just as dynamic, “alive,” as Tsar Alexei demanded of his subjects. Thus, the first Russian performances really reflected, in general, the artistic and psychological aspirations of the Moscow court, its interest in Western European culture and life and, at the same time, cautious caution both towards the art and life of non-Christians - Catholics and Protestants...

The court theater of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich did not remain just a historical fact; School theaters of seminaries and theological academies trace their history back to him, influencing the formation and emergence of secular public theater in Russia.

The emergence of the court theater of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich coincided with the birth of Peter I (1672), who saw its last performances as a child. In 1702 - 1703, by decree of Peter I, a public theater was opened in Moscow, the “Comidian Temple” - a large building that gathered up to 500 people; it was located near the Nikolskaya Tower of the Moscow Kremlin. The directors and actors in it were mainly foreigners, but Russian actors also performed with them.

Like her father, the sister of Peter I, Tsarevna Natalia Alekseevna, maintained her own theater.
The almost forgotten example of the court theater of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, however, made itself felt. All the rulers of Russia took care of their own court theater, and since the time of Anna Ioannovna, also of the public one. Following the imperial family, Russian bars and directors of educational institutions took care of the prosperity of theatrical art in their palaces and estates.

In 1759, by imperial decree, actors Fyodor Volkov and Yakov Shumsky went to Moscow to organize a public theater. In Moscow they saw it already existing. Giovanni Battista Locatelli and his Italian troupe regularly gave public performances. The theater was run by the director of Moscow University, Mikhail Matveevich Kheraskov, who himself wrote plays for it. Russian actors were also invited to the theater; among them were university students. It was in this theater that the later famous playwright and writer Fonvizin began his career as an actor (they were recruited from students to play in Russian plays).

Public theaters. .(see question 7)

The first public professional theater in Russia appeared under Peter I. For its performances, a special wooden building was built on Red Square and a troupe of German actors was invited under the direction of I. Kunst. The theater did not exist for long (1702–1706), however, it managed to introduce viewers to a number of plots and images of world drama and arouse public interest in this type of spectacle. The beginning of theatrical performances at the courts of Tsarevna Natalya Alekseevna in Preobrazhenskoe and Tsarina Praskovya Feodorovna in Izmailovo dates back to 1707.

the organizers and participants were “people of various ranks” - “clerks, copyists, even solicitors, along with the courtyard people.” Back in the 1730s. Cadets of the Land Noble Corps began to give theatrical performances, and in the 1750s, immediately after the founding of Moscow University, a student theater arose there too. These last two theaters played a significant role in the formation of theatrical culture in Russia and the formation of the national Russian theater. A.P. left the Gentry Corps. Sumarokov and M.M. Kheraskov, from the University - D.I. Fonvizin, M.I. Popov, P.A. Plavilshchikov and a number of other playwrights who laid the foundations of the national theatrical repertoire.

The emergence of the first professional Russian theater is closely connected with the names of Alexander Petrovich Sumarokov (1717–1777) and Fyodor Grigorievich Volkov (1729–1763).

In 1702, a state public theater opened in Moscow, where a German troupe played, led first by I. Kunst, then by O. Fürst. After some time, the troupe was replenished with Russian actors who were trained at the same theater.

The theater's repertoire consisted of works by German authors of the 17th century, as well as Calderon and Moliere in ponderous translations. Performances were most often given in German. Russian actors, sent to foreigners for training, complained to the tsar about the carelessness and negligence of their mentors. In 1706 the theater ceased to exist.

The German theater of I. Mann, which performed in St. Petersburg in 1719, also did not live up to expectations. His repertoire was dominated by crude comedies and tragedies with bloodshed and murder.

Court theaters.

At that time the state was ruled Alexey Mikhailovich. The Tsar was very fond of various entertainment events, therefore, having heard Artemon Sergeevich Matveev’s proposal to try to create a court theater, he approved of his idea and agreed. In the spring of 1672, preparations and organization of the first theater began in Russia. The location for the first performance was the attic of Boyar Morozov. While work was going on to equip the theater, Artemon Sergeevich suggested that the pastor of the German settlement, Johann Gottfried Gregory, start recruiting an acting troupe. Actors had to not only be found, but also trained. Gregory recruited a troupe of 60 men and immediately began training them. In addition to working with actors, he was also involved in directing and dramaturgy.

In 1675, Johann Gregory, who was the leader and devoted all his time to the theater, died. And at the beginning of 1676, Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich also died. After the death of the king court theater also ceases to exist.

At the end of the 17th century, a court theater first appeared in Russia. The idea of creating a theater came to the head of the Ambassadorial Prikaz, Artemon Sergeevich Matveev. Artemon Sergeevich was a very educated man and an outstanding personality. Being a great statesman, he did his best to promote art and secular literature in society.

At that time, the state was ruled by Alexei Mikhailovich. The Tsar was very fond of various entertainment events, therefore, having heard Artemon Sergeevich Matveev’s proposal to try to create a court theater, he approved of his idea and agreed. In the spring of 1672, preparations and organization of the first theater began in Russia. The location for the first performance was the attic of Boyar Morozov. While work was going on to equip the theater, Artemon Sergeevich suggested that the pastor of the German settlement, Johann Gottfried Gregory, start recruiting an acting troupe. Actors had to not only be found, but also trained. Gregory recruited a troupe of 60 men and immediately began training them. In addition to working with actors, he was also involved in directing and dramaturgy.

On June 4, a royal decree was sent, which stated that the foreigner Johann Gottfried would stage a comedy, the plot of which was to be based on a plot from the Bible. But most importantly, the king made it clear that a new theater should be built for this action.

Immediately, urgent work began on the construction of a new theater in the Tsar’s residence near Moscow, namely in the village of Preobrazhenskoye. Gregory tried very hard to do everything in the best possible way. A huge amount of money was invested in the theater. Matveev personally observed the interior decoration of the premises, the costumes of the actors and the scenery. The costumes for the actors were very rich, and the scenery was painted by the best painters. Gregory was involved in the dramatization of the biblical story. He was helped by two residents of the German settlement, Yagan Paltsev and Yuri Givner. It was Yuri Givner who took over the management of the theater after Gregory’s death in 1675. But more on that later.

We worked all summer to create the theater and rehearse the play. On October 17, 1672, the long-awaited theater opened and the first performance took place. The tsar himself and all his fellow boyars were present at this important event. The queen and her court ladies were in a special box.

The first performance lasted ten hours, but the king watched it all to the end and was very pleased. When the performance was over, the audience immediately went to the bathhouse, as they believed that after such an “action” it was necessary to wash away all their sins. The theater was called a “disgrace” at that time. People thought that even as spectators they had incurred a great sin. Many people did not like the performance. Although this may have been due to the fact that the boyars stood on their feet throughout the performance.

In 1673 some changes took place. The theater was moved to another room, which was located above the Apothecary Chamber of the Kremlin. The cast of actors has also been replenished.

The performances of the first theater were based on biblical motifs. Plays with a mythological plot were also staged, for example, “The Comedy of Bacchus with Venus.” The term “comedy” at that time was understood as a dramatic work, so comedies were pitiful with a tragic ending or funny with a joyful ending.

Origins of Russian theater

The Russian people have always been famous for their ability to diversify their leisure time. Since ancient times, fairs and holidays have been held in Rus', at which buffoons became the main characters. This is what people called artists, among whom were singers, musicians, and actors.

Typically, theatrical performances were timed to coincide with some church or folk holiday. However, over time, celebrations could be held without any reason. Buffoons were people without shelter or money; they often gathered in separate groups and walked around cities and villages in order to earn money. In their performances they used various musical instruments (pipes, harps), dolls, and homemade costumes.

A little later, when artists came to a new city, they erected a special building on its square where they lived and received spectators. Such a building began to be called a booth, and subsequently all theatrical performances received the same name. The repertoire of buffoons included social satire, jokes, ballads, and fairy tales.

And although with the advent of real theater the attitude towards booths became sharply negative and negative, we must not forget about the influence that Old Russian entertainment had on the development of the theater.

Elements of theater that emerged from folk performances

Since theater in the 17th century in Russia was just beginning its long journey, many elements and details were adopted from buffoons and taken from folk performances.

Firstly, these are theater premises. The first such hall was the Amusement Chamber, where buffoons were invited to perform since 1613. Such performances could not be fully called theater, because they were of a circus nature with an abundance of humor and various tricks.

Secondly, the stage. During their performances, buffoons gathered a large crowd of people around them, and there was a need to demonstrate their talents on some kind of eminence so that all people could see it. The first stages were built to show puppet theater performances.

Thirdly, oral dramas. Buffoons performed works written by the people. This is how the famous hero Parsley was born.

17th century court theater

Even Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich, during his reign, thought about creating a court theater. However, to implement this idea, foreign specialists were needed, since in Rus' there were still no noble playwrights and artists capable of serving Melpomene with dignity.

In 1644, a troupe of actors arrived in Russia from Strasbourg and spent a month preparing their performance. However, for unknown reasons, they were expelled from the country.

A full-fledged theater appeared in Russia in the 17th century under Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich. The idea was voiced by boyar Artamon Matveev, who often visited Europe and saw what art could be. The first Russian theater of the 17th century began its work in 1672.

A pastor from a German settlement, Johann Gottfried Gregory, on Matveev’s orders, gathered a troupe of actors consisting of men and boys in a few weeks and gave them lessons in dramatic art. He also wrote the first play based on the biblical tales of Esther.

A real theater stage was built in the village of Preobrazhenskoye. The performance premiered on October 17. The performance lasted ten hours, but the Tsar, the boyars, and the Tsarina with their retinue sat through to the end.

In 1673, the theater stage was moved to the Kremlin. The playwright was well rewarded for his work and hastened to begin writing a new play. This time he wrote about Judith, also using a biblical story. Theater in the 17th century in Russia became the main entertainment of the tsar.

After Gregory's death in 1675, his assistant Givner became the head of the court theater, who created several successful dramatic productions. However, the Russian court theater of the 17th century ceased to exist in 1676, after the death of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich.

School theater

Theater in the 17th century in Russia was just beginning its rapid development, including at religious educational institutions. This became possible with the feasible participation of the church, which sought to strengthen its position among the people.

The first school theaters were opened at the Kiev-Mohyla and Slavic-Greek-Latin Academy. The repertoire was based on performances on religious themes, but there was also room for sideshows. Satire affected the interests of the clergy, and eventually school theaters ceased to exist towards the 18th century.

School theater also influenced tradition. The sideshow became the prototype of modern comedy. The actors obeyed the principles of classicism in their productions, and also used symbols, including in items of clothing.

Foreign tours

Theater in the 17th century in Russia adopted invaluable experience from foreign touring troupes from Italy, Prussia and France. Thanks to them, the triumph of spiritual thought was achieved; they were sources of social and creative development.

With the coming to power of Fyodor Alekseevich, theater, painting, and music of the 17th century were doomed to long stagnation, since the new tsar had little interest in art. But fate decreed that his reign would not last long.

Peter the Great, who ascended the throne, gave a new round to the development of theater and art in general in Russia.

IMPERIAL THEATERS, Russian theaters that were under the direct subordination and patronage of the imperial court and its maintenance. These included court and public theaters. The first court theater appeared in 1672 at the court of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich (lasted until 1676). The first public theater was opened under Tsar Peter I in Moscow in 1702 (existed until 1707). In the 1720s, a significant staff of musicians was established at the court, and at the end of 1731 an Italian troupe was sent to Moscow. In the mid-1730s, all the court artists - comedy, sideshow, opera and ballet - united under the name "Italian Company" (not all were Italians, but mostly "from foreigners"). In 1740, a German comedy troupe under the direction of K. Neuber was supported by the imperial court for about a year, and in 1742 the “French Comedy” was assigned to the court. Gradually, domestic performers began to penetrate the Italian Company: in 1738, the first Russian dance school was established and a Russian ballet troupe appeared. On 30.8 (10.9). 1756, the “Russian Theater for the Presentation of Tragedies and Comedies” was established, which laid the foundation for the national professional dramatic art (and the continuous existence of the imperial public theater). The difference between the court and public imperial theaters was that the courtiers, being completely subordinate to the imperial court, gave performances primarily for a narrow, court circle of spectators. Sometimes ordinary nobles were allowed into the court theater, and in special cases, “noble merchants”, and court ceremonial etiquette was necessarily observed: dress code, placement of spectators according to rank, etc. Almost all classes had access to public imperial theaters for money. The imperial theaters were financially supported by the treasury: actors and other servants were paid guaranteed salaries, performances were staged in premises owned by the treasury. But, despite this, the existence of the first Russian public imperial theater was very difficult both from the material and organizational side. As a result, the first director of the theater, A.P. Sumarokov, achieved in 1759 his transfer to the court department (with all the features of the activities of the court theater, that is, a limitation of the circle of spectators, a certain repertoire policy, strict subordination to court life, etc., but at the same time “particular caretakers” were ordered to be “allowed in without money from now on”).

In 1766, Empress Catherine II established the Directorate of Imperial Theaters, which united all court troupes and orchestras under the leadership of director I. P. Elagin, who developed “Staff for all theaters, chambers, and ballroom music belonging to the people.” This first “State” included: opera and chamber music, ballet, ballroom music, French theater, Russian theater, people belonging to the theater and artisans. The period of compulsory service for the main categories of artists was set at 10 years, after which they could retire (but not all actors were entitled to it and were approved by the imperial cabinet). There were students at the orchestra, ballet and Russian troupes. In 1779 V.I. Bibikov was appointed director of the imperial theater. In 1782, an attempt was made to reorganize the management of the imperial theater, since the deficit in the Directorate's budget had reached significant proportions. In this regard, in 1783 in St. Petersburg, instead of the Directorate, a Committee was created to manage spectacles and music, with a collegial form of management. At this time, there were three types of theaters in St. Petersburg: the Hermitage - a closed court theater; Bolshoi (Kamenny) - a public court where free performances were held, where the public entered, as before, with tickets from the Court Office and were seated “by rank” (here, sometimes performances were given “for the people for money”, as in the city theater ); The Maly (Wooden) Theater on Tsaritsyn Meadow is a public city theater (but subordinate to the Committee), where spectators entered “for money” by buying tickets. At the beginning of 1784, the “Legalization of the Committee for those belonging to the Court Theater” was developed, containing 16 points, most of which related to actors. It was stipulated how many days and weeks were given to study large and small roles, how many “auditions” to arrange for plays, how and with what to fine for failure to appear and being late for auditions and performances, which dress the actor should have his own, and which from the theater storeroom, and etc. In 1786, the Committee was replaced by the Main Directorate for shows and music, headed by director S. F. Strekalov; in 1791-1799 this position was held by N.B. Yusupov, in 1799 - by N.P. Sheremetev (see the article Sheremetevs), in 1799-1819 - by L.N. Naryshkin (see in the article Naryshkins). In 1805, after the fire of the Moscow Petrovsky Theater, when Moscow was left without a public theater, and the troupe without a building and means of subsistence, Naryshkin submitted the highest petition to annex the Moscow Theater to the Imperial Directorate.

In 1806, an imperial theater was established in Moscow, which was under the jurisdiction of the general St. Petersburg Directorate. New actors were added to the old troupe of the Petrovsky Theater, mainly serfs bought from their owners (in particular, from A.E. Stolypin), and Pashkov’s house was rented for performances (at the corner of Bolshaya Nikitskaya and Mokhovaya streets). At the beginning of 1808, a new building of the Imperial Theater was built in Moscow on Arbat Square; Theater school opened; in August 1808, the “Staff of the Moscow Imperial Theater” was signed and the Office was established. In 1823, the Moscow Directorate of the Imperial Theater was separated from St. Petersburg and transferred to the authority of the Moscow Governor-General, and in 1824 a common Directorate of Imperial Theaters was re-established for both capitals, subordinate to the Ministry of the Imperial Household. In 1824 the Maly and in 1825 the Bolshoi theaters were opened in Moscow. In 1839, a new Regulation on the artists of the imperial theaters was introduced, which determined their professional, financial and social status, a system of rewards and punishments, as well as a new system of payment of pensions, which now relied on: Russian subjects - for 20 years of blameless service, and foreigners - for 10 -year-old Since 1881, reforms were being prepared in the theater department. One of the commissions “on the artificial part” included prominent theater figures: A. N. Ostrovsky, D. V. Averkiev, A. A. Potekhin, E. F. Napravnik and others.

In 1882, a number of transformations took place: on March 24 (April 5), an imperial decree was signed on the abolition of the monopoly of imperial theaters in the capitals, where the freedom of private theatrical enterprises had previously been allowed only in exceptional cases and was subject to a large fee in favor of the Directorate of Imperial Theaters. In the imperial theaters themselves, a new “Staff” was established, the system of payment and remuneration for artists was changed, the editing part was updated and the artistic level of the “ambience” of plays was raised, and rules for the consideration of plays were established; a Theater and Literary Committee was created (with two branches - Moscow and St. Petersburg), etc. In 1886, A. N. Ostrovsky was appointed head of the repertoire of the Moscow imperial theaters, who sought to remove the Moscow Directorate from the control of the St. Petersburg Directorate. In 1888, the Regulations on Imperial Theater Schools were issued: theater schools with a ballet department, drama courses and opera classes were established in each capital. At the beginning of the 20th century, the imperial theaters included: in St. Petersburg - the Alexandrinsky, Mariinsky and Mikhailovsky theaters; in Moscow - Bolshoi, Maly, and also the New Theater (1898-1907). The total staff of the imperial theaters by this time was 3 thousand people; the budget exceeded 4 million rubles per year. The position of director of the imperial theaters was held by: A. A. Maikov (1821-25), S. S. Gagarin (1829-33; see the article Gagarins), A. M. Gedeonov (1834-58), A. I. Saburov ( 1858-1862), S. A. Gedeonov (1867-75), I. A. Vsevolozhsky (1881-99), S. M. Volkonsky (1899-1901), V. A. Telyakovsky (1901-17). After 1917, the imperial theaters became part of the general system of state theaters.

Lit.: Taneyev S.V. From the past of the imperial theaters. St. Petersburg, 1885. Issue. 1; Archive of the Directorate of Imperial Theaters. St. Petersburg, 1892; Yearbook of the Imperial Theatres. Season 1891-1892. St. Petersburg, 1893; Drizen N.V. The hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the imperial theaters. St. Petersburg, 1906; Pogozhee V.P. Centenary of the organization of imperial Moscow theaters. St. Petersburg, 1906-1908. T. 1-3; Telyakovsky V. A. Imperial theaters and 1905. L., 1926; aka. Memories. L.; M., 1965; aka. Diaries of the director of the imperial theaters. 1898-1901. Moscow. M., 1998; aka. Diaries of the director of the imperial theaters. 1901-1903. Saint Petersburg. M., 2002; aka. Diaries of the director of the imperial theaters. 1903-1906. Saint Petersburg. M., 2006.

Public theaters. .(see question 7)

In the middle of the 18th century. Interest in theatrical performances in various strata of Russian society is expressed in the emergence of semi-professional democratic theaters both in the capital and in many cities of the country. This was facilitated by the government’s permission in 1750 to organize “parties with decent music” and present “Russian comedies” in private homes. Their organizers and participants were “people of various ranks” - “clerks, copyists, even solicitors, along with the courtyard people.” Back in the 1730s. Cadets of the Land Noble Corps began to give theatrical performances, and in the 1750s, immediately after the founding of Moscow University, a student theater arose there too. These last two theaters played a significant role in the formation of theatrical culture in Russia and the formation of the national Russian theater. A.P. left the Gentry Corps. Sumarokov and M.M. Kheraskov, from the University - D.I. Fonvizin, M.I. Popov, P.A. Plavilshchikov and a number of other playwrights who laid the foundations of the national theatrical repertoire.

The emergence of the first professional Russian theater is closely connected with the names of Alexander Petrovich Sumarokov (1717–1777) and Fyodor Grigorievich Volkov (1729–1763).

The German theater of I. Mann, which performed in St. Petersburg in 1719, also did not live up to expectations. His repertoire was dominated by crude comedies and tragedies with bloodshed and murder.

Court theaters.

In 1673 some changes took place. The theater was moved to another room, which was located above the Apothecary Chamber of the Kremlin. The cast of actors has also been replenished.

His courtyard was significantly different from its predecessors. At first glance, the way of life of the Moscow autocrat was traditional. But the interiors of his chambers and the external manifestations of palace life no longer corresponded to the ancient order.

One of the main directions in the ideology of the Russian Tsar was the confirmation of him as the “Ecumenical Monarch” - not just the Tsar of the Moscow Kingdom, but the only Orthodox sovereign (which corresponded to reality). That is, from the point of view of Moscow politicians, the only “true”, “faithful” ruler on earth.

In the 1660s, by decree of the Tsar, the Moscow Kremlin was rebuilt. New elements are appearing in the interiors of country residences. Gardens with labyrinths and fountains were built. The Tsar played the role of the new “brother” of the Caesar of Rome, and the interiors and faces around him confirmed his true dignity and greatness.

The court poet-hieromonk Simeon of Polotsk appeared at court. On the occasion of various festivals, he recited his panegyrics (poems glorifying the sovereign), sometimes performing them together with his students in person, performing small performances.

In this joyful atmosphere of the formation of a new palace way of life, the first professional theater in Russia arose. The Moscow Tsar's interest in theater appeared already in the 1660s. From the stories of Russian ambassadors, he knew about similar “actions” at the courts of foreign sovereigns. However, attempts then to hire “masters of comedy” in the “German Lands” ended unsuccessfully...

In 1658, Johann Gottfried Gregory came to Moscow as a teacher at a school at the Lutheran Church. A few years later, he would leave Russia for a short time to receive the title of Master of the University of Jena and the position of pastor in Germany and return to Russia in this capacity.

His biography is practically unknown. He was born in the city of Merseburg in the family of a doctor, received a good education, knew Greek, Latin, Hebrew, wrote poetry, like all German students of that time, was interested in theater and, apparently, participated in school plays.

It is very likely that, as a teacher in a Lutheran school, Gregory staged plays, as was done in all European schools. The themes of school plays were edifying in nature and were most often based on biblical legends. Such a theater of Jesuits and Protestants was called a school - didactic theater, the main goal of which was to educate and train spectators and actors.

In Moscow, Gregory was seen as a man capable of fulfilling the Tsar’s dream of a theater. In 1672, a royal decree followed: “...to a foreigner, Master Yagan Gottfried, make a comedy, and based on the comedy, act from the Bible “The Book of Esther.” While Gregory was writing a play, which was then translated from German into Russian, and the students of his school were learning it, In the village of Preobrazhenskoye, construction began on the "Comedian Mansion" and the arrangement of the stage and decorations.

Theatrical props were made from real expensive fabrics. The decorations were made by craftsmen who worked in the royal chambers. Alexey Mikhailovich longed for the show as a new outlandish fun, unfamiliar to Moscow people. The actual re-enactment of ancient biblical times on stage was central to the anticipated wonder of the theatre.

"Now!" So often exclaimed in the first play! Real persons who had been “imprisoned in coffins for two thousand years” had to pass before the king. Mamurza is a special character who explains what is happening on stage; Before the start of the performance, I read the preface written for the Tsar, which explained the essence of the theatrical performance.

On October 17, 1672, the first professional performance took place in Russia. The king was amazed. For nine hours with the boyars and Duma officials, he continuously followed the “Artaxerxes action.” Tsarina Natalia Kirillovna with the princes and princesses watched the performance from a special room separated from the hall by a grille (as was customary in the Moscow state).

The king sat in a chair, the courtiers stood, all nine hours (the play was long, divided into several parts, but there was no intermission) silently surprised at what they saw.

The plot of the play is a biblical story about Esther, a humble beauty who attracted the attention of the Persian king Artaxerxes and saved her people from death by becoming his wife.

The first performance amazed the Moscow courtyard. It was repeated several more times. At the beginning of 1673, a new performance, “The Holofernes Act” or “Judith,” was given, also based on the biblical narrative: it told how the pagan Holofernes, who besieged her hometown, died at the hands of the beautiful Judith.

In 1675-76, Stepan Chizhinsky, a Polish nobleman, teacher and translator of the Ambassadorial Prikaz, began to take an active part in the theater business. The court poet Simeon of Polotsk also wrote plays for the court theater: “The Comedy of the Parable of the Prodigal Son” and “About King Nechadnezzar, about the golden body and the three youths who were not burned in the cave.”

In 1676, Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich died, and with him the first Russian professional theater ceased to exist. Under his successor, Tsar Fyodor, “comedian supplies” were ordered to be kept under wraps.

The first Russian performances actually reflected, in general, the artistic and psychological aspirations of the Moscow court, its interest in Western European culture and life and, at the same time, cautious caution both towards the art and the life of non-Christians - Catholics and Protestants...

But the court theater of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich did not remain just a historical fact. School theaters of seminaries and theological academies trace their history back to him, influencing the formation and emergence of secular public theater in Russia.

Later, all the rulers of Russia took care of their own court theater, and from the time of Anna Ioannovna, also of the public one. Following the imperial family, Russian landowners and directors of educational institutions took care of the prosperity of theatrical art in their palaces and estates.

In 1759, by imperial decree, actors Fyodor Volkov and Yakov Shumsky went to Moscow to organize a public theater. The theater they created was run by the director of Moscow University, Mikhail Matveevich Kheraskov, who himself wrote plays for it. Among the actors in the theater were university students. It was in this theater that the later famous playwright and writer Fonvizin began his career as an actor (they were recruited from students to play in Russian plays).