Bolshoi Theater was established in the 18th century as a royal theater by the order of Queen Catherine II. Prince Peter loved the theater and arts in general, and the Queen wanted to please him by opening a private theater where Peter could attend plays, balls and costume parties.
The building where the Bolshoi Theater is situated in today is actually a building renovated in the 1950s, while the original building perished in a fire several decades earlier. The moment you lay your eyes on the magnificent building, you will be able to see the 8-pillar portico with the statue of Apollo. The main Royal box is located opposite the stage, a truly beautiful structure supported by statues of titans. The section where the audience sits was designed as a musical instrument, the acoustics of which were achieved thanks to the work of architect Albert Cavos. The Bolshoi Theater was acousticaly the best hall in the 19th century.
During World War Two, in 1941, the building was damaged, but it was decided that plays would continue to be acted out throughout the course of the war. You could say that this was a sign of Russian resilience, a people who refused to lose its freedom. due to the fact that the theater was neglected during the reign of the Communist Party, in 2005, it was decided that the theater would be restored to its former glory. The Bolshoi Theater managed to shine again, and visiting this institution will not only let you enjoy a ballet or an opera performance, but it will also take you babck to the 19th century Tsar Russia.
The lavish draperies with gold decorative details, the different arabesques, the image of “Apolo and the Muses“ on the ceiling make the experience of the audience a true fairy tale. Special attention was paid to the restoration of the legendary acoustic properties of the old theater.
A famous Dutch plant cultivator was so impressed by Galina Ulanova’s performance in the Bolshoi Theater that he created two new kinds of tulips, which he named after the famous ballerina and the theater itself. Visitors can see the tulips in front of the Bolshoi Theater.
In total, more than a thousand different plays were acted out inside the theater’s walls. The current repertioire includes various classics of opera and ballet, as well as modern experimental plays.
There are two ways you can enjoy the Bolshoi Theater:
1. by purchasing a ticket to one of the ballets or plays
!Bear in mind that tickets have to be reserved several months in advance. Ticket prices vary depending on what you would like to watch. You can inform yourself on the repertoire by visiting the official website of the Bolshoi Theater.
2. The Bolshoi Theater can also be enjoyed in a tour, which will not allow you to enjoy a performance, but it will provide you with acces to the whole interior of the building, including the stage itself, as well as the museum.
The museum collection of the Bolshoi Theater includes more than 200 thousand objects, including sketches of stage props and costumes of exquisite Russian artists who performed on the stage, photographs, historical autographs, sketches and many more. The Russian school of ballet is considered to be the best in the world, and the theater saw some very famous dancers from the entire planet perform there. You could say that the Bolshoi Theater was their home.
