The size of the main stage of the Bolshoi Theatre. The history of the building of the State Academic Bolshoi Theater (GABT)

In continuation of a series of stories about the world's opera houses, I want to tell you 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 in Russia and one of the largest opera and ballet theaters in the world. Located in the center of Moscow, on Theater Square. The Bolshoi Theater is one of the main assets of the city of Moscow

The birth 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 in Petrovskaya Street, in the parish of the Church of the Savior in Spear. By the vigilant labors of Medox, in five months, was built Grand Theatre, according to the plan of the architect Rozberg, which cost 130,000 rubles. The 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 the invasion of Napoleon. In 1821, the construction of the theater began on the original site according to the project of O. Bove and A. Mikhailov.

The theater opened on January 6, 1825 with a performance of 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. Within three years, the Bolshoi Theater was restored under the guidance of the architect A.K. Kavos. Instead of the alabaster sculpture of Apollo that died in the fire, a bronze quadriga by Peter Klodt was placed above the entrance portico. The theater was reopened on August 20, 1856.

In 1895, a major overhaul of the theater building was carried out, after which many wonderful operas were staged in the theater, such as Mussorgsky's Boris Godunov, Rimsky-Korsakov's The Maid of Pskov with Chaliapin as Ivan the Terrible and many others. In 1921-1923, another reconstruction of the theater building took place, 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 masters 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 a Brass Band. At the time of the creation of the theater, 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. So, at different times, the troupe included Mikhail Shchepkin and Pavel Mochalov, who sang in operas by Cherubini, Verstovsky and other composers

Throughout the history of the Bolshoi Theater of Moscow, its artists, apart from admiration and gratitude from the public, have repeatedly received various recognition from the state. During the Soviet period, more than 80 of them received the title of People's Artists of the USSR, the Stalin and Lenin Prizes, eight were awarded the title of Heroes of Socialist Labor. Among the soloists of the theater 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, Eisen, E. Kibkalo, Vishnevskaya, Milashkina, Sinyavskaya, Kasrashvili, Atlantov, Nesterenko, Obraztsova and others.
Of the singers of the younger generation who came to the fore in the 80-90s, I. Morozov, P. Glubokoy, Kalinina, Matorin, Shemchuk, Rautio, Tarashchenko, N. Terentyeva should be noted. Major conductors Altani, Suk, Cooper, Samosud, Pazovsky, Golovanov, Melik-Pashaev, Nebolsin, Khaikin, Kondrashin, Svetlanov, Rozhdestvensky, Rostropovich worked at the Bolshoi Theater. He performed here as a conductor Rachmaninov (1904-06). 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 Comische Opera (1965)

Bolshoi Theater repertoire

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

The Bolshoi Theater hosted world premieres of Tchaikovsky's operas The Voyevoda (1869), Mazeppa (1884), 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 seek the opportunity to participate in performances of the Bolshoi Theater. The names of F. Chaliapin, L. Sobinov, A. Nezhdanova are becoming widely known all over the world. In 1912 Fyodor Chaliapin staged Mussorgsky's opera Khovanshchina at the Bolshoi Theatre.

In the photo Fedor 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 in the performance of operas a combination of ardent temperament with fine orchestral decoration. Rachmaninoff improves the organization of the conductor's work - so, thanks to Rachmaninov, the conductor's stand, which was previously located behind the orchestra (facing the stage), is transferred to its modern place.

In the photo Sergei Vasilyevich Rachmaninov

The first years after the revolution of 1917 are characterized by the struggle to preserve the Bolshoi Theater as such and, secondarily, 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 for the destruction of the 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, Mussorgsky. In 1927, director V. Lossky created a new version of Boris Godunov. Operas by Soviet composers are staged - "Trilby" by A. Yurasovsky (1924), "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 the Mtsensk District was held with great success with the public. However, this work, highly appreciated around the world, causes sharp discontent at the top. The well-known article "Muddle instead of Music", authored by Stalin, caused 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, where Galina Ulanova shone. In subsequent years, the Bolshoi Theater turns to the work of the composers of the "fraternal countries" - Czechoslovakia, Poland and Hungary, and also reviews the productions of classical Russian operas (new productions of "Eugene Onegin", "Sadko", "Boris Godunov", "Khovanshchina" and many other). Most of these productions were staged 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 Opera

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


At present, the repertoire of the Bolshoi Theater has retained many classical productions of opera and ballet performances, but at the same time the theater is striving for new experiments. Directors who have already gained fame as film directors are involved in the work on operas. Among them are A. Sokurov, T. Chkheidze, E. Nyakroshus and others. Some of the new productions of the Bolshoi Theater caused disapproval of a part of the public and honored masters of the Bolshoi. Thus, the scandal accompanied the staging of L. Desyatnikov's opera "Children of Rosenthal" (2005), in connection with the reputation of the author of the libretto, the 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 stage of the Bolshoi, where such performances take place. At the same time, the mentioned performances, in spite of everything, have their fans.

In total, there are about 3,800 - 3,900 seats that can accommodate lovers of the classics at the same time: ballet, opera, classical music, enjoying the atmosphere of intimacy and elitism of what is happening on the stages and in the auditoriums of the Bolshoi ... Ask: "where did so many theater seats come from ?" Let's count:

1. Historical (Main) stage, numbering up to 2.5 thousand seats, intended for lovers and admirers of musical, classical productions. The visiting card of the theatre, where theatre-goers, newcomers, "pioneers" of the Bolshoi strive to first see and taste the symbiosis of golden monograms on a red background, and then immerse themselves in the magic of the production itself. In secret, but for the first time being in the Bolshoi, it is the interior of the historical stage that "knocks out" the newcomer, if some statistical research is carried out, the performance begins after ... when the first portion of impressions has already been received.
2. A new (main? Rather, also yes) stage, which during the reconstruction of the historical "stage" managed to cope with the repertoire of the theater. But still inferior in scope and spaciousness, providing its performances for viewing by about 1.0 thousand theatergoers.
3. And the third hall is the Beethoven Hall, designed for 320 people. With such a simple addition, we calculated how many people can simultaneously receive a portion of art, provided that there are performances or concerts at all the venues of the Bolshoi.

Since we figured out the number of seats, we can proceed to the recommendations for choosing the right chair. Here the recommendation will be subjective, because in the end everyone feels a good location for himself in the auditorium. So, if you go to the ballet, then the best view of the action will be from the seats of the amphitheater and a little higher, but not the 4th row of the balcony, where mostly students sit. In the parterre, you will not see the pattern of constructions well enough, for which a slightly higher view is desirable, but the opera is both the parterre and slightly higher places above it. The second point is to buy tickets to the central sectors so that the stage is exactly in front of your eyes. The side view, where the boxes are usually located, somewhat blurs the overall picture of the performance, you see what is happening in a somewhat distorted image. But symphony concerts can be watched and listened to anywhere, here it is not so important where you sit.

An important point is the cost of tickets, and they are not the cheapest to the Bolshoi Theater. The parterre with performances on the historical or new stage goes within 14-15 thousand rubles, the balcony, of course, is the "cheapest", about 5-6 thousand rubles .. If you choose between scenes, then the New Stage has practically no places with "poor" visibility, while the historical one has such limitations. But so the stage in its history has the right to do so, right? The most economical option is a visit to the Beethoven Hall, with a price policy of 3.5 thousand rubles, but here the music, not the ballet, is visible from everywhere. Therefore, choose what is closer to you and get the coveted ticket.

P.S. A little secret: during evening performances, on the monitor installed on the facade of the theater, there is an online broadcast of the performance that is on stage, and rows of chairs are placed in the square for the convenience of street viewers. For some reason, there are few compatriots among the audience, more and more foreigners, who already in the afternoon begin to quietly take their seats, so that in the evening they can comfortably, albeit outside the auditorium, but find themselves at the evening extravaganza of the Bolshoi Theater. This is an alternative for those who love classical performances, but finances do not allow it...

The Bolshoi Theater in Moscow, located in the center of the capital, on Theater Square, is one of the symbols of Russia, 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 have been 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. The world premieres of operas by Tchaikovsky and Rachmaninov, Prokofiev and Arensky took place here. The great Rachmaninoff conducted here.

Bolshoi Theater in Moscow - history

In March 1736, the provincial prosecutor, Prince Pyotr Vasilyevich Urusov, began the construction of a theater building on the right bank of the Neglinka River, at 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, the theater building was completed by his partner, the English businessman Michael Medox. It was the first professional theatre. 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 ballet-pantomime "Magic Shop" staged by J. Paradise was shown. Ballets with a national flavor, such as Village Simplicity, Gypsy Ballet and The Capture of Ochakov, were especially popular with the audience. Basically, the ballet troupe was formed by pupils of the ballet school of the Moscow Orphanage and the serf actors of the troupe of E. Golovkina. This building has served 25 years. It died in a fire in 1805. The new building, built under the direction of C. Rossi on Arbat Square, also burned down in 1812.

According to the project of A. Mikhailov in 1821-1825. a new theatrical building is being built in the same place. The construction was supervised by the architect O. Bove. It has grown considerably in size. Therefore, at that time it was called the Bolshoi Theater. On January 6, 1825, the performance "The Triumph of the Muses" was given here. After a fire in March 1853, the building was restored for three years. The work was supervised by the architect A. Kavos. As contemporaries wrote, the appearance of the building "captivated the eye with the proportion of parts in which lightness was combined with grandeur." This is how it has come down to our days. In 1937 and in 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 The Snow Maiden.

Bolshoi Theater - architecture

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

Five tiers of the auditorium can accommodate more than 2100 spectators. According to 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, the width is 26.3 meters, and the height is 21 meters. The portal of the stage is 20.5 by 17.8 meters, the depth of the stage is 23.5 meters. This is one of the most beautiful architectural structures of the capital. It was called "a hall of sunshine, 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 main stage of the country was opened. 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 was restored. The stage now has the volume of a six-story building, all processes in which are computerized. The murals in the White Foyer have been restored. 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 masters from all over Russia were engaged in gilding interiors with a thickness of 5 microns and an area of ​​981 square meters, which took 4.5 kg of gold.

There were 17 elevators with floor buttons from the 10th to the 4th, and an additional 2 floors located below are occupied by mechanics. The auditorium seats 1768 people, before reconstruction - 2100. 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 are made in the same factory as in the 19th century. Especially beautiful is the chandelier with a diameter of more than 6 meters with gilded pendants. A double-headed eagle and the word Russia are embroidered on the new curtain.

The modern Bolshoi Theater includes an opera and ballet troupe, a stage and brass band and an orchestra of the Bolshoi Theater. The names of the opera and ballet school are the property of all 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 given to eight stage masters - I. Arkhipova and Yu. 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 major theater scenes. He played an outstanding role in the formation of the Russian musical stage school and in the development of Russian national art, including the famous Russian ballet.

Undoubtedly Grand Theatre- this is one of the most recognizable sights of Moscow. Suffice it to recall that his image was awarded a hit on banknotes of the Russian Federation. Founded in 1776, it quickly acquired the status of the Imperial Theatre, while becoming the center of the stage life of that time. The theater has not lost this status to this day. The phrase "Bolshoi Theater" has long become a brand known and understood by art lovers all over the world.

History of the Bolshoi Theater

The founding day of the Bolshoi Theater is March 13, 1776. On this day, Prince Peter Urusov received permission from Empress Catherine II to create a theater. This year, construction began on the right bank of the Neglinka, but the theater did not have time to open - all the buildings died during a fire. The new theater was built on Arbat Square under the direction of the Russian architect of Italian origin Karl Ivanovich Rossi. This time the theater burned down during the invasion of Napoleon. In 1821, under the guidance of the architect Osip Bove, the buildings of the Bolshoi Theater appeared, to which we are so accustomed. The opening of the Bolshoi Theater took place on January 6, 1825. This date is considered the second birthday of the theatre. The repertoire of the Bolshoi Theater began with the concert "The Triumph of the Muses" by M. Dmitriev (music by A. Alyabyev and A. Verstovsky).

The Bolshoi Theater has a very difficult and further fate. Its building burned down, came into disrepair, German bombs fell there ... The next reconstruction, begun in 2005, should give the historical building of the theater its original appearance, reveal to the audience and tourists all the splendor of the old building. There is very little time left: fans of high art will soon be able to enjoy the masterpieces of world music in the wonderful and unique atmosphere of the main stage of the Bolshoi Theatre. The Bolshoi Theater has long specialized in the arts that have been the pride of Russian culture for many years - opera and ballet. The respective theater troupes, as well as the Bolshoi Theater Orchestra, consist of exceptionally talented artists. It is difficult to name a classical opera or ballet that has never been staged at the Bolshoi. Bolshoi Theater repertoire consists exclusively of works by great composers: Glinka, Mussorgsky, Tchaikovsky, Stravinsky, Mozart, Puccini!

Buy tickets to the Bolshoi Theater

Buying tickets to theaters in Moscow is not easy in principle. The Bolshoi Theater is also, of course, the most prestigious, and it is very difficult to get tickets there, despite their high cost. Therefore, you should take care of purchasing tickets to the Bolshoi Theater in advance. At the theater box office, tickets are sold out very quickly, and the choice of seats in the hall is limited. Use a more modern and convenient way -

The theater began with a small private troupe of Prince Peter Urusov. The performances of the talented group often pleased Empress Catherine II, who thanked the prince with the right to direct all the entertainment events of the capital. March 17, 1776 is considered the founding date of the theater - the day when Urusov received this privilege. Already six months after the will of the Empress, the prince erected a wooden building of the Petrovsky Theater on the banks of the Neglinka. But before it could open, the theater burned down. The new building required large financial investments, and Urusov got a partner - the Russified Englishman Medox, a successful entrepreneur and ballet dancer. The construction of the theater cost the British 130,000 silver rubles. The new three-story brick theater opened its doors to the public in December 1780. A few years later, due to financial troubles, the Englishman had to transfer the management of the theater to the state, after which the Melpomene temple began to be called Imperial. In 1805, the building built by Medox burned down.

For several years, the theater troupe performed on the home stage of the Moscow nobility. The new building, which appeared on the Arbat in 1808, was designed by the architect Karl Ivanovich Rossi. But this theater was also destroyed by fire in 1812.

Ten years later, the restoration of the theater began, ending in 1825. But, according to a sad tradition, this building could not escape the fire that happened in 1853 and left behind only the outer walls. The revival of the Bolshoi lasted three years. The chief architect of the Imperial Theatres, Albert Cavos, who supervised the restoration of the building, increased its height, added columns in front of the entrance and a portico, above which towered the bronze quadriga of Apollo by Peter Klodt. The pediment was decorated with a double-headed eagle - the coat of arms of Russia.

In the early 60s of the 19th century, the Bolshoi was rented by an Italian opera troupe. The Italians performed several times a week, while only one day remained for the Russian productions. The competition between the two theater groups benefited Russian vocalists, who were forced to hone and improve their skills, but the administration's inattention to the national repertoire prevented Russian art from gaining popularity with the audience. A few years later, the directorate had to heed the demands of the public and resume the operas Ruslan and Lyudmila and Rusalka. The year 1969 was marked by the production of The Voyevoda, the first opera by Pyotr Tchaikovsky, for whom the Bolshoi became the main professional venue. In 1981, the theater's repertoire was enriched with the opera Eugene Onegin.

In 1895, the theater underwent a major overhaul, the end of which was marked by such productions as Mussorgsky's Boris Godunov and Rimsky-Korsakov's The Maid of Pskov with Fyodor Chaliapin as Ivan the Terrible.

At the end of the 19th century and at the beginning of the 20th century, the Bolshoi became one of the leading centers of theatrical and musical world culture. The theater's repertoire includes the world's best works ("Valkyrie", "Tannhäuser", "Pagliacci", "La Boheme") and outstanding Russian operas ("Sadko", "The Golden Cockerel", "The Stone Guest", "The Legend of the Invisible City of Kitezh" ). On the stage of the theater, great Russian singers and singers shine with their talent: Chaliapin, Sobinov, Gryzunov, Savransky, Nezhdanova, Balanovskaya, Azerskaya; famous Russian artists Vasnetsov, Korovin and Golovin are working on the scenery.

The Bolshoi managed to completely preserve its troupe during the revolutionary events and the Civil War. During the 1917-1918 season, the public saw 170 opera and ballet performances. And in 1919 the theater was awarded the title of "Academic".

The 20s and 30s of the last century became the time of the emergence and development of Soviet opera art. For the first time, Love for Three Oranges, Trilby, Ivan the Soldier, Katerina Izmailova by Shostakovich, Quiet Don, Battleship Potemkin are staged at the Bolshoi for the first time.

During the Great Patriotic War, part of the Bolshoi troupe was evacuated to Kuibyshev, where new performances continued to be created. Many theater artists went to the front with concerts. The post-war years were marked by talented productions by the outstanding choreographer Yuri Grigorovich, each performance of which was a notable event in the cultural life of the country.

From 2005 to 2011, a grandiose reconstruction was carried out in the theater, thanks to which a new foundation appeared under the Bolshoi building, legendary historical interiors were recreated, the technical equipment of the theater was significantly improved, and the rehearsal base was increased.

More than 800 performances were born on the stage of the Bolshoi, the premieres of operas by Rachmaninov, Prokofiev, Arensky, Tchaikovsky took place in the theater. The ballet troupe has always been and remains a welcome guest in any country. Actors, directors, artists and conductors of the Bolshoi have been awarded the most prestigious state and international awards many times.

Description

The Bolshoi Theater has three auditoriums open to the public:

• Historical (main) stage, accommodating 2500 people;
• New stage, opened in 2002 and designed for 1000 spectators;
• Beethoven Hall with 320 seats, famous for its unique acoustics.

The historical stage appears to visitors in the form in which it was in the second half of the century before last and is a semicircular hall with four tiers, decorated with gold and red velvet. Above the heads of the audience is the legendary chandelier with 26,000 crystals, which appeared in the theater in 1863 and illuminates the hall with 120 lamps.

The new stage has been opened at Bolshaya Dimitrovka Street, Building 4, Building 2. During the large-scale reconstruction, all repertoire performances of the Bolshoi were staged here, and currently foreign and Russian theaters are touring on the New Stage.

The Beethoven Hall was opened in 1921. Spectators are fascinated by its Louis XV-style interior: silk-lined walls, magnificent crystal chandeliers, Italian stucco, walnut floors. The hall is designed for chamber and solo concerts.

Every spring, two varieties of tulips bloom in front of the theater building - rich pink "Galina Ulanova" and bright red "Bolshoi Theatre", bred by the Dutch breeder Lefeber. At the beginning of the last century, the florist saw Ulanova on the stage of the Bolshoi. Lefeber was so impressed with the talent of the Russian ballerina that he created new varieties of tulips specifically in honor of her and the theater in which she shone. The image of the Bolshoi Theater building can be seen on many postage stamps and on hundred-ruble banknotes.

Information for visitors

Theater address: Theater Square, 1. You can get to the Bolshoi by walking along Teatralnaya Proyezd from the Teatralnaya and Okhotny Ryad metro stations. From the station "Revolution Square" you will reach the Bolshoi by crossing the square of the same name. From the station "Kuznetsky most" you need to go along Kuznetsky most street, and then turn to the Theater Square.

You can buy tickets for the Bolshoi's productions both on the theater's website - www.bolshoi.ru, and at the box office opened in the Administration Building (daily from 11.00 to 19.00, break from 15.00 to 16.00); in the building of the Historical Stage (daily from 12.00 to 20.00, break from 16.00 to 18.00); in the building of the New Stage (daily from 11.00 to 19.00, break from 14.00 to 15.00).

The cost of tickets varies from 100 to 10,000 rubles, depending on the performance, the time of the performance and the place in the auditorium.

The Bolshoi Theater has a comprehensive security system, which includes video surveillance and the mandatory passage of all visitors through a metal detector. Do not take piercing and sharp objects with you - they will not let you into the theater building with them.

Children are allowed to evening performances from the age of 10. Until this age, the child can attend morning performances on a separate ticket. Children under 5 years old are not allowed in the theater.

On Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, guided tours are held in the Historical Theater Building, telling about the architecture of the Bolshoi and its past.

For those wishing to buy something to remember the Bolshoi Theater daily, from 11.00 to 17.00, a souvenir shop is open. To get into it, you need to enter the theater through entrance number 9A. Visitors who come to the performance can enter the store directly from the Bolshoi building before or after the performance. Landmark: left wing of the theatre, ground floor, next to the Beethoven Hall.

Photo and video filming is not allowed in the theatre.

When going to the Bolshoi Theater, calculate your time - after the third call you will not be able to enter the hall!