Alexandrinsky Theater: history, photos, reviews

One of the oldest in Russia, the first state theater of Alexandrinus always attracts special interest from the public and a close attention of critics. To him is a special account: it must correspond to the high title of the Imperial Theater, and this brand has withstood it for more than 250 years.

Origin

The reign of Peter the Great's daughter Elizabeth was marked by a resurgence of cultural life in Russia. In particular, with her rapid growth shows the entertainment industry, many private theaters are created, touring foreign troupes gather, playwrights write the first plays in Russian. There is also a need to create a state theater, following the example of other European capitals. And on August 30, 1756, Empress Elizaveta Petrovna issued a decree establishing the first imperial theater in Russia. So the future Alexandrine acquires its official status.

At first the theater is called Russian, it serves to represent comedies and tragedies. The company is based on the people from Yaroslavl: Fedor Volkov, who became the director of the troupe, and the actors Dmitrievsky, Volkov and Popov. The playwright and director of the theater is Alexander Petrovich Sumarokov, who is considered the progenitor of Russian dramaturgy. The basis of the repertoire is the French plays Racine, Beaumarchais, Voltaire, Moliere, as well as works by Russian authors: Fonvizin, Sumarokov, Lukin, Knyazhnin. The main emphasis was on staging comedies.

Building construction

The theater enjoyed an incredible popularity in St. Petersburg, but he did not have his premises, he wandered about in different places, he needed a special building. But only 76 years after the founding of the Alexandrinsky Theater, whose address is now known to any theater. At that place was originally a wooden building, which was occupied by the Italian troupe Casassi. But later the theater disintegrated, the building was bought into the treasury, and after it was badly damaged in the fire in 1811, the war with Napoleon distracted his problems.

But, despite the lack of funding, in 1810, Carl Rossi creates a project for the restructuring of the square. And only in the thirties, under Nicholas I, seriously the question arose about the construction of the theater. Carlo Rossi becomes the head of this process, in his team he took the architects Tkachev and Galberg. A lot of money was invested in the construction, and the work began to boil: 5000 piles were piled into the ground for the foundation of the building, but they decided to save on decorations. Instead of copper and bronze, painting and carving were used.

The building was erected in just 4 years, and on August 31, 1832, the Alexandrinsky Theater, whose address - Ostrovsky Square, 6, acquired a building built by the greatest architect of our time. Carlo Rossi led not only the construction, under his leadership was implemented in the project of the square and interior decoration of the hall. Alexandrinsky Theater, a photo of which is in the album of every tourist who visited St. Petersburg, is a monument of the great architect.

Architecture and interior

The Alexandrinsky Theater became part of the large-scale town-planning project of Rossi. The front facade, facing the Nevsky Prospekt, is made in the form of a deep loggia of 10 columns, on the attic of which the famous quadriga of Apollo is located. Laurel garlands and theater masks are located along the frieze bordering the building. The side facades are decorated with porticoes of 8 columns. The building in Empire style is a real gem of St. Petersburg. The side street leading to the theater, now bearing the name of Rossi, was designed by the architect according to strict ancient laws. Its width is equal to the height of the buildings, and the length is increased exactly by 10 times. The street is designed in such a way as to emphasize the splendor and grandeur of the architectural image of the building.

The interior of the emperor was seen only in red, but the fabric was not in sufficient quantity, and her order could greatly tighten the opening. Zodchchem managed to convince the ruler - so the theater received its famous now blue upholstery. The hall accommodated about 1770 people, had 107 lodges, a stalls, galleries and a balcony, brilliant design gives it an amazing acoustics.

The Imperial Period

In honor of his wife Nicholas I the theater was named Alexandrinsky. It becomes the center of the scenic life of Russia. Here the Russian theater tradition was born, which later will be the glory of the country. The Alexandrinsky Theater, after the opening, supported the usual repertoire policy: here mostly comedies and musical plays were staged. But later the repertoire becomes more serious, it is here that the premieres of the Griboyedov comedy "Woe from Wit", "The Inspector General" N. Gogol, "The Thunderstorms" of Ostrovsky are held. In the theater in this period the greatest actors are working : Davydov, Savina, Komissarzhevskaya, Svobodin, Strepetova and many others.

By the end of the 19th century, the Alexandrinsky Theater was on the strength of its troupe and productions on one level with the best drama theaters in Europe.

The beginning of the 20th century was marked by a crisis that could not be bypassed by the Alexandrinsky Theater. In 1908, V. Meyerhold, who is striving to create a new repertoire, is at the head of the collective, but at the same time carefully preserves the existing traditions. He puts unique performances: "Don Juan", "Masquerade", "Thunderstorm", which become masterpieces of the new theatrical school.

Soviet time

After the October Revolution in 1917, the theater is accused of glorifying the imperial power, difficult times are coming. In 1920, he was renamed the Petrograd Academic Drama Theater, and he began actively to create a new drama: M. Gorky's The Lower Depths and Mieschans, Merezhkovsky's plays, Oscar Wilde, Bernard Shaw, Alexei Tolstoy and even Lunacharskii (People's Commissar of Education).

The troupe, thanks to the efforts of the main director Yuri Yuryev, has preserved a galaxy of old masters, to which the actors of the new school are joined: Yakov Malyutin, Leonid Vivien, Elena Karyakina. During the Second World War, the theater was evacuated to Novosibirsk, where the actors continued to play performances. In 1944 the troupe returned to Leningrad.

Post-war and subsequent years were not easy for the culture in general and for Alexandrinsky as well. But here there are still famous performances, such as "Life in Blossom" based on Dovzhenko's play, "Winners" by B. Chirskov.

In the Soviet period outstanding actors work: V. Merkuriev, A. Freindlikh, V. Smirnov, N. Marton, N. Cherkasov, I. Gorbachev and brilliant directors: L. Vivien, G. Kozintsev, N. Akimov, G. Tovstonogov. The theater does not lose its significance, despite ideological difficulties.

Back to the roots

In 1990, the original name returned, and the world re-emerges the Alexandrinsky Theater. Years of restructuring are given to him uneasy, but the theater manages not only to survive, but also to preserve the troupe and unique collections of scenery and props. Thanks to the efforts of Academician DS Likhachev, the Alexandrinsky Theater is recognized as a national treasure. St. Petersburg can not be imagined without this cultural institution. He is a symbol of the Russian theater, along with the Bolshoi and the Mariinsky.

Present day

The Alexandrinsky Theater, whose reviews are almost always written in enthusiastic tones, is trying to keep the brand today. Since 2003, the director Valery Fokin is at the head. His efforts in Alexandrinque are the eponymous theater festival. Under Fokine's leadership, a grandiose reconstruction of the theater took place. He achieved that the theater had a second stage, on which experimental performances were staged. The best actors and directors work here. The theater sees its mission in preserving the traditions of the Russian theater school, in supporting a new trend and helping talents.

Famous theater productions

In the repertoire of Alexandrinsky there were always the best plays, all the classics were put here: Chekhov, Gorky, Ostrovsky, Griboyedov. Today the performances of the Alexandrinsky Theater are created according to the best works of playwrights: Nora by G. Ibsen, The Living Corpse by L. Tolstoy, The Marriage of N. Gogol, The Double by F. Dostoyevsky. Each setting becomes an event of a global scale. V. Fokin is very sensitive to repertory politics, he says that there can not be random productions here. The mission of the theater is propaganda of the classics, and the latter takes the leading place in the playbill of Alexandrinsky.

The Troupe of the Alexandrinsky Theater

The Alexandrinsky Theater (St. Petersburg) is known all over the world. Today in the troupe work such veterans of the scene, as N. Urgant, N. Marton, V. Smirnov, E. Ziganshina, as well as talented youth: S. Balakshin, D. Belov, A. Bolshakova, A. Frolov.