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.
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 long history of the Bolshoi Theater, founded in 1776, has seen many ups and downs. Over the years, numerous fires and fascist bombs during the war destroyed the building, but like a Phoenix from the ashes, it was rebuilt again. Today, the Bolshoi Theater layout includes three halls: the Historical Stage, the New Stage and the Beethoven Hall.
Historical hall
The historical or Main stage opened in 2011 after a lengthy reconstruction. The interior decoration has been preserved the same as viewers saw it at the end of the 19th century - unsurpassed in its splendor, made in the same style. New technologies were used to recreate its original appearance, and now the stage consists of 7 platforms freely circulating on two levels. This is shown on the diagram of the Bolshoi Theater.
Depending on the type of presentation, it can take different positions. It has become possible to combine the stage and rear stage, which gives the audience a sense of the depth of space. The view from the hall is excellent from any place, so on the diagram of the Bolshoi Theater in the Historical Hall there is no division into “bad” and “good” seats.
New scene
Appeared in 2002 as a replacement for the Historical Hall during the reconstruction period. It is designed for 1000 seats. Until 2011, the entire ballet and opera repertoire of the Bolshoi Theater was performed on the New Stage. displays its semicircular shape with an amphitheater, tiers and mezzanine.
The interior decoration is laconic and comfortable, but at the same time the ambiance of the Bolshoi Theater is preserved. Unfortunately, there are some seats in the hall with limited visibility; spectators should pay attention to this when purchasing tickets to the Bolshoi Theater. As a rule, such places are indicated on the diagram. The new stage continues to operate even after the opening of the Main Hall.
Beethoven Hall
The Beethoven Hall of the Bolshoi Theater is the most sophisticated and elegant among all the Bolshoi Theater buildings. Its interior in the Louis XV style amazes with its luxury. But the main advantage of the hall is its unique acoustics. In its chamber space, solo performances by soloists and creative evenings of celebrities take place.
The Beethoven Hall has 320 seats and, what is especially pleasant, 100% visibility from each of them. The hall's capacity is quite sufficient for true connoisseurs of chamber music.
The Bolshoi Theater is the pride of Russia, a reflection of its spiritual culture. In any of its magnificent halls, the public can plunge into the world of opera and ballet and enjoy the majestic atmosphere of art.
“At the end of the 19th century, when chairs were installed in the stalls of the Bolshoi Theater, the capacity of the auditorium began to be 1,740 seats. This is exactly the number that was indicated in the Yearbook of the Imperial Theatres, published in 1895,” noted Mikhail Sidorov, the official representative of the general contractor, Director of the Public Relations Department of the Summa Capital Investment Group.
During Soviet times, the Bolshoi Theater was not only the main theater of the country, but also the venue for the most important political events. All-Russian Congresses of Soviets, meetings of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee, congresses of the Comintern and meetings of the Moscow Council of Working People's Deputies were held here. It was in the building of the Bolshoi Theater in 1922 at the First All-Union Congress of Soviets that the formation of the USSR was proclaimed. The breadth of party ranks required an increase in the number of rows in the Bolshoi hall. The previous chairs were replaced by others, more compact and narrow. Thanks to this, the capacity of the hall became 2185 seats.
During the development of the project for the reconstruction and restoration of the Bolshoi Theater, it was decided to return to the historical number of seats. Experts studied the placement of seats in the boxes using archival data, including drawings by the artist Luigi Primazzi, who reproduced the interiors of the Bolshoi Theater with the precision of a photographer in his famous album “Grand Theater de Moscou...”. “The chairs and armchairs will become more comfortable, the width of the side aisles will also increase, which, of course, will be appreciated by visitors to the stalls,” emphasized M. Sidorov.
Furniture for the Bolshoi Theater is created from modern materials, exactly repeating the appearance of historical interior items. For example, the design of the fabric of chairs and armchairs was completely recreated. The model for the development of modern fabric were fragments of historical furniture upholstery of the late 19th century from the archives of the Bolshoi Theater and pieces of fabric discovered by restorers while examining the interiors.
“Horsehair and coconut shavings were used to stuff chairs and armchairs in the 19th century. This gave the surface rigidity, but sitting on such furniture was not very comfortable. Now, when recreating chairs and armchairs, modern fillers were used. And in order to comply with fire safety requirements, all the fabrics of the Bolshoi Theater were coated with a special impregnation, making the material non-flammable,” said M. Sidorov.
One of the main tasks of the reconstruction of the Bolshoi Theater was the restoration of its legendary acoustics. The work of the craftsmen restoring the interiors of the auditorium and the acousticians was closely intertwined. All restoration work was carefully planned together with the German company Müller BBM, a leader in the field of architectural acoustics for theaters and concert halls. Experts from this company regularly carried out acoustic measurements and provided technical recommendations, with the help of which the progress of restoration work was adjusted.
Even the furniture, according to experts, should help improve the acoustics of the auditorium. Therefore, the composition and impregnation of fabrics for chairs and armchairs, as well as the patterns of curtains and harlequin boxes, were additionally coordinated with acoustics.
The capacity of the auditorium can be increased. During concerts, the theater will have the opportunity to raise the platform of the orchestra pit to the level of the auditorium and install additional seats on it for spectators.
“It would not be superfluous to remind you that after the reconstruction the Bolshoi Theater will become more convenient for spectators with disabilities to attend performances. Thus, for persons with musculoskeletal disorders, twenty-six seats are provided in the first row of the amphitheater. In the last row of the stalls there are ten removable seats, which allows you to organize six seats for wheelchair users. To accommodate people with visual impairments, twenty seats are provided in the first two rows of the stalls. It is planned to print programs and brochures using a special Braille font. To accommodate citizens with hearing impairments, it is planned to allocate twenty-eight seats in the second row of the amphitheater. It is planned to place an information ticker in the backs of the front row seats,” M. Sidorov emphasized.
Story
The Bolshoi Theater began as a private theater for the provincial prosecutor, Prince Pyotr Urusov. On March 28, 1776, Empress Catherine II signed a “privilege” for the prince to maintain performances, masquerades, balls and other entertainment for a period of ten years. This date is considered the founding day of the Moscow Bolshoi Theater. At the first stage of the Bolshoi Theater's existence, the opera and drama troupes formed a single whole. The composition was very diverse: from serf artists to stars invited from abroad.
Moscow University and the gymnasiums established under it, which provided good musical education, played a large role in the formation of the opera and drama troupe. Theater classes were established at the Moscow Orphanage, which also supplied personnel to the new troupe.
The first theater building was built on the right bank of the Neglinka River. It faced Petrovka Street, hence the theater got its name - Petrovsky (later it will be called the Old Petrovsky Theater). Its opening took place on December 30, 1780. They gave a ceremonial prologue “Wanderers”, written by A. Ablesimov, and a large pantomimic ballet “The Magic School”, staged by L. Paradise to the music of J. Startzer. Then the repertoire was formed mainly from Russian and Italian comic operas with ballets and individual ballets.
The Petrovsky Theater, erected in record time - less than six months, became the first public theater building of such size, beauty and convenience to be built in Moscow. By the time of its opening, Prince Urusov, however, had already been forced to cede his rights to his partner, and subsequently the “privilege” was extended only to Medox.
However, disappointment awaited him too. Forced to constantly ask for loans from the Board of Trustees, Medox did not get out of debt. In addition, the authorities' opinion - previously very high - about the quality of his entrepreneurial activities has changed radically. In 1796, Madox's personal privilege expired, so both the theater and its debts were transferred to the jurisdiction of the Board of Trustees.
In 1802-03. The theater was handed over to Prince M. Volkonsky, the owner of one of the best Moscow home theater troupes. And in 1804, when the theater again came under the jurisdiction of the Board of Trustees, Volkonsky was actually appointed its director “on salary.”
Already in 1805, a project arose to create a theater directorate in Moscow “in the image and likeness” of the St. Petersburg one. In 1806 it was implemented - and the Moscow theater acquired the status of an imperial theater, coming under the jurisdiction of a single Directorate of Imperial Theaters.
In 1806, the school that the Petrovsky Theater had was reorganized into the Imperial Moscow Theater School to train opera, ballet, drama artists and musicians of theater orchestras (in 1911 it became a choreographic school).
In the fall of 1805, the building of the Petrovsky Theater burned down. The troupe began performing on private stages. And since 1808 - on the stage of the new Arbat Theater, built according to the design of K. Rossi. This wooden building also died in a fire - during the Patriotic War of 1812.
In 1819, a competition was announced for the design of a new theater building. The winner was the project of Academy of Arts professor Andrei Mikhailov, who, however, was recognized as too expensive. As a result, the Moscow governor, Prince Dmitry Golitsyn, ordered the architect Osip Bova to correct it, which he did, and significantly improved it.
In July 1820, construction began on a new theater building, which was to become the center of the urban composition of the square and adjacent streets. The facade, decorated with a powerful portico on eight columns with a large sculptural group - Apollo on a chariot with three horses, “looked” at the Theater Square under construction, which contributed greatly to its decoration.
In 1822–23 Moscow theaters were separated from the general Directorate of Imperial Theaters and transferred to the authority of the Moscow Governor-General, who received the authority to appoint Moscow directors of the Imperial Theaters.
“Even closer, on a wide square, rises the Petrovsky Theater, a work of modern art, a huge building, made according to all the rules of taste, with a flat roof and a majestic portico, on which stands an alabaster Apollo, standing on one leg in an alabaster chariot, motionless driving three alabaster horses and looking with annoyance at the Kremlin wall, which jealously separates him from the ancient shrines of Russia!
M. Lermontov, youth essay “Panorama of Moscow”
On January 6, 1825, the grand opening of the new Petrovsky Theater took place - much larger than the lost old one, and therefore called the Bolshoi Petrovsky Theater. They performed the prologue “The Triumph of the Muses” written specially for the occasion in verse (M. Dmitrieva), with choirs and dances to the music of A. Alyabyev, A. Verstovsky and F. Scholz, as well as the ballet “Cendrillon” staged by a dancer and choreographer F. invited from France .IN. Güllen-Sor to the music of her husband F. Sor. The muses triumphed over the fire that destroyed the old theater building, and, led by the Genius of Russia, played by twenty-five-year-old Pavel Mochalov, they revived a new temple of art from the ashes. And although the theater was indeed very large, it could not accommodate everyone. Emphasizing the importance of the moment and condescending to the feelings of those suffering, the triumphant performance was repeated in its entirety the next day.
The new theater, surpassing even the capital's Bolshoi Stone Theater in St. Petersburg in size, was distinguished by its monumental grandeur, symmetry of proportions, harmony of architectural forms and richness of interior decoration. It turned out to be very convenient: the building had galleries for the passage of spectators, stairs leading to tiers, corner and side lounges for relaxation and spacious dressing rooms. The huge auditorium accommodated over two thousand people. The orchestra pit was deepened. During masquerades, the floor of the stalls was raised to the level of the proscenium, the orchestra pit was covered with special shields, and a wonderful “dance floor” was created.
In 1842, Moscow theaters were again placed under the control of the general Directorate of Imperial Theaters. The director at that time was A. Gedeonov, and the famous composer A. Verstovsky was appointed manager of the Moscow theater office. The years when he was “in power” (1842–59) were called the “Verstovsky era.”
And although dramatic performances continued to be staged on the stage of the Bolshoi Petrovsky Theater, operas and ballets began to occupy an increasing place in its repertoire. Works by Donizetti, Rossini, Meyerbeer, the young Verdi, and Russian composers such as Verstovsky and Glinka were staged (the Moscow premiere of A Life for the Tsar took place in 1842, and the opera Ruslan and Lyudmila in 1846).
The building of the Bolshoi Petrovsky Theater existed for almost 30 years. But he too suffered the same sad fate: on March 11, 1853, a fire broke out in the theater, which lasted three days and destroyed everything it could. Theater machines, costumes, musical instruments, sheet music, scenery were burned... The building itself was almost completely destroyed, of which only charred stone walls and columns of the portico remained.
Three prominent Russian architects took part in the competition to restore the theater. It was won by Albert Kavos, a professor at the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts and the chief architect of the imperial theaters. He specialized mainly in theatrical buildings, was well versed in theater technology and in the design of multi-tiered theaters with a box stage and Italian and French types of boxes.
Restoration work progressed rapidly. In May 1855, the dismantling of the ruins was completed and the reconstruction of the building began. And in August 1856 it already opened its doors to the public. This speed was explained by the fact that the construction had to be completed in time for the celebrations of the coronation of Emperor Alexander II. The Bolshoi Theater, practically rebuilt and with very significant changes compared to the previous building, opened on August 20, 1856 with the opera “The Puritans” by V. Bellini.
The total height of the building has increased by almost four meters. Despite the fact that the porticoes with Beauvais columns have been preserved, the appearance of the main facade has changed quite a lot. A second pediment appeared. Apollo's horse troika was replaced by a quadriga cast in bronze. An alabaster bas-relief appeared on the inner field of the pediment, representing flying geniuses with a lyre. The frieze and capitals of the columns have changed. Sloping canopies on cast iron pillars were installed above the entrances of the side facades.
But the theater architect, of course, paid the main attention to the auditorium and stage part. In the second half of the 19th century, the Bolshoi Theater was considered one of the best in the world for its acoustic properties. And he owed this to the skill of Albert Kavos, who designed the auditorium as a huge musical instrument. Wooden panels from resonant spruce were used to decorate the walls, instead of an iron ceiling, a wooden one was made, and a picturesque ceiling was made of wooden panels - everything in this room worked for acoustics. Even the decor of the boxes is made of papier-mâché. In order to improve the acoustics of the hall, Kavos also filled up the rooms under the amphitheater, where the wardrobe was located, and moved the hangers to the stall level.
The space of the auditorium was significantly expanded, which made it possible to create antechambers - small living rooms furnished to receive visitors from the stalls or boxes located next door. The six-tier hall accommodated almost 2,300 spectators. On both sides near the stage there were lettered boxes intended for the royal family, the Ministry of the Court and the theater directorate. The ceremonial royal box, slightly protruding into the hall, became its center, opposite the stage. The barrier of the Royal Box was supported by consoles in the form of bent atlases. The crimson and gold splendor amazed everyone who entered this hall - both in the first years of the Bolshoi Theater's existence and decades later.
“I tried to decorate the auditorium as luxuriously and at the same time as lightly as possible, in the taste of the Renaissance mixed with Byzantine style. The white color studded with gold, the bright crimson draperies of the interior boxes, the different plaster arabesques on each floor and the main effect of the auditorium - a large chandelier of three rows of lamps and candelabra decorated with crystal - all this deserved general approval.
Albert Kavos
The auditorium chandelier was originally illuminated by 300 oil lamps. To light oil lamps, it was lifted through a hole in the lampshade into a special room. Around this hole a circular composition of the ceiling was built, on which Academician A. Titov painted “Apollo and the Muses”. This painting “has a secret”, revealed only to a very attentive eye, which, in addition to everything, should belong to an expert in ancient Greek mythology: instead of one of the canonical muses - the muse of the sacred hymns of Polyhymnia, Titov depicted a muse of painting invented by him - with a palette and brush in his hands.
The front curtain was created by the Italian artist, professor at the St. Petersburg Imperial Academy of Fine Arts, Casroe Dusi. Of the three sketches, the one that depicted “The Entry of Minin and Pozharsky into Moscow” was chosen. In 1896, it was replaced by a new one - “View of Moscow from the Sparrow Hills” (made by P. Lambin based on a drawing by M. Bocharov), which was used at the beginning and end of the performance. And for intermissions, another curtain was made - “The Triumph of the Muses” based on a sketch by P. Lambin (the only curtain of the 19th century preserved in the theater today).
After the revolution of 1917, the curtains of the imperial theater were sent into exile. In 1920, theater artist F. Fedorovsky, while working on a production of the opera “Lohengrin,” created a sliding curtain made of bronze-painted canvas, which was then used as the main curtain. In 1935, according to a sketch by F. Fedorovsky, a new curtain was made, on which revolutionary dates were woven - “1871, 1905, 1917”. In 1955, F. Fedorovsky’s famous golden “Soviet” curtain, with woven state symbols of the USSR, reigned in the theater for half a century.
Like most buildings on Teatralnaya Square, the Bolshoi Theater was built on stilts. Gradually the building deteriorated. Drainage work has lowered the groundwater level. The top part of the piles rotted and this caused a large settlement of the building. In 1895 and 1898 The foundations were repaired, which temporarily helped to stop the ongoing destruction.
The last performance of the Imperial Bolshoi Theater took place on February 28, 1917. And on March 13, the State Bolshoi Theater opened.
After the October Revolution, not only the foundations, but also the very existence of the theater was under threat. It took several years for the power of the victorious proletariat to forever abandon the idea of closing the Bolshoi Theater and destroying its building. In 1919, she awarded it the title of academic, which at that time did not even provide a guarantee of safety, since within a few days the issue of its closure was again hotly debated.
However, in 1922, the Bolshevik government still found the closure of the theater economically inexpedient. By that time, it was already in full swing “adapting” the building to its needs. The Bolshoi Theater hosted the All-Russian Congresses of Soviets, meetings of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee, and congresses of the Comintern. And the formation of a new country - the USSR - was also proclaimed from the stage of the Bolshoi Theater.
Back in 1921, a special government commission examined the theater building and found its condition catastrophic. It was decided to launch emergency response work, the head of which was appointed architect I. Rerberg. Then the foundations under the ring walls of the auditorium were strengthened, the wardrobe rooms were restored, the staircases were redesigned, new rehearsal rooms and artistic restrooms were created. In 1938, a major reconstruction of the stage was carried out.
Master plan for the reconstruction of Moscow 1940-41. provided for the demolition of all houses behind the Bolshoi Theater up to the Kuznetsky Bridge. On the vacated territory it was planned to build the premises necessary for the theater's operation. And in the theater itself, fire safety and ventilation had to be established. In April 1941, the Bolshoi Theater was closed for necessary repairs. And two months later the Great Patriotic War began.
Part of the Bolshoi Theater staff evacuated to Kuibyshev, while others remained in Moscow and continued to perform performances on the stage of the branch. Many artists performed as part of front-line brigades, others went to the front themselves.
On October 22, 1941, at four o'clock in the afternoon, a bomb hit the Bolshoi Theater building. The blast wave passed obliquely between the columns of the portico, pierced the facade wall and caused significant damage to the vestibule. Despite the hardships of wartime and the terrible cold, restoration work began in the theater in the winter of 1942.
And already in the fall of 1943, the Bolshoi Theater resumed its activities with the production of M. Glinka’s opera “A Life for the Tsar”, from which the stigma of being monarchical was removed and recognized as patriotic and folk, however, for this it was necessary to revise its libretto and give a new reliable name - “Ivan Susanin” "
Cosmetic renovations to the theater were carried out annually. More large-scale work was also undertaken regularly. But there was still a catastrophic lack of rehearsal space.
In 1960, a large rehearsal hall was built and opened in the theater building - right under the roof, in the former set room.
In 1975, to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the theater, some restoration work was carried out in the auditorium and Beethoven hall. However, the main problems - the instability of the foundations and the lack of space inside the theater - were not resolved.
Finally, in 1987, by decree of the Government of the country, a decision was made on the need for urgent reconstruction of the Bolshoi Theater. But it was clear to everyone that in order to preserve the troupe, the theater should not stop its creative activities. We needed a branch. However, eight years passed before the first stone of its foundation was laid. And seven more before the New Stage building was built.
November 29, 2002 The new stage opened with the premiere of the opera “The Snow Maiden” by N. Rimsky-Korsakov, a production quite consistent with the spirit and purpose of the new building, that is, innovative, experimental.
In 2005, the Bolshoi Theater closed for restoration and reconstruction. But this is a separate chapter in the chronicle of the Bolshoi Theater.
To be continued...
