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World famous Bolshoi Ballet and Opera theatre (established 1776) - Marvellous Main (Historic) Stage

SCHEDULE for World famous Bolshoi Ballet and Opera theatre (established 1776) - Marvellous Main (Historic) Stage 2022

Bolshoi is one of the leading ballet and opera companies in the world.
Marvellous Main (Historic) stage has been re-opened on October 28, 2011, after a six-year multi-layer $660 million restoration. Gilders, weavers and decorators have been working around the clock to restore the theatre to its 19th-century glory, the era considered its most opulent.
The Bolshoi's return to glory includes the refurbishment of an interior that was once panelled with rare pine and gilded by hand with real gold for the best acoustics before the Soviets damaged them. The theatre's stage is gaining a sound-reflecting floor coating -- specifically designed for opera - and a ballet stage returned to its once-famous four-degree angle that is able to absorb impact, making jumping safer for dancers.
An advanced sound and lighting system has also been installed.
The imposing home of the internationally-famed Bolshoi ballet and opera was constructed in 1824 by Osip Bove, though the company itself was begun in 1776 as a dancing school for the Moscow Orphanage. For much of its history, the Bolshoi was overshadowed by the Mariinsky Theater in St. Petersburg, but with Moscow's restoration as the capital in 1918 it gained preeminence.
For most of the last three decades, the Bolshoi was led by Yuri Grigorovich, an artistic director known as much for his accomplished, classical choreography. Under Grigorovich's tenure, and graced by the presence of a series of remarkably gifted dancers, the Bolshoi's became known as one of the world's great ballet companies. Its performances elicit international acclaim, and an evening at the Bolshoi remains one of Moscow's sublime pleasures. The lovely, acoustically-excellent theatre is a very captivating venue.

NB! Children under ten years old are not permitted into the theatre for evening performances. 

 

Video: Bolshoi Theatre Main (Historic) Stage renovation is over, you are welcome
to visit the main ballet and opera venue in Russia


Read more about the reconstruction of the Bolshoi Theatre Main (Historic) Stage

Bolshoi Theatre of Russia | Bolshoi Mission | Bolshoi Ballet | Bolshoi Opera | Today's Bolshoi Theater | Bolshoi Theater hall plan | Swan Lake Ballet Video | Parterre seats in Bolshoi theatre | Dress Code for Bolshoi Theater | Virtual Tour

Bolshoi Theatre of Russia

Bolshoi Ballet and Opera Theatre. Click to enlarge Bolshoi Ballet and Opera Theatre. Click to enlarge The State Bolshoi Theatre of Russia is one of the best musical theaters in the world. The Bolshoi Theater was founded in 1776, by the moment when the First regular troupe in Moscow was organized by Peter Urussov, an educated theatrical Figure and Moscow public prosecutor, and his partner Mikhail Medoks. The troupe was formed from the actors of an earlier Moscow theatrical company, students of Moscow University, and newly engaged serf actors.

Originally the theater did not have its own building therefore performances were staged in a private house of Mr. Vorontsov at Znamenka Street. But in 1780 the theater moved to a special theatrical stone edifice built on the place of the modern Bolshoi Theatre. According to the name of the street, where the theater was situated, they called it Petrovsky Theatre. The repertoire of this first professional musical theater in Moscow consisted of drama, opera, and ballet performances. But the center of special attention were operas - that is why the Petrovsky Theatre was more often called the Opera House. The troupe of the theater was not divided into opera and drama companies: the same actors appeared in dramatic and opera performances.

At that time, this exercised influence on formation of the school of opera singers who were required to be equally professional in vocal and dramatic arts.

Bolshoi Ballet and Opera Theatre. Click to enlarge
Contacts of the Petrovsky Theater troupe with the folk musical art were establishing national traits of execution style on Moscow stage. Also contributing to this was the repertoire which mainly consisted of operas by Russian composers written on the basis of national themes and imbued with popular song art. The most significant of the operas were "The Miller - Sorcerer, Deceiver and Match-Maker" by Mikhail Sokolovsky, "The Bad Luck from the Coach", "Saint-Petersburg's Trade Stalls", "The Miser" by Vassily Pashkevich and many others.

The Petrovsky Theatre was distinguished for one remarkable feature which was not peculiar then to for one theater in the world. It had a Consultative Committee which consisted of leading actors and decided all creative matters: adopted plays for staging, composed the repertoire and cast the plays.

In 1805, the edifice of the theater was burnt down, and till 1825 performances were staged on various theatrical sites.

Bolshoi Ballet and Opera Theatre. Click to enlarge
In 1806, the theatre became a national one under the authority of the Office of Moscow Imperial Theatres. At that time, works of Italian and French composers were for the first time staged at the theater. Domestic operas by composers Alexander Aliabiev and Stepan Davydov were directed as well.

In 1824, on the place of the burnt down Petrovsky Theatre a new theater, which was named Bolshoi Petrovsky, was built by architect O. Bove. It was opened on January 18, 1825 by the Prologue "The Triumph of the Muses" to music of A1eoei Verstovseo and Alexander Aliabiev.

The new edifice of the Bolshoi Theatre became one of the most beautiful theatrical buildings in the world due to its perfect classical architecture.

After moving of the theater to the new edifice, its organization was headed by theatrical Figures - dramatist Feodor Kokoshkin and composer Alexei Verstovsky.

Bolshoi Ballet

Bolshoi Ballet and Opera Theatre. Click to enlarge Bolshoi Ballet and Opera Theatre. Click to enlarge The ballet, represented in 1920s by the art of Ekaterina Gueltser, Vassili Tikhomirov, Victorina Krigher, Maria Reizen, Leonid Zhukov, received in 1930s - 1940s brilliant continuation owing to the art of Matina Semionova, Asaf Messerer, Galina Ulanova, Alexei Ermolaev, Olga Lepeshinskaya, Mikhail Gabovich, Vladimir Preobrazhensky, Juri Kondratov, and later - Iaoa Plissetskaya, Raissa Struchkova. Talented ballet-masters of older generation, namely Vassili Vainonen, Rostislav Zakharov, Leonid Lavrovsky, worked with these actors.

In 1918, a school headed by Konstantin Stanislavsky and where the principles of opera direction were formed was organized in the theater. These undertakings were continued in the works of Vladimir Lossky, Iosif Lapitsky, Leonid Baratov, and later - Georgi Anissimov, The dramatic culture of the theatre achieved particular success in the creative work of director Boris Pokrovsky.

The vocalists Irina Arkhipova, Galina Vishnevskaya, Oamara Iilashkina, Elena Obraztsova, Bela Rudenko, Vladimir Atlantov, Juri Mazurok, Alexander Vedernikov, Eugenie Nesterenko, Artur Eizen, Zurab Sotkilava, Tamara Siniavskaya, Makvala Kasrashvili, Nina Terentieva are famous in many countries all over the world now.

Thanks to the ballet-dancers Ekaterina Maksimova, Nina Timofejeva, Natalia Bessmertnova, Ludmila Semeniaka, Nadezhda Pavlova, Svet1ana Adyrkhajeva, Nina Semizorova, Alla Mikhalchenko, Vladimir Vassiliev, Maris Liepa, Mikhail Lanovsky, Alexander Bogatyriov, Viacheslav Gordejev, Irek Mukhamedov, the ballet art of the Bolshoi Theatre gained international acknowledgment.

In the ballet performances directed by Yuri Grigorovich in 1960s - 1990s, the art of ballet dancers was revealed in full splendour.

Bolshoi Ballet and Opera Theatre. Click to enlarge The orchestra of the Bolshoi Theater is one of the best symphony orchestras in the world. The glorious traditions of' its conductor' s school were founded by Nikolai Golovanov, Samuil Samosud, Ariy Pazovsky, Alexander Melik-Pashajev, Juri Fajer, Vassili Nebolsin, Boris Khaikin, Eugeni Svetlanov, Gennadi Rozhdestvensky, Mstislav Rostropovich, Mark Ermler, Alexander Lazarev.

The sets for the performances of the theatre were designed by Feodor Feodorovsky, Piotr Viliams, Vladimir Dmitriev, Vadim Ryndin, Nikolai Zolotariov, Simon Virsaladze, Valery Levental, Sergei Barkhin, David Borovsky.

Bolshoi Ballet and Opera Theatre. Click to enlarge Creative activities of the Bolshoi Theatre are complex and diverse: preparation of new performances, fundamental revival of "golden reserves", a lot of tours. Nowadays, all continents of the planet know the Bolshoi Theatre.

Famous foreign companies and outstanding actors have performed on its stage: La Scala, Vienna Opera, opera and ballet troupes from America, England, Sweden, Germany; Montserrat Naballe, Lucano Pavarotti, Jose Carreras, Alicia Alonso, Ivette Chauvire, Vladimir Malakhov, ballet stars of Paris Opera, and many others. Many well-known foreign directors and distinguished conductors worked in the Bolshoi Theatre.

Bolshoi Ballet schedule


Bolshoi Ballet performances:

Pyotr Tchaikovsky
Nutcracker
Ballet in two acts


Pyotr Tchaikovsky
Swan Lake
Ballet in two acts


Adolphe Adam
Giselle
Ballet in two acts
Production by Yuri Grigorovich


Adolphe Adam
Le Corsaire
Ballet in three acts


Sergei Prokofiev
Cinderella
Ballet in three acts


Ludvig Minkus
Don Quixote
Ballet in three acts


Full List of the Bolshoi Ballet performances

Best Bolshoi Ballet photos

 



Bolshoi Opera

Bolshoi Ballet and Opera Theatre. Click to enlarge Works of domestic musical dramatic art firmly established in the repertoire: at first there were operas vaudevilles and ballets-variety entertainments based on folk melodies and stories, and later - full-length operas, the best oI which was "Askold s Grave" by Alexei Verstovsky.

Beginning from 1840-s, operas by Wolvgang Mozart, Joaccino Rossini, Gaetano Donizetti, Vincenzo Bellini, Daniel Auber, and others start to appear in the repertoire.

Opera productions of Mikhail Glinka, the founder of Russian classical music, became the most important event in the history of the Bolshoi Theater. Ao stagin: "Ivan Sussanin" in 1842 and "Ruslan and Ludmila" in 1846 the Bolshoi Theater started to create national classical repertoire.

Bolshoi Ballet and Opera Theatre. Click to enlarge
In March 1853, a destructive fire failed to exterminate only the external walls of the theater and its columned front facade. The edifice xi.as restored and slightly reconstructed by the architect Albert Kavos and was opened in 1856. In this appearance, my minor alterations, it exists up to now.

The great significance to the history of the theater was provided by opera and ballet legacy of the great Russian composer Piotr Chaikovsky. His operas "Eugene Onegin", "The Queen of Spades", "The Cherevichki", "Maxepa", "Iolanta", ballets "The Swan Lake", "The Sleeping Beauty" produced in 1870's - 1890's and later - the ballet "Nutcracker" are placed on golden record of the repertoire. In 80's and 90's of the XIX century, works of composers from "The Mighty Group" - "Boris Godunov" by Modest Mussorgsky, "Sadko" and "The Snow Maiden" by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, "The Prince Igor" by Alexander Borodin- were produced on the stage of the Bolshoi Theater. The history of the Bolshoi Theater numbers many distinguished singers who were passing traditions of Russian vocal school and actor's mastery from generation to generation.

The history of the Bolshoi Theater numbers many distinguished singers who were passing traditions of Russian vocal school and actor's mastery from generation to generation.

The real golden age of Russian vocal-execution school set in at the beginning of the XX th century and was connected with coming to the Bolshoi Theater of Leonid Sobinov, Antonina Nezhdanova, Feodor Shaliapin.

Bolshoi Ballet and Opera theatre. Click to enlarge Creative work of these great actors placed Russian vocal-dramatic art among the best in the world.

Traditions of national Russian ballet started to form on the Bolshoi Theater stage as far back as the beginning of the XIX-th century and were connected with activities ofbaIler-master Adam Glushkovsky, later - with ballet-dancers Ekaterina Sankovskaya, Nadezhda Bogdanova, Praskovia Lebedeva, on the eve and at the beginning of the XX th century - with Liubov Roslavleva, Adelaida Jury, Ekatenna Gueltser, Yassili Tikhomirov, ballet-master Alexander Gorsky.

At the conductor' s desk of opera and ballet- performances there stood conductors Ippolit Altani, Vyacheslav Suk, Sergey Rachmaninov, chorus leader Ulrikh Avranek, sets were designed by Carl Waits, Alexander Golovin, Konstantin Korovin.

After the year of 1917, works of Soviet composers - the operas "The Still Don-River" and "The Upturned Virgin Soil" by Ivan Dzerzhinsky, the ballet "The Red Poppy" by Reingold Glier - ' were produced on the stage of the Bolshoi Theater together with the best works of Russian and foreign classical composers.

Bolshoi Ballet and Opera theatre. Click to enlargeThe operas "The Decembrists" by Juri Shaporin, "The War and the Peace", "Semion Kotko", "The Gambler" by Sergei Prokofiev, "The Optimistic Tragedy" by Alexander Kholminov, "The October" by Vano Muradeli, "The Unknown Soldier" and "Quiet Are the Dawns Here" by Kirill Molchanov, "The Stealing of the Moon" by Otar Taktakishvili, "The Dead Souls" by Rodion Schedrin, the ballets "Romeo and Juliette", "The Cinderella", "Ivan the Terrible", "The Stone Flower" by Sergei Prokofiev, "Spartacus" by Aram Khachaturyan, "Assel" by Vladimir Vlassov, "The Legend of Love" by Arif Melikov, "Anna Karenina", "The Sea-Gull", "The Lady with a Doggy" by Rodion Schedrin, "The Hussar Ballad" by Tikhon Khrennikov, "Aniuta" by Valeri Gavrilin are brilliant productions of the Bolshoi Theatre in 1950s - 1980s.

The opera dramatic art of the XX-th century is represented by the names of Nadezhda Obukhova, Valeria Barsova, Ivan Kozlovsky, Alexander Pirogov, Ksenia Derzhinskaya, Serguei Lemeshev, Mark Reizen, Nikolai Ozerov, Maria Maksakova, Maxim Mikhailov, Dmitri Golovin, Elena Stepanova, Panteleimon Nortsov, Irina Maslennikova, Nikandr Khanaev, Elizaveta Shumskaya, Vera Davydova, Georgi Nelepp, Alexei Ivanov, Ivan Petrov, Alexei Krivchenia, Alexander Ognivtsev.

Bolshoi Opera schedule


Bolshoi Opera performances:

Pyotr Tchaikovsky
The Queen of Spades
Opera in two acts


Modest Mussorgsky
Boris Godunov (version 1871)
Opera in five acts.
Production by Alexander Sokurov


Pyotr Tchaikovsky
Eugene Onegin
Opera in three acts


Pyotr Tchaikovsky
Iolanta
Opera in two acts


Giacomo Puccini
Tosca
Opera in three acts


Giacomo Puccini
Madama Butterfly
Opera in two acts


Full List of the Bolshoi Opera performances

Best Bolshoi Opera photos

 


Today's Bolshoi Theater

Bolshoi Ballet and Opera Theatre. Click to enlarge Bolshoi Ballet and Opera Theatre. Click to enlarge At present, almost 2500 people work at the Bolshoi Theatre.

The general director of the Bolshoi theatre is Anatoly Ixanov.

Now the musical director and the chief conductor of the Bolshoi theatre - Alexander Vedernikov.

The principal guest conductor of the Bolshoi theatre - Nikolay Alexseev.

Art director of the Boshoi ballet troupe - Boris Akimov.

Art director of the Bolshoi opera troupe - Makvala Kasrashvili.

The creative team numbers about 900 actors of opera, chorus, ballet, orchestra, pantomime group, children' s choir.

Besides participating in performances, the actors take partin various concerts (solo or ensemble ones) in the Beethoven's Hall or in the White Foyer of the theater. The Chorus of the Bolshoi Theatre, the Symphony Orchestra, the Brass Band, the Children' s Choir, the Percussion Instruments Ensemble and the Chamber Group of the Orchestra show exceptional concert programs.

Bolshoi Ballet and Opera Theatre. Click to enlarge Today, the whole world knows the highest mastery of our performers. These are the conductors - Alexander Vedernikov, Alexander Kopylov, Fuat Mansurov, Pavel Sorokin, Alexander Sotnikov, Vladimir Andropov, Alexei Stepanov, Pavel Klinichev; opera soloists - Elena Evsejeva, Maria Gavrilova, Elena Zelenskaya, Makvala Kasrashvili, Marina Lapina, Larissa Rudakova, Elena Bryleva, Lolitta Semenina, Irina Dolzhenko, Tatiana Erastova, Elena Obraztsova, Tamara Siniavskaya, Olga Teriushnova, Marina Shutova, Sergei Gaidei, Lev Kuznetsov, Oleg Kulko, Andrei Dunaev, Vsevolod Grivnov, Aleoaider Lomonosov, Badri Maisuradze, Zurab Sotkilava, Vitaliy Taraschenko, Juri Vedenejev, Vladislav Verestnikov, Serguei Murzaev, Vladimir Redkin, Juri Nechaev, Pavel Chernykh, Piotr Gluboky, Vladimir Matorin, Maksim Mikhailov, Eugene Nesterenko, Mikhail Kazakov, Alexander Kiselev, Nikolai Nizienko, Viacheslav Pochapsky; ballet soloists - Nadezhda Grachiova, Galina Stepanenko, Nina Ananiashvili, Anna Antonicheva, Maria Alexandrova, Yekaterina Shipulina, Ilze Liepa, Elena Andrienko, Elina Palshina, Inna Petrova, Marianna Ryzhkina, Anastasia Jatsenko, Juliana Malkhasyants, Anastasia Goryacheva, Nina Kaptsova, Dmitri Belogolovtsev, Konstantin Ivanov, Yuri Klevtsov, Vladimir Moissejev, Vladimir Neporozhny, Mark Peretokin, Alexei Popovchenko, Alexander Petukhov, Ilia Ryzhakov, Andrei Uvarov, Sergei Filin, Nikolai Tsiskaridze, Dmitri Gudanov, Jan Godovsky, Gennadi Janin among others.

Today's Bolshoi Theater means the grandeur of traditions being developed in the contemporaneity, e means the scale of artistic individualities gathered in its troupe, it means the repertoire, it means concentrated creative life, it means daily hard work and regular improvement of mastery.

Bolshoi theatre Main (Historic) Stage - The Auditorium (Hall)
Click to enlarge Bolshoi theatre Main (Historic) Stage - Beethoven's foyer
Click to enlarge Bolshoi theatre Main (Historic) Stage - Apollo Quadriga - symbol of the Bolshoi
Click to enlarge Bolshoi Ballet company on the stage of Bolshoi theatre Main (Historic) Stage
Click to enlarge
© Photos - Damir Yusupov, Bolshoi Theatre

Bolshoi hall plan - Main (Historic) Stage

Bolshoi Ballet and Opera theatre - Hall Plan - Main (Historic) Stage

Bolshoi Ballet Video


Swan Lake Ballet - Pas de Quatre - "Small Swans" dance

Parterre seats in Bolshoi theatre

Stage is wider than the parterre and ther are big aisles between parterre edges and amphitheatre. So all Parterre seats are consider to be "middle" seats.
It is an orchestra between the parterre and the stage. Because of it first rows of the parterre and not too close to the stage and you have best view from these seats. The orchestra is significantly below the parterre level, so you do not have any obstacles to see a performance.

Dress Code for Bolshoi theatre

There is no strict dress code for the Bolshoi theatre. Casual dress is accepted, for example you can wear jeans if you want. The only dress that are not allowed are shorts and T-shirts.

 



Address: Teatralnaya (Theatre) square, 1 , see map


SCHEDULE for World famous Bolshoi Ballet and Opera theatre (established 1776) - Marvellous Main (Historic) Stage 2022

Complete schedule of all Moscow theatres 2022



“Manon Lescaut” opera premiere!
 
About This Video
02:35
"Manon Lescaut"
Opera in four acts
Adults only


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