Foundation day of the Bolshoi Theatre. Bolshoi Theatre: history
At the mere mention of the Bolshoi, theatergoers all over the world take their breath away and their hearts begin to beat faster. Ticket to his show best gift, and each premiere is accompanied by a flurry of enthusiastic responses from both fans and critics. State academic Grand Theatre Russia has a solid weight not only in our country, but also abroad, because the best singers and dancers of their era have always performed on its stage.
How did the Bolshoi Theater begin?
In the early spring of 1776, the Empress Catherine II by her royal decree, she ordered to organize "theatrical ... performances" in Moscow. Hastened to fulfill the will of the empress Prince Urusov who served as provincial prosecutor. He began the construction of the theater building on Petrovka. The temple of art did not have time to open, as it died in a fire at the construction stage.
Then the entrepreneur got down to business. Michael Maddox, under whose leadership a brick building was erected, decorated with white stone decor and having a height of three floors. The theater, named Petrovsky, was opened at the very end of 1780. Its hall accommodated about a thousand spectators, and the same number of fans of Terpsichore could watch performances from the gallery. Maddox owned the building until 1794. During this time, more than 400 performances were staged on the stage of the Petrovsky Theater.
In 1805, a new fire destroyed the already stone building, and for a long time the troupe wandered around the stages of the home theaters of the Moscow aristocracy. Finally, three years later, the famous architect C. I. Rossi completed the construction of a new building on Arbatskaya Square, but the fiery element did not spare him either. new temple musical art died in a big fire that happened in Moscow during the occupation of the capital by the Napoleonic army.
Four years later, the Moscow Development Commission announced a competition for best project new building musical theater. The competition was won by the project of a professor of the Imperial Academy of Arts A. Mikhailova. Later, the architect who brought the idea to life made significant improvements to the drawings. O. I. Bove.
Historic building on Theater Square
During the construction of the new building, the foundation of the burned-out Petrovsky Theater was partially used. Bove's idea was that the theater was supposed to symbolize the victory over Napoleon in the Patriotic War of 1812. As a result, the building was a stylized temple in the Empire style, and the grandeur of the building was emphasized by a wide square in front of the main facade.
The grand opening took place on January 6, 1825, and the audience who were present at the performance "The Triumph of the Muses" noted the splendor of the building, the beauty of the scenery, amazing costumes and, of course, the unsurpassed skill of the leading actors in the first performance on the new stage.
Unfortunately, fate did not spare this building either, and after the fire of 1853, only a portico with a colonnade and external stone walls remained from it. Restoration work under the direction of the Chief Architect of the Imperial Theaters Albert Cavos lasted three years. As a result, the proportions of the building were slightly changed: the theater became much wider and more spacious. The facades were given eclectic features, and the sculpture of Apollo, which died in the fire, was replaced by a bronze quadriga. Bellini's The Puritani premiered in the renovated building in 1856.
Bolshoi Theater and New Times
The revolution brought many changes in all spheres of life, and the theater was no exception. At first, the Bolshoi was given the title of academic, and then they wanted to close it altogether, but the All-Russian Central Executive Committee issued a decree on the preservation of the theater. In the 1920s, the building underwent some repairs, which not only strengthened the walls, but also destroyed any opportunity for spectators to demonstrate their rank hierarchy.
The Great Patriotic War was a difficult time for the troupe. The theater was evacuated to Kuibyshev, and performances were staged on the local stage. The artists made a significant contribution to the defense fund, for which the troupe received gratitude from the head of state.
IN post-war years The SABT has been reconstructed several times. Recent work was carried out on the historical stage in the period from 2005 to 2011.
Repertoire past and present
In the early years of the theater's existence, its troupe did not attach too much importance to the content of the productions. Aristocrats who spent their time in idleness and entertainment became ordinary spectators of the performances. Every evening, up to three or four performances could be played on the stage, and in order not to bore the small audience, the repertoire changed very often. Benefit performances were also popular, which were arranged by both famous and leading actors and the second cast. The performances were based on the works of European playwrights and composers, but also dance sketches on the themes of Russian folk life and lives were also present in the repertoire.
In the 19th century, significant musical works began to be staged on the stage of the Bolshoi, which became historical events V cultural life Moscow. In 1842 they played for the first time "Life for the Tsar" Glinka, and in 1843 the audience applauded the soloists and participants of the ballet A. Adana "Giselle". The second half of the 19th century was marked by the works Marius Petipa, thanks to which the Bolshoi is known as the first stage for "Don Quixote of La Mancha" by Minkus and "Swan Lake" by Tchaikovsky.
The heyday of the main Moscow theater falls on the end of the 19th - beginning of the 20th centuries. During this period, on the stage of the Bolshoi shine Chaliapin And Sobinov whose names become known to the whole world. The repertoire is enriched Opera "Khovanshchina" by Mussorgsky, stands behind the conductor's stand Sergei Rachmaninov, and the great Russian artists Benois, Korovin and Polenov take part in the work on the scenery for the performances.
Soviet era brought many changes to the theatrical scene. Many performances are subjected to ideological criticism, and the choreographers of the Bolshoi strive to find new forms in dance art. The opera is represented by works by Glinka, Tchaikovsky, Mussorgsky and Rimsky-Korsakov, but the names Soviet composers on posters and covers of programs flicker more and more often.
After the end of the war, the most significant premieres of the Bolshoi Theater were Cinderella and Romeo and Juliet by Prokofiev. The incomparable Galina Ulanova shines in the main roles in ballet performances. In the 60s, the audience conquers Maya Plisetskaya dancing "Carmen Suite", and Vladimir Vasiliev as Spartacus in A. Khachaturian's ballet.
IN last years the troupe increasingly resorts to experiments that are not always unambiguously evaluated by the audience and critics. Drama and film directors are involved in the work on the performances, the scores are returned to the author's editions, the concept and style of the scenery are increasingly the subject of fierce debate, and productions are broadcast in cinemas in different countries the world and on Internet channels.
During the existence of the Bolshoi Theater, many interesting events. Outstanding people of their time worked in the theater, and the main building of the Bolshoi became one of the symbols Russian capital:
- At the time of the opening of the Petrovsky Theater, its troupe consisted of about 30 artists. and a little over a dozen accompanists. Today, about a thousand artists and musicians serve in the Bolshoi Theater.
IN different time performed on the stage of the Bolshoi Elena Obraztsova and Irina Arkhipova, Maris Liepa and Maya Plisetskaya, Galina Ulanova and Ivan Kozlovsky. During the existence of the theater, more than eighty of its artists were awarded the title of folk, and eight of them were awarded the title of Hero of Socialist Labor. Ballerina and choreographer Galina Ulanova was awarded this honorary title twice.
An ancient chariot with four harnessed horses, called a quadriga, was often depicted on various buildings and structures. Such chariots were used in Ancient Rome during triumphal processions. The quadriga of the Bolshoi Theater was completed famous sculptor Peter Klodt. No less famous of his works are the sculptural images of horses on the Anichkov Bridge in St. Petersburg.
In the 30-50s. of the last century, the main artist of the Bolshoi was Fedor Fedorovsky- a student of Vrubel and Serov, who worked at the beginning of the century with Diaghilev in Paris. It was he who in 1955 created the famous brocade curtain of the Bolshoi Theater, called "golden".
- In 1956 the ballet company traveled to London for the first time.. Thus began a series of famous tours of the Bolshoi in Europe and the world.
Big success on the stage of the Bolshoi Theater had Marlene Dietrich. The famous German actress performed in the building on Theater Square in 1964. She brought her famous show “Marlene Expirience” to Moscow and during her performances she was called to bow two hundred times.
Soviet Opera singer Mark Reizen installed on stage big record Guinness. In 1985, at the age of 90, he performed the part of Gremin in the play "Eugene Onegin".
In Soviet times, the theater was twice awarded the Order of Lenin.
Building historical scene The Bolshoi Theater is on the list of cultural heritage sites of the peoples of Russia.
The last reconstruction of the main building of the Bolshoi cost 35.4 billion rubles. The work lasted six years and three months, and on October 28, 2011, the theater was inaugurated after repairs.
new stage
In 2002, on Bolshaya Dmitrovka Street, a new stage SABT. The premiere was a production of Rimsky-Korsakov's opera The Snow Maiden. The new stage served as the main stage during the reconstruction of the main building, and in the period from 2005 to 2011, the entire repertoire of the Bolshoi was staged on it.
After the grand opening of the renovated main building, the New Stage began to receive touring troupes from theaters in Russia and around the world. The operas The Queen of Spades by Tchaikovsky, The Love for Three Oranges by Prokofiev and The Snow Maiden by N. Rimsky-Korsakov are still staged from the permanent repertoire at Bolshaya Dmitrovka. Ballet fans can see The Bright Stream by D. Shostakovich and the Carmen Suite by G. Bizet and R. Shchedrin on the New Stage.
It is generally accepted that the Bolshoi Theater was founded in March 1776, when well-known philanthropist, the Moscow prosecutor Prince Peter 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.
Initially, the theater did not have its own building and most often gave performances in Vorontsov's house on Znamenka. But already in 1780, according to the project of H. Rozberg, a special stone building was built at the expense of Medox on the site of the modern Bolshoi Theater. According to 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 consisted of drama, opera and ballet performances. Operas enjoyed special attention, so the Petrovsky Theater was often called the Opera House.
In 1805, the building burned down, and until 1825 performances were again staged at different venues.
In the 1820s, the square in front of the former Petrovsky Theater was reconstructed. As conceived by the architect, a whole classical ensemble appeared here, the dominant of which was the building of the Bolshoi Theater (1824). It partially included the walls of the burned down Petrovsky Theatre.
The 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 La Scala in Milan. It opened on January 6 (18), 1825.
But this theater also suffered the fate of its predecessor: on March 11, 1853, for some unknown reason, a fire started in the theater. Costumes, scenery, the archive of the troupe, part of the music library, rare musical instruments were destroyed, and the building itself was damaged.
Its restoration was led by Albert Cavos. He took as a basis the three-dimensional structure of Beauvais, but increased the height of the building, changed the proportions and redesigned the decor; iron galleries with lamps appeared on the sides. Kavos changed the shape and size of the main auditorium, which began to accommodate up to 3 thousand people. The alabaster group of Apollo, which adorned the Beauvais Theatre, perished in a fire. To create a new Cavos, he invited the famous Russian sculptor Pyotr Klodt, the author of the famous equestrian groups on the Anichkov Bridge across the Fontanka River in St. Petersburg. Klodt created the now world-famous sculptural group with Apollo.
The new Bolshoi Theater was rebuilt in 16 months and opened on August 20, 1856 for the coronation of Alexander II.
In this form, the theater existed until the end of the twentieth century. In 2005, the most extensive restoration and reconstruction of the Bolshoi Theater began. The restoration project was revised several times. The renovated Bolshoi Theater opened on October 11, 2011.
Story
The Bolshoi Theater began as a private theater of the provincial prosecutor Prince Peter Urusov. On March 28, 1776, Empress Catherine II signed a “privilege” to the prince for the maintenance of performances, masquerades, balls and other amusements for a period of ten years. This date is considered the founding day of the Moscow Bolshoi Theater. At the first stage of the existence of the Bolshoi Theater, the opera and drama troupes formed a single whole. The composition was the most diverse: from serf artists to stars invited from abroad.
In the formation of an opera and drama troupe big role played Moscow University and the gymnasiums established under it, in which good musical education. 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 overlooked 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 solemn prologue "Wanderers", written by A. Ablesimov, and a large pantomimic ballet "Magic School", staged by L. Paradis 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 Theatre, built in record time - less than six months, became the first public theater building of such size, beauty and convenience built in Moscow. By the time it was opened, Prince Urusov, however, had already been forced to cede his rights to a partner, and later on the “privilege” was extended only to Medox.
However, he was also disappointed. Forced to constantly ask for loans from the Board of Trustees, Medox did not get out of debt. In addition, the opinion of the authorities - previously very high - about the quality of his entrepreneurial activity has changed radically. In 1796, Madox's personal privilege expired, so that both the theater and its debts were transferred to the Board of Trustees.
In 1802-03. the theater was given at the mercy of 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 a salary."
Already in 1805, a project arose to create a theater directorate in Moscow "in the image and likeness" of St. Petersburg. In 1806, it was implemented - and the Moscow theater acquired the status of an imperial theater, passing under the jurisdiction of a single Directorate of Imperial Theaters.
In 1806, the school, which the Petrovsky Theater had, was reorganized into the Imperial Moscow Theater School for the training of opera, ballet, drama and theater orchestra musicians (in 1911 it became a choreographic school).
In the autumn of 1805 the building of the Petrovsky Theater burned down. The troupe began to perform on private stages. And since 1808 - on the stage of the new Arbat Theater, built according to the project of K. Rossi. This wooden building also perished in the fire - during Patriotic War 1812
In 1819, a competition was announced for the design of a new theater building. The project of Andrei Mikhailov, professor of the Academy of Arts, won, however, it was recognized as too expensive. As a result, the Moscow governor, Prince Dmitry Golitsyn, ordered the architect Osip Bove to fix it, which he did, and significantly improved it.
In July 1820, the construction of a new theater building began, which was to become the center of the town-planning 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 a lot to its decoration.
In 1822–23 Moscow theaters were separated from the general Directorate of Imperial Theaters and transferred to the jurisdiction 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 the latest art, a huge building, made according to all the rules of taste, with a flat roof and a majestic portico, on which towers the alabaster Apollo, standing on one leg in an alabaster chariot, motionlessly driving three alabaster horses and looking with annoyance at the Kremlin wall, which jealously separates it from the ancient shrines of Russia!
M. Lermontov, youthful composition "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. 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 "Sandrillon" staged by a dancer invited from France and choreographer F. .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, whose role was played by the twenty-five-year-old Pavel Mochalov, they revived a new temple of art from the ashes. And although the theater was really very large, it could not accommodate everyone. Emphasizing the importance of the moment and condescending to the suffering of the suffering, the triumphal performance was repeated in its entirety the next day.
The new theater, surpassing even the size of the capital, St. Petersburg Bolshoi stone theater, was distinguished by monumental grandeur, proportionality of proportions, harmony of architectural forms and richness interior decoration. It turned out to be very convenient: the building had galleries for the passage of spectators, stairs leading to the tiers, corner and side lounges and spacious dressing rooms. The huge auditorium could accommodate over two thousand people. The orchestra pit was deepened. At the time of 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” turned out.
In 1842, the Moscow theaters were again placed under the control of the General Directorate of the Imperial Theaters. The director then was A. Gedeonov, and the manager of the Moscow theater office was appointed famous composer A. Verstovsky. The years when he was "in power" (1842–59) were called the "epoch of Verstovsky."
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, Russian composers - both Verstovsky and Glinka were staged (in 1842 the Moscow premiere of A Life for the Tsar took place, in 1846 - the opera Ruslan and Lyudmila).
The building of the Bolshoi Petrovsky Theater existed for almost 30 years. But he also suffered the same sad fate: on March 11, 1853, a fire broke out in the theater, which lasted three days and destroyed everything that it could. Theatrical machines, costumes, musical instruments, notes, scenery burned down... The building itself was almost completely destroyed, from which only charred stone walls and columns of the portico.
Three prominent Russian architects took part in the competition for the restoration of the theater. It was won by the professor of the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts, the chief architect of the imperial theaters, Albert Kavos. He specialized mainly in theatrical buildings, was well versed in theatrical technology and in the design of multi-tiered theaters with a box stage and with 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 had already opened its doors to the public. This speed was explained by the fact that the construction had to be completed by the celebrations on the occasion 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 I Puritani by V. Bellini.
The total height of the building has increased by almost four meters. Despite the fact that the porticos with Beauvais columns have been preserved, the appearance of the main facade has changed quite a lot. A second pediment appeared. The troika of Apollo 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. Over the entrances of the side facades, inclined canopies were installed on cast-iron pillars.
But the theatrical architect, of course, paid the main attention to the auditorium and the stage part. In the second half of the 19th century, the Bolshoi Theater was considered one of the best in the world in terms of its acoustic properties. And he owed this to the skill of Albert Cavos, who designed the auditorium as a huge musical instrument. Wooden panels from resonant spruce went to the decoration of the walls, instead of an iron ceiling, a wooden one was made, and a picturesque ceiling was made of wooden shields - everything in this hall worked for acoustics. Even the decor of the boxes, made of papier-mâché. In order to improve the acoustics of the hall, Cavos also filled in the rooms under the amphitheater, where the wardrobe was placed, and moved the hangers to the level of the stalls.
The space of the auditorium was significantly expanded, which made it possible to make front lodges - small living rooms furnished to receive visitors from the stalls or boxes located in the neighborhood. The six-tier hall accommodated almost 2300 spectators. On both sides, near the stage, there were letter boxes intended for royal family, the Ministry of the court and the directorate of the theater. The ceremonial royal box, protruding slightly into the hall, became its center, opposite the stage. The barrier of the Royal Lodge was supported by consoles in the form of bent atlantes. The raspberry-gold splendor amazed everyone who entered this hall, both in the first years of the existence of the Bolshoi Theater and decades later.
“I tried to decorate the auditorium as splendidly and at the same time as lightly as possible, in the taste of the Renaissance, mixed with the Byzantine style. White color, strewn with gold, bright crimson draperies of the inner boxes, various 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 universal approval.
Albert Cavos
The chandelier of the auditorium was originally lit by 300 oil lamps. To light the oil lamps, it was raised through a hole in the ceiling into a special room. A circular ceiling composition was built around this hole, on which Academician A. Titov painted "Apollo and the Muses". This painting "with a secret" that opens only to a very attentive eye, which, in addition to everything, should belong to a connoisseur ancient Greek mythology: instead of one of the canonical muses - the muse of the sacred hymns of Polyhymnia, Titov depicted the muse of painting invented by him - with a palette and a brush in his hands.
The ceremonial lifting and lowering curtain was created by the Italian artist, professor of 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" (performed by P. Lambin based on a drawing by M. Bocharov), which was used at the beginning and at the end of the performance. And for the intermissions, another curtain was made - "The Triumph of the Muses" according to the sketch of P. Lambin (the only curtain of the 19th century that has survived today in the theater).
After the revolution of 1917, the curtains of the imperial theater were sent into exile. In 1920, theatrical artist F. Fedorovsky, working on the production of the opera Lohengrin, made a sliding curtain made of bronze-painted canvas, which then began to be used as the main one. In 1935, according to the sketch of F. Fedorovsky, a new curtain was made, on which revolutionary dates were woven - “1871, 1905, 1917”. In 1955, the famous golden "Soviet" curtain of F. Fedorovsky reigned in the theater for half a century - with a woven state symbols THE USSR.
Like most of the buildings on Theater Square, the Bolshoi Theater was built on stilts. Gradually the building decayed. Drainage works have lowered the groundwater level. The top of the piles rotted and this caused the building to settle heavily. 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 already on March 13, the State Bolshoi Theater opened.
After the October Revolution, not only the foundations, but the very existence of the theater was threatened. It took several years for the power of the victorious proletariat to abandon forever the idea of closing the Bolshoi Theater and ruining its building. In 1919, she awarded him the title of academician, which at that time did not even guarantee safety, since a few days later the issue of its closure was again hotly debated.
However, in 1922, the Bolshevik government still finds the closure of the theater economically inexpedient. By that time, it was already "adapting" the building to its needs with might and main. The Bolshoi Theater hosted the All-Russian Congresses of Soviets, meetings of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee, and congresses of the Comintern. And education new country- The USSR - was also proclaimed from the stage of the Bolshoi Theater.
Back in 1921, a special government commission, having examined the theater building, found its condition catastrophic. It was decided to launch anti-emergency work, the head of which was appointed architect I. Rerberg. Then the bases under the annular walls of the auditorium were strengthened, the wardrobe rooms were restored, the stairs were replanned, new rehearsal rooms and artistic latrines were created. In 1938, a major reconstruction of the stage was also carried out.
General plan for the reconstruction of Moscow in 1940-41. called for the demolition of all houses Bolshoi Theater up to the Kuznetsky bridge. On the vacated territory it was supposed to build the premises necessary for the work of the theater. And in the theater itself, it was supposed to be established Fire safety and ventilation. In April 1941, the Bolshoi Theater was closed for the necessary repair work. And two months later, the Great Patriotic War began.
Part of the staff of the Bolshoi Theater was evacuated to Kuibyshev, part remained in Moscow and continued to play 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 in the afternoon, a bomb hit the building of the Bolshoi Theater. The blast wave passed obliquely between the columns of the portico, broke through the front wall and caused significant damage in the vestibule. Despite the hardships of wartime and the terrible cold, in the winter of 1942, restoration work began in the theater.
And already in the autumn of 1943, the Bolshoi Theater resumed its activities with a production of M. Glinka's opera A Life for the Tsar, which was removed from the stigma of the monarchist and recognized as patriotic and popular, however, for this it was necessary to revise its libretto and give a new trustworthy name - "Ivan Susanin ".
Cosmetic repairs in the theater were carried out annually. Regularly taken and more large-scale works. But there was still a catastrophic lack of rehearsal space.
In 1960, a large rehearsal hall was built and opened in the theater building - under the very roof, in the premises of the former scenery hall.
In 1975, for the celebration of the 200th anniversary of the theater, some restoration work was carried out in the auditorium and Beethoven halls. However, the main problems - the instability of the foundations and the lack of space inside the theater - were not resolved.
Finally, in 1987, by a decree of the Government of the country, a decision was made on the need for an 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 activity. We needed a branch. However, eight years passed before the first stone was laid in the foundation of its foundation. And seven more before the New Stage building was completed.
On November 29, 2002, the new stage opened with the premiere of the opera The Snow Maiden by N. Rimsky-Korsakov, a production that fully corresponds to the spirit and purpose of the new building, that is, innovative, experimental.
In 2005, the Bolshoi Theater was closed for restoration and reconstruction. But this is a separate chapter of the annals of the Bolshoi Theater.
To be continued...
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 theater. His repertoire included drama, opera and ballet performances. Both singers and dramatic actors took part in opera performances. The Petrovsky Theater was opened on December 30, 1780. On this day, the ballet-pantomime "Magic Shop" staged by J. Paradis 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 now admire 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 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 folk artists Russian Federation.
The Bolshoi Theater in Moscow presents 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 the Russian national art, including the famous Russian ballet.
The history of the Bolshoi Theatre, which is celebrating its 225th anniversary, is as majestic as it is intricate. From it, with equal success, you can create both an apocrypha and an adventurous novel. The theater was repeatedly burned, restored, rebuilt, merged and separated its troupe.
Twice-born (1776-1856)
The history of the Bolshoi Theatre, which is celebrating its 225th anniversary, is as majestic as it is intricate. From it, with equal success, you can create both an apocrypha and an adventurous novel. The theater was repeatedly burned, restored, rebuilt, merged and separated its troupe. And even the Bolshoi Theater has two dates of birth. Therefore, its centenary and bicentennial anniversaries will not be separated by a century, but by only 51 years. Why? Initially, the Bolshoi Theater counted its years from the day when a magnificent eight-column theater with the chariot of the god Apollo over the portico appeared on Theater Square - the Bolshoi Petrovsky Theater, the construction of which became a real event for Moscow at the beginning of the 19th century. A beautiful building in a classical style, inside decorated in red and gold tones, according to contemporaries, was the best theater in Europe and was second in scale only to La Scala in Milan. Its opening took place on January 6 (18), 1825. In honor of this event, the prologue "The Triumph of the Muses" by M. Dmitriev was given with music by A. Alyabyev and A. Verstovsky. It allegorically depicted how the Genius of Russia, with the help of the muses, creates a new beautiful art on the ruins of the Medox theater - the Bolshoi Petrovsky Theater.
However, the troupe, by whose forces the “Celebration of the Muses” that caused general delight was shown, had already existed for half a century by that time.
It was started by the provincial prosecutor Prince Pyotr Vasilyevich Urusov in 1772. On March 17 (28), 1776, the highest permission was given “to keep him all kinds of theatrical performances, as well as concerts, vauxhalls and masquerades, and besides him, no one should be allowed any such entertainment at all the time appointed by privilege, so that he would not be undermined.”
Three years later, he petitioned Empress Catherine II for a ten-year privilege to maintain a Russian theater in Moscow, undertaking to build a permanent theater building for the troupe. Alas, the first Russian theater in Moscow on Bolshaya Petrovsky Street burned down before the opening. This led to the decline of the prince's affairs. He handed over the business to his partner, the Englishman Michael Medox, an active and enterprising man. It was thanks to him that in the wasteland, regularly flooded by the Neglinka, despite all the fires and wars, the theater grew up, which eventually lost its geographical prefix Petrovsky and remained in history simply as the Bolshoi.
And yet, the Bolshoi Theater begins its calendar on March 17 (28), 1776. Therefore, in 1951, the 175th anniversary was celebrated, in 1976 - the 200th anniversary, and ahead - the 225th anniversary of the Bolshoi Theater of Russia.
Bolshoi Theater in the middle of the 19th century
The symbolic name of the performance, which opened the Bolshoi Petrovsky Theater in 1825, "The Triumph of the Muses" - predetermined its history over the next quarter of a century. Participation in the first performance of outstanding masters of the stage - Pavel Mochalov, Nikolai Lavrov and Angelica Catalani - set the highest level of performance. The second quarter of the 19th century is the awareness of Russian art, and the Moscow theater in particular, of its national identity. The work of the composers Alexei Verstovsky and Alexander Varlamov, who for several decades were at the head of the Bolshoi Theater, contributed to its extraordinary rise. Thanks to their artistic will, the Russian operatic repertoire was formed on the Moscow Imperial stage. It was based on Verstovsky's operas "Pan Tvardovsky", "Vadim, or the Twelve Sleeping Maidens", "Askold's Grave", the ballets "The Magic Drum" by Alyabyev, "The Sultan's Amusements, or the Slave Seller", "Boy with a Finger" by Varlamov.
The ballet repertoire was as rich and varied as the opera. The head of the troupe, Adam Glushkovsky, a pupil of the St. Petersburg ballet school, a student of Sh. Didlo, who headed the Moscow ballet even before the Patriotic War of 1812, created original performances: “Ruslan and Lyudmila, or the Overthrow of Chernomor, the Evil Wizard”, “Three Belts, or the Russian Sandrilona ”,“ Black Shawl, or Punished Infidelity ”, transferred to the Moscow stage best performances Didlo. They showed the excellent training of the corps de ballet, the foundations of which were laid by the choreographer himself, who was also at the head of the ballet school. The main roles in the performances were performed by Glushkovsky himself and his wife Tatyana Ivanovna Glushkovskaya, as well as the Frenchwoman Felicata Gullen-Sor.
The main event in the activities of the Moscow Bolshoi Theater in the first half of the last century was the premiere of two operas by Mikhail Glinka. Both of them were first staged in St. Petersburg. Despite the fact that it was already possible to get from one Russian capital to another by train, Muscovites had to wait for new products for several years. "Life for the Tsar" was first performed at the Bolshoi Theater on September 7 (19), 1842. “... How to express the surprise of true music lovers when they were convinced from the first act that this opera solved a question important for art in general and for Russian art in particular, namely: the existence of Russian opera, Russian music ... With Glinka's opera is something that has long been sought and not found in Europe, a new element in art, and a new period begins in its history - the period of Russian music. Such a feat, let's say, in all honesty, is a matter not only of talent, but of genius! -- exclaimed eminent writer, one of the founders of Russian musicology V. Odoevsky.
Four years later, the first performance of Ruslan and Lyudmila took place. But both operas by Glinka, despite favorable reviews from critics, did not last long in the repertoire. Even the participation in the performances of guest performers Osip Petrov and Ekaterina Semenova, temporarily ousted from St. Petersburg by Italian singers, did not save them. But decades later, it was "Life for the Tsar" and "Ruslan and Lyudmila" that became the favorite performances of the Russian public, they were destined to defeat the Italian opera mania that arose in the middle of the century. And by tradition, each theatrical season the Bolshoi Theater opened with one of Glinka's operas.
On the ballet stage, by the middle of the century, performances on Russian themes created by Isaac Ablez and Adam Glushkovsky were also forced out. The ball was ruled by Western romanticism. "La Sylphide", "Giselle", "Esmeralda" appeared in Moscow almost immediately after the European premieres. Taglioni and Elsler drove Muscovites crazy. But the Russian spirit continued to live in the Moscow ballet. Not a single guest performer could outshine Ekaterina Bankova, who performed in the same performances as visiting celebrities.
In order to accumulate strength before the next rise, the Bolshoi Theater had to endure many upheavals. And the first of them was a fire that in 1853 destroyed the theater of Osip Bove. All that was left of the building was a charred shell. The scenery, costumes, rare instruments, and the music library were destroyed.
The competition for the best restoration project of the theater was won by the architect Albert Kavos. In May 1855, construction work began, which was completed after 16 (!) months. In August 1856, a new theater was opened with V. Bellini's opera "The Puritani". And there was something symbolic in the fact that he opened with an Italian opera. Shortly after its opening, the actual tenant of the Bolshoi Theater was the Italian Merelli, who brought a very strong Italian troupe to Moscow. The audience enthusiastically preferred the new converts Italian opera Russian. All of Moscow flocked to listen to Desiree Artaud, Pauline Viardot, Adeline Patti and other Italian opera idols. The auditorium at these performances was always crowded.
Only three days a week were left for the Russian troupe - two for ballet and one for opera. The Russian opera, which had no material support and was abandoned by the public, was a sad sight.
And yet, despite any difficulties, the Russian operatic repertoire is steadily expanding: in 1858, A. Dargomyzhsky's "Mermaid" was presented, two operas by A. Serov, "Judith" (1865) and "Rogneda" (1868), were staged for the first time , "Ruslan and Lyudmila" by M. Glinka is resumed. A year later, P. Tchaikovsky made his debut on the stage of the Bolshoi Theater with the opera Voyevoda.
A turning point in the tastes of the public occurred in the 1870s. Russian operas appear one after another in the Bolshoi Theater: The Demon by A. Rubinstein (1879), Eugene Onegin by P. Tchaikovsky (1881), Boris Godunov by M. Mussorgsky (1888), The Queen of Spades (1891) and “Iolanta” (1893) by P. Tchaikovsky, “The Snow Maiden” by N. Rimsky Korsakov (1893), “Prince Igor” by A. Borodin (1898). Following the only Russian prima donna Ekaterina Semyonova, a whole galaxy of outstanding singers enters the Moscow stage. This is Alexandra Alexandrova-Kochetova, and Emilia Pavlovskaya, and Pavel Khokhlov. And already they, not italian singers, become favorites of the Moscow public. In the 70s, the owner of the most beautiful contralto Eulalia Kadmina enjoyed special affection of the audience. “Perhaps the Russian public never knew, either before or later, such a peculiar performer, full of real tragic power,” they wrote about her. M. Eikhenvald was called the unsurpassed Snow Maiden, the baritone P. Khokhlov, whom Tchaikovsky highly appreciated, was the idol of the public.
In the ballet of the Bolshoi Theater in the middle of the century, Martha Muravyova, Praskovya Lebedeva, Nadezhda Bogdanova, Anna Sobeshchanskaya were played, and in their articles about Bogdanova, journalists emphasized "the superiority of the Russian ballerina over European celebrities."
However, after their departure from the stage, the Bolshoi Ballet found itself in a difficult position. Unlike St. Petersburg, where the unified artistic will of the choreographer dominated, ballet Moscow in the second half of the century was left without a talented leader. The raids of A. Saint-Leon and M. Petipa (who staged Don Quixote at the Bolshoi Theater in 1869, and made his debut in Moscow before the fire, in 1848) were short-lived. The repertoire was filled with occasional one-day performances (the exception was Sergey Sokolov's Fern, or Night on Ivan Kupala, which had long lingered in the repertoire). Even the production of "Swan Lake" (choreographer - Wenzel Reisinger) by P. Tchaikovsky, who created his first ballet specifically for the Bolshoi Theater, ended in failure. Each new premiere only irritated the public and the press. The auditorium at ballet performances, which in the middle of the century gave a solid income, began to be empty. In the 1880s, the question of liquidating the troupe was seriously raised.
And yet, thanks to such outstanding masters as Lydia Geiten and Vasily Geltser, the Bolshoi Ballet was preserved.
On the eve of the new century XX
Approaching the turn of the century, the Bolshoi Theater lived hectic life. At that time Russian art approached one of the peaks of its heyday. Moscow was in the center of the seething artistic life. A stone's throw from Theater Square, the Moscow Art and Public Theater opened, the whole city was eager to see the performances of the Russian private opera Mamontov and Russian Symphony Collections musical society. Not wanting to fall behind and lose the audience, the Bolshoi Theater rapidly made up for lost time in previous decades, ambitiously wanting to fit into the Russian cultural process.
This was facilitated by two experienced musicians who came to the theater at that time. Ippolit Altani led the orchestra, Ulrich Avranek - the choir. The professionalism of these groups, which have grown not only quantitatively (there were about 120 musicians in each), but also qualitatively, invariably aroused admiration. Outstanding masters shone in the opera troupe of the Bolshoi Theater: Pavel Khokhlov, Elizaveta Lavrovskaya, Bogomir Korsov continued their careers, Maria Deisha-Sionitskaya arrived from St. Petersburg, Lavrenty Donskoy, a native of Kostroma peasants, became the leading tenor, Margarita Eikhenwald was just beginning her journey.
This made it possible to include in the repertoire virtually all world classics - operas by G. Verdi, V. Bellini, G. Donizetti, C. Gounod, J. Meyerbeer, L. Delibes, R. Wagner. New works by P. Tchaikovsky regularly appeared on the stage of the Bolshoi Theater. With difficulty, but still, the composers of the New Russian School made their way: in 1888, the premiere of "Boris Godunov" by M. Mussorgsky took place, in 1892 - "The Snow Maiden", in 1898 - "The Night Before Christmas" by N. Rimsky- Korsakov.
In the same year he got on the Moscow Imperial stage "Prince Igor" by A. Borodin. This revived interest in the Bolshoi Theater and, in no small measure, contributed to the fact that by the end of the century singers joined the troupe, thanks to whom the opera of the Bolshoi Theater reached great heights in the next century. In a splendid professional uniform approached late XIX century and the ballet of the Bolshoi Theatre. The Moscow Theater School worked without interruption, producing well-trained dancers. Caustic feuilleton comments, such as the one posted in 1867: “And what are the corps de ballet sylphs now? .. all so well-fed, as if deigning to eat pancakes, and dragging their legs as if they were caught” - have become irrelevant. The brilliant Lydia Gaten, who had no rivals for two decades and carried the entire ballerina repertoire on her shoulders, was replaced by several world-class ballerinas. One after another debuted Adeline Juri, Lyubov Roslavleva, Ekaterina Geltser. Vasily Tikhomirov was transferred from St. Petersburg to Moscow and became the premier of the Moscow ballet for many years. True, unlike the masters opera troupe until their talents had a worthy application: the stage was dominated by the secondary empty ballet extravaganzas of José Mendez.
It is symbolic that in 1899 choreographer Alexander Gorsky, whose name is associated with the heyday of Moscow ballet in the first quarter of the 20th century, made his debut on the stage of the Bolshoi Theater with the transfer of Marius Petipa's ballet The Sleeping Beauty.
In 1899 Fyodor Chaliapin joined the troupe.
began at the Bolshoi Theater new era, which coincided with the onset of a new XX century
1917 has come
By the beginning of 1917, there were no signs of revolutionary events at the Bolshoi Theater. True, there were already some self-governing bodies, for example, a corporation of orchestra artists, headed by the concertmaster of the group of 2 violins, Ya.K. Korolev. Thanks to the active actions of the corporation, the orchestra received the right to be installed at the Bolshoi Theater symphony concerts. The last of them took place on January 7, 1917 and was dedicated to the work of S. Rachmaninov. Conducted by the author. "Cliff", "Isle of the Dead" and "Bells" were performed. The choir of the Bolshoi Theater and soloists E. Stepanova, A. Labinsky and S. Migai took part in the concert.
On February 10, the theater showed the premiere of Verdi's Don Carlos, which became the first production of this opera on the Russian stage.
After the February Revolution and the overthrow of the autocracy, the management of St. Petersburg and Moscow theaters remained common and concentrated in the hands of their former director V. A. Telyakovsky. On March 6, by order of the Commissioner of the Provisional Committee of the State Duma, N.N. Lvov, A.I. Yuzhin was appointed authorized commissioner for the management of theaters in Moscow (Big and Small). On March 8, at a meeting of all employees of the former imperial theaters - musicians, opera soloists, ballet dancers, stage workers - L.V. Sobinov was unanimously elected manager of the Bolshoi Theater, and this election was approved by the Ministry of the Provisional Government. On March 12, searchers arrived; the ludicrous part from the economic and service, and L. V. Sobinov headed the actual artistic part Bolshoi Theatre.
It must be said that “Soloist of His Majesty”, “Soloist of the Imperial Theaters” L. Sobinov broke the contract with the Imperial Theaters back in 1915, unable to fulfill all the whims of the directorate, and performed either in performances of the Musical Drama Theater in Petrograd, or in Zimin theater in Moscow. When the February Revolution took place, Sobinov returned to the Bolshoi Theater.
On March 13, the first "free solemn performance" took place at the Bolshoi Theater. Before it began, L. V. Sobinov delivered a speech:
Citizens and citizens! With today's performance, our pride, the Bolshoi Theater, opens the first page of its new free life. Bright minds and pure, warm hearts united under the banner of art. Art sometimes inspired the fighters of the idea and gave them wings! The same art, when the storm subsides, which made the whole world tremble, will glorify and sing folk heroes. In their immortal feat, it will draw bright inspiration and endless strength. And then the two best gifts of the human spirit - art and freedom - will merge into a single mighty stream. And our Bolshoi Theatre, this marvelous temple of art, will become a temple of freedom in the new life.
March 31 L. Sobinov is appointed commissar of the Bolshoi Theater and the Theater School. Its activities are aimed at combating the tendencies of the former directorate of the Imperial Theaters to interfere with the work of the Bolshoi. It comes down to a strike. In protest against encroachments on the autonomy of the theater, the troupe suspended the performance of Prince Igor and asked the Moscow Council of Workers' and Soldiers' Deputies to support the demands of the theater staff. The next day, a delegation was sent from the Moscow City Council to the theater, welcoming the Bolshoi Theater in the struggle for its rights. There is a document confirming the respect of the theater staff for L. Sobinov: “The Corporation of Artists, having elected you as a director, as the best and staunchest defender and spokesman for the interests of art, earnestly asks you to accept this election and notify you of your consent.”
In order No. 1 dated April 6, L. Sobinov addressed the team with the following appeal: “I make a special request to my comrades, artists of the opera, ballet, orchestra and choir, to all staging, artistic, technical and service personnel, artistic, pedagogical the staff and members of the Theater School to make every effort for the successful completion of the theater season and the academic year of the school and for the preparation, on the basis of mutual trust and comradely unity, of the upcoming work in the next theatrical year.
In the same season, on April 29, the 20th anniversary of L. Sobinov's debut at the Bolshoi Theater was celebrated. There was an opera by J. Bizet "Pearl Seekers". Comrades on the stage warmly welcomed the hero of the day. Without undressing, in the costume of Nadir, Leonid Vitalyevich delivered a response speech.
“Citizens, citizens, soldiers! I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your greeting and thank you not on my own behalf, but on behalf of the entire Bolshoi Theater, to which you provided such moral support at a difficult moment.
In the difficult days of the birth of Russian freedom, our theater, which until then represented an unorganized collection of people who “served” in the Bolshoi Theater, merged into a single whole and based its future on the elective principle as a self-governing unit.
This elective principle saved us from ruin and breathed into us the breath of new life.
It would seem to live and be happy. The representative of the Provisional Government, appointed to liquidate the affairs of the Ministry of the Court and Appanages, went to meet us halfway - welcomed our work and, at the request of the entire troupe, gave me, the elected manager, the rights of commissar and director of the theater.
Our autonomy did not interfere with the idea of uniting all state theaters in the interests of the state. For this, a person of authority and close to the theater was needed. Such a person has been found. It was Vladimir Ivanovich Nemirovich-Danchenko.
This name is familiar and dear to Moscow: it would unite everyone, but... he refused.
Other people came, very respectable, respected, but alien to the theater. They came with the confidence that it was people outside the theater who would give reforms and new beginnings.
Three days had not passed before attempts began to put an end to our self-government.
Our elective offices have been postponed, and we have been promised a new regulation on the management of theaters the other day. We still do not know who and when it was developed.
The telegram muffledly says that it meets the wishes of theater workers, which ones we do not know. We did not participate, we were not invited, but on the other hand, we know that the recently thrown down fetters of the order are again trying to confuse us, again the discretion of the order is arguing with the will of the organized whole, and the hushed order rank is raising its voice, accustomed to shouting.
I could not take responsibility for such reforms and resigned as director.
But as an elected theater manager, I protest against the seizure of the fate of our theater in irresponsible hands.
And we, our entire community, are now appealing to representatives public organizations and the Soviets of Workers' and Soldiers' Deputies to support the Bolshoi Theater and not give it to the Petrograd reformers for administrative experiments.
Let them be engaged in the stable department, specific winemaking, card factory, but they will leave the theater alone.
Some points of this speech require clarification.
A new regulation on the management of theaters was issued on May 7, 1917 and assumed separate management of the Maly and Bolshoi Theaters, and Sobinov was called the commissioner for the Bolshoi Theater and Theater School, and not a commissioner, i.e., in fact, a director, according to the order of March 31.
Mentioning the telegram, Sobinov means the telegram he received from the Commissioner of the Provisional Government for the department of the former. yard and destinies (this included the stable department, and winemaking, and the card factory) F.A. Golovina.
And here is the text of the telegram itself: “I am very sorry that you resigned your powers due to a misunderstanding. I earnestly ask you to continue working until the case is clarified. One of these days, a new general regulation on the management of theaters, known to Yuzhin, will be released, meeting the wishes of theater workers. Commissar Golovin.
However, L.V. Sobinov does not stop directing the Bolshoi Theater, he works in contact with the Moscow Soviet of Workers' and Soldiers' Deputies. On May 1, 1917, he himself participates in a performance in favor of the Moscow Council at the Bolshoi Theater and performs excerpts from Eugene Onegin.
Already on the eve of the October Revolution, on October 9, 1917, the Political Directorate of the Military Ministry sent the following letter: “To the Commissar of the Moscow Bolshoi Theater L.V. Sobinov.
In accordance with the petition of the Moscow Soviet of Workers' Deputies, you are appointed commissar over the theater of the Moscow Soviet of Workers' Deputies (the former Zimin Theater).
After the October Revolution, E.K. Malinovskaya, who was considered the commissar of all theaters, was placed at the head of all Moscow theaters. L. Sobinov remained as director of the Bolshoi Theater, and a council (elected) was created to help him.
