For the needs of the entrepreneur Kazassi. The institution was named the Kazassi Theatre. After the fire at the Bolshoi Theater in 1811, the architect Thomas de Thomon proposed to rebuild this theater by expanding its stage and hall. But this was interrupted by the War of 1812.
Talk about rebuilding the theater continued after the war, when Emperor Alexander I returned to St. Petersburg. For the new owner of the Anichkov Palace, Grand Duke Nikolai Pavlovich, the space of the estate was put in order, but there was not enough money to rebuild the Kazassi establishment. At this time, the funds went to the construction of the General Staff building. Despite the refusal to build a theater, the design of the square with a new building in the 1810s was made by Karl Rossi, who was engaged in altering the interiors of the Anichkov Palace.
Rossi's project began to be implemented with the coming to power of Nicholas I. The emperor wished to rebuild the square in front of the Grand Duke's palace, which was entrusted to the architect. On April 5, 1828, the project was approved, and the next day a Commission was created "for the construction of a stone theater and two buildings behind it." N. Selyavin, vice-president of the Cabinet, headed the commission. Rossi's assistants at the construction site were the architects N. Tkachev and I. Galberg.
By the spring of 1828, 950,000 rubles were paid from the treasury to the owners of the plots necessary for the construction. Those who were in no hurry to make room were forcibly evicted in one week.
For the foundation of the theater, about 5,000 piles were driven into the ground. The walls of the building were erected in the same year. In 1829, they began to install ceilings, which the architect planned to make from metal. This decision was opposed by General Engineer P. Bazin, who headed the Committee for Buildings and Hydraulic Works. He expressed his doubts about the reliability of metal ceilings in a report to the emperor. Nicholas I created a commission in order to examine the project "for the installation of metal rafters and the roof of the newly built theater on Nevsky Prospekt, whether the walls and rafters will withstand the weight of the machines and whether this device will be dangerous." Work at the Alexandrovsky iron foundry of M. Clark, which manufactured these structures, was suspended. Carl Rossi and M. Clark were asked to provide a model and explanations. In connection with these events, the architect Rossi wrote the following letter to the Emperor:
"Excellent prince, gracious sovereign!
I had the honor to receive an order from Your Excellency, dated September 2, with the announcement that the Sovereign Emperor, having considered the opinion of General Bazin and other papers ... regarding the installation of metal roofs on the newly built theater ... deigned to stop all work on this device until the command.
On this occasion, I take the liberty of informing Your Excellency that when His Imperial Majesty deigned to approve my project for new theater and chose me to build it, then through this I was clothed with fullness and perfect power of attorney, which I had the happiness to justify by experience with other buildings that I had already produced, which were not among the ordinary ones, such as: the device of a metal archive in the General Staff and the conical vault of a large arch , connecting the house of the General Staff building with the new building from Malaya Millionnaya. Now, to the greatest regret, I see that I am completely deprived of this power of attorney, and envy and intrigues triumph.
As a result of this, and in order not to darken my reputation, I most humbly ask ... to apply for permission to complete the work begun on the installation of a metal roof, personally for me, together with Mr. Clark, according to our system. Both I and Mr. Clark answer with honor and head that not the slightest misfortune will occur from the mentioned roof and that the whole device will have the proper strength ...
In conclusion, I will inform Your Excellency that in the event that any misfortune should occur in the mentioned building from the installation of a metal roof, then as an example for others, let them immediately hang me on one of the rafters ... "[Quoted from: 2, 528]
After inspecting the finished metal structures on September 19, 1829 at the Clark factory, Nicholas I announced the decision: "... continue the stone construction of walls for a metal roof and immediately put several iron rafters for the roof for testing, and also put cast-iron rafters and above the stage after making over them experience in advance at the factory ... "The test consisted in checking the strength of the rafters by hanging a load weighing 40 tons on each of them. Thus, Rossi's project was nevertheless accepted for execution.
The project for the decoration of the hall was not fully implemented. The architect conceived it more elegant than it was executed. Bronze and copper were replaced by woodcarving and artistic painting. This decision was made due to the lack of funds that at that time went to the needs of the army. The design of the auditorium based on Rossi's sketches was created by Okhta carvers, stucco masters N. Sipyagin and M. Sokolov, artists the Dodonov brothers.
Nicholas I wanted to see the upholstery of the auditorium with red fabric. Rossi announced to the emperor that this was not available, and if you wait for its purchase, then it will not be possible to open the theater on time. Thus, Rossi achieved the realization of his plan - to decorate the auditorium with blue upholstery.
The grand opening of the theater took place on August 31, 1832. The next day the papers wrote:
"This huge, elegant, majestic building was built by the architect Rossi. The hall contains five tiers of boxes, except for the benoirs. There are 242 chairs located in nine tiers. ), numbered benches, very comfortable for spectators and listeners... The performance opened with the tragedy "Pozharsky, or the Liberation of Moscow" and a Spanish divertissement, that is, various Spanish dances" [Cit. according to: 2, p. 530].
The theater was named after the wife of Emperor Nicholas I Alexandra Feodorovna. Since then, it has been called "Alexandrinka". The building was included in a single architectural ensemble of Ostrovsky Square. Above the colonnade, the facade of the theater is decorated with a quadriga, ruled by the god of arts Apollo. The author of the sculpture is S. S. Pimenov. The Apollo Quadriga was made by the masters of the Alexander Plant. For this work, craftsmen Pyotr Katerinin and Pyotr Odintsov, as well as apprentice Rogozin, received silver medals on Anninsky ribbons, and master Andrey Malikov received a gold medal.
The Alexandrinsky Theater was originally under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of the Imperial Court. Its Rossi walls were painted light grey.
In the year of the opening of the Alexandrinsky Theater, on the basis of an imperial decree, the directorate provided Karl Rossi with a free and perpetual use of a ticket to box No. 14 of the second tier. On January 14, 1837, the director of the imperial theaters Gideons reported to the Minister of the Court:
".... Mr. Rossi suggested to the directorate if she would like to take away this box from him, and pay him money for it.
Due to the uncertainty whether Mr. Rossi still has the right to make such transfers of lodges without special permission ... I did not dare to accept his proposals.
But this box is occupied at almost all performances by various persons from the public, and as an entrance to it ... it is always done according to a special ticket issued to it by Mr. Rossi, it was discovered that a person was sent to the theater with this ticket, who sells in the corridor I tell this box in places about a loner of various kinds to people ... This sent one was not only confirmed many times not to do this again, but even ... he was detained in the theater for that with an announcement that if he continued such actions in the future, then .. will be escorted to the police.
Despite this, however, it turned out that during the performance of the former January 10, they were let into the box in the same way ... seven people of various kinds, of which a quarrel and a fight occurred between the two, during the investigation of which it turned out that the police found that among those who were sitting in this box there were nobles or officials, as well as serfs..." [Quoted from: 2, 548]
After this incident, Rossi was announced that the next such incident would end for him with a deprivation of a ticket.
Once upon a time, on the days of theatrical premieres and benefit performances, a long queue of carriages and carriages lined up at the entrance to Alexandrinka. Among the "golden youth" of that time, it was indecent to go to the theater on foot, so enterprising cabbies specially put their carriages near the theater, on Nevsky Prospekt. From there, young people drove to their destination.
On the eve of 1849, Nicholas I wanted to update the decoration of the auditorium of the Alexandrinsky Theatre. He ordered the four boxes near the stage to be enlarged and the upholstery of the hall to be replaced with red, which was entrusted to Carl Rossi, who created two projects for alterations. This work was the last for the 72-year-old architect.
In Soviet times, the theater received the name "Academic Drama Theater named after A. S. Pushkin." With the acquisition of this name, he also began to be called "Pushkin".
Name: Russian State academic theater drama them. A. S. Pushkin (Alexandrinsky) (ru), Alexandrinsky Theater / Russian State Pushkin Academy Drama Theater (en)
Other names: Alexandrinsky Theater / Theatre. Pushkin in St. Petersburg / Alexandrinka
Location: Saint-Petersburg, Russia)
Creation: 1827 - 1832
Style: Classicism
Architect(s) Story by: Carl Rossi
Architecture of the Alexandria Theater
Source:
G. B. Barkhin “Theatres”
Publishing House of the Academy of Architecture of the USSR
Moscow, 1947
In 1827-1832. In St. Petersburg, one of the most remarkable theaters in Europe for its time in terms of architecture was built according to the design of Rossi - the Alexander Theater - now the Pushkin Theater. On the site of the current square of the Alexandria Theater in 1801, there was a small wooden theater built by Brenna, facing Nevsky Prospekt. In 1811, Thomas de Thomon designed a much larger theater on this site. The design of this theater has been preserved. The building is rectangular in shape with a ten-column portico of the main facade and a huge pediment decorated with sculpture. The square on which the theater at Tomon was designed. has the same opening from Nevsky Prospekt as Rossi. but the building of the theater was set up by Tomon with a much smaller depth from Nevsky than that of Rossi. There is no background closing behind the theater on Thomon's project. In addition, the area of the theater near Tomon loses significantly due to the presence of right side deep rounded pocket. The Thomas de Thomon project was not carried out. An attempt to design a theater on this site was made in 1817 by the architect Maudui. Finally, in 1818, the approval of the theater project drawn up by Rossi followed. The exceptional significance of this building for St. Petersburg is not limited to the beautiful architecture of the building itself, but also lies in the amazing architectural environment that Rossi managed to create here in connection with the construction of his theater.
The main significance of the Rossi Theater in the history of theatrical architecture lies mainly in the excellent external architecture of the building. As for the general layout of the Alexandria Theater and the design of the auditorium, in this respect Rossi did not offer anything particularly new in comparison with the best European theaters of his time.
The plan of the Alexandria Theater does not give any significant space to the common areas; all the amenities and all the luxury of finishing are concentrated exclusively on the front rooms. A small vestibule with two staircases shifted from the axis, enclosed in blind cages and designed without much splendor. The marches of these stairs are designed with a width of 2.13 m only to the height of one floor, to the level of the royal box, after which the marches narrow to 1.4 m. Above the vestibule in front of the royal lodge is a front foyer, 6.4 m high; the foyers serving the other tiers, with the same area, have a height of only 4 m. The foyer is cramped for the public, buffets and latrines are inconvenient to use. The auditorium of this theater deserves attention.
The hall seats 1,800 spectators, it is horseshoe-shaped in plan, close to the French curve in outline: half a circle connected to a wide portal by straight segments. Just like in French theaters, the stalls located in front and the semicircular amphitheater in the back of the hall are solved. In addition to the benoir, there are 5 tiers of boxes. The stocks are tilted towards the stage for better visibility. At one time, this technique was recommended by Seghezzi, but this only led to the inconvenience of using lodges due to the slope of the floor and to the fall of the barriers, which was extremely unfavorable for visual perception. The rather flat ceiling of the hall, as well as the architecture of the portal, are of little interest. Very well executed separate drawings of the barriers of the boxes and processing of the central box.
The main interest and significance of the theater is in its external architecture. The Alexandria Theater is one of the most perfect works of Rossi and, in terms of its architecture, it is undeniably best theater in Europe. In the center of the front facade there is a loggia and an eight-column portico. The rear facade is solved in the same way, but instead of columns it is removed with pilasters. Side facades with protruding eight-column gable porticos; the building is richly decorated with sculpture. The front and rear facades end with attics characteristic of Russia. The front attic is crowned with a quadriga with four horses. The auditorium and the stage protrude above the total volume of the theater in the form of a parallelepiped. Above the protruding frames, the loggias are installed sculptural groups. The lower part of the building is processed in the form of a rusticated basement floor with a very simply solved entrance door. Lateral porticos form two covered entrances. Under the entablature covering the entire building, there is a wide sculptural frieze of garlands and masks.
In general, the architecture of the theater, with its exceptional unity and integrity, is very rich and varied in details.
- Art history. Volume five. Art of the 19th century: art of the peoples of Russia, France, England, Spain, USA, Germany, Italy, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Belgium, Holland, Austria, Czech Republic, Poland, Romania, Hungary, Bulgaria, Serbia and Croatia, Latin America , India, China and other countries. “ART”, Moscow
- Ikonnikov A.V., Stepanov G.P. Fundamentals of architectural composition Art, M. 1971
- "History of Russian Architecture" edited by S.V. Bezsonova State publishing house of literature on construction and architecture 1951
- G. B. Barkhin “Theatres” Publishing House of the Academy of Architecture of the USSR Moscow, 1947
- E.B. Novikov "Interior of public buildings (artistic problems)" . - M.: Stroyizdat, 1984. - 272 p., ill.
Sources:
One of the most famous theaters in St. Petersburg, the legendary Alexandrinsky Theater was founded by decree of Empress Elizabeth. In honor of the wife of Emperor Nicholas I, Alexandra Feodorovna, the theater was named Alexandrovsky. On February 9, 1937, when Russia celebrated the centenary of the death of Pushkin, the theater was named after the poet, and now it is called the Alexandrinsky, or Pushkin Theatre.
The magnificent building, which has housed the theater since 1832, was built by the architect Carl Rossi. Facing Nevsky Prospekt, the exquisite architectural ensemble is one of the best examples of Russian classicism. The sculptural composition "Chariot of Apollo", located on the attic of the building, has become not only a symbol of the theater, but also one of the emblems of the Northern capital.
The theater's repertoire traditionally consists of dramatic performances by Russian and foreign classics. Almost all world premieres of works of Russian classical drama took place on the stage of the Alexandrinsky Theater. Pushkin and Belinsky, Turgenev, Ostrovsky and Blok often visited the legendary productions. Here Chekhov experienced joy at the presentation of his "Ivanov" and disappointment after the first failed production of "The Seagull". Today, in the playbill of the theater, along with dramatic works, you can increasingly see ballet performances with the participation of stars of Russian choreography.
The ensemble of actors of the Alexandrinsky Theatre, known as the "theater of masters", is one of the strongest in St. Petersburg. The walls of the theater keep the memory of the outstanding actors V. Karatygin, A. Martynov, I. Gorbachev, B. Freindlich, actresses V. Komissarzhevskaya, E. Korchagina-Aleksandrovskaya and many others.
Russian State Academic Drama Theatre. A.S. Pushkin - the legendary Alexandrinsky Theater - is the oldest national theater in Russia. It was established by the Senate Decree, signed by the daughter of Peter the Great Empress Elizabeth on August 30, 1756 on the day of St. Alexander Nevsky. It is this theater that is the progenitor of all Russian theaters, and the date of its foundation - the birthday of the Russian professional theater. The establishment of the theater was the beginning of state policy Russian state in the field of theatrical art.
The building of the Alexandrinsky Theater, created by C. I. Rossi, is one of the most characteristic and outstanding monuments architecture of Russian classicism. It plays a dominant role in the ensemble of Ostrovsky Square. As a result of the redevelopment of the estate of the Anichkov Palace in 1816-1818, a vast city square arose between the building of the Public Library and the garden of the Anichkov Palace. For more than ten years, from 1816 to 1827, Rossi developed a number of projects for the reconstruction and development of this square, which included the construction of a city theater on it. The final version of the project was approved on April 5, 1828. The construction of the theater began in the same year. On August 31, 1832, its grand opening took place.
The theater building is located in the depths of Ostrovsky Square and faces Nevsky Prospekt with its main facade. The rusticated walls of the lower floor serve as a plinth for the solemn colonnades that adorn the facades of the theatre. The colonnade of the main façade of six Corinthian columns stands out clearly against the backdrop of a wall pushed back into the depths. The traditional motif of a classical portico brought forward is here replaced by a spectacular loggia motif, rare in St. Petersburg. The surface of the walls on the sides of the loggia is cut with shallow semicircular niches with statues of the Muses - Terpsichore and Melpomene and completed with a wide sculptural frieze encircling the building. The attic of the main façade, decorated with sculptural figures of Glory, is crowned with the quadriga of Apollo, symbolizing the successes of Russian art.
Solemn and spectacular are the side facades of the theater and the southern facade, which closes the perspective of Zodchego Rossi Street. In his work on the project of the theater, Rossi focused his attention on its three-dimensional solution, monumentality and expressiveness of the external appearance. Inside the building, the most interesting is the auditorium. Its proportions are well found. Here, fragments of the original architectural design have been preserved, in particular, decorative gilded carvings of the boxes near the stage and the central large (“royal”) box. The barriers of the tiers are decorated with gilded ornaments made in the second half of the 19th century.
Sculpture plays an important role in the design of facades. Its performers were S. S. Pimenov, V. I. Demut-Malinovsky and A. Triskorn. The chariot of Apollo was minted from sheet copper at the Alexander iron foundry according to the model of S. S. Pimenov. By the centenary of the theater in 1932, under the direction of I. V. Krestovsky, the unpreserved statues of Terpsichore, Melpomene, Clio and Thalia, installed in niches on the facades, were re-made.
The theater has unique collections of scenery, costumes, furniture, theatrical props, weapons, the richest museum funds, which can be exhibited both in Russia and abroad in the most prestigious exhibition spaces.
During the 2005-2006 season. The Alexandrinsky Theater carried out a general reconstruction, as a result of which the historical appearance of the building's interiors was recreated. At the same time, Aleksandrinka has become one of the most advanced stage venues in terms of engineering. The grand opening of the reconstructed Alexandrinsky Theater took place on August 30, 2006 during the celebration of the 250th anniversary of the oldest state drama theater in Russia.
Repertoire of the Alexandrinsky Theatre.
The first director of the Alexandrinsky Theater was A.P. Sumarokov, and then - F.G. Volkov. The theater troupe was formed under the guidance of the famous actor, director and teacher I.A. Dmitrevsky. The theater repertoire of the second half of the 18th century included dramatic works A.P. Sumarokova, Ya.B. Knyazhnina, comedies by V.V. Kapnista, I.A. Krylova, D.I. Fonvizin, everyday dramas by V.I. Lukin, P.A. Plavilshchikov, as well as Western European playwrights - P. Corneille, J. Racine, Voltaire, Moliere, Beaumarchais.
Since the beginning of the 1770s, the comic opera, a kind of theatrical genre that combined dramatic action with musical numbers, singing and dancing. Based on life stories ordinary people", it quickly became popular. Famous at the time was the play "Undergrowth" by Fonvizin, first staged on the stage of the St. Petersburg theater in 1782 with the participation of Dmitrevsky (Starodum), Plavilytsikov (Pravdin), Mikhailova (Prostakov), Sokolov (Skotinin) and Shumsky (Eremeevna).
Of course, the performing arts of the theater up to early XIX century was associated with theatrical classicism - this was taught by Dmitrevsky. But with the change in dramaturgy, with the expansion of genre laws, emotional and psychological tendencies in acting art intensified. S.N. shone on the stage of the theater. Sandunov, A.M. Krutitsky, P.A. Melters, A.D. Karatygina, Ya.E. Shusherin. Sentimental drama and melodrama, which occupied significant place in the repertoire, demanded more naturalness and simplicity from the actors.
The public loved these genres because they reproduced "ordinary life". Of course, ideas about "simplicity", "naturalness" and " ordinary life", reflected in the drama in different periods of the history of the theater, were quite noticeably dissimilar. And today we have performances-melodramas, or "tearful dramas", like "Liza, or the Triumph of Gratitude" by Ilyin, "Lisa, or the Consequence of Pride and Seduction" by Fedorov, hardly seem to be alive.
But such was the spirit of the time - all kinds of sensitivity were valued at the theater. During Patriotic War 1812, the staging of tragedies by V.A. Ozerov - "Oedipus in Athens" and "Dmitry Donskoy". The significance of their problems, their patriotism were supported by the magnificent play of tragic actors - E.S. Semenova and A.S. Yakovlev.
In the 20s of the 19th century, the comedy and vaudeville of A. Shakhovsky, M. Zagoskin, N. Khmelnitsky began to take more and more place in the theater's repertoire. The best comedy performers were recognized by M.I. Valberkhov and I.I. Sosnitsky. At this time, on the St. Petersburg stage were staged early comedies A.S. Griboyedov - "Young spouses" and "Feigned infidelity". In the late 1920s, the theater turned to the romantic repertoire: dramatizations of A.S. Pushkin, V.A. Zhukovsky, novels by V. Scott. Acting art also develops the principles of romantic, emotionally effective stage behavior.
At the turn of the 19th-20th centuries, the work of the Alexandrinsky Theater was quite eclectic. Directing also appeared on the oldest stage, in which everyday realism, bordering on naturalism, prevailed (director E.P. Karpov). In 1908-1917, several performances were staged at the theater by V.E. Meyerhold, fascinated by symbolic and stylistic ideas. He asserted on the stage the festive theatricality, brightness, and luxurious decoration of performances. "Don Giovanni" by Moliere (1910), "Thunderstorm" (1916), "Masquerade" (1917) consistently deployed to the public the idea of a masquerade performance, mystical and religious, and in the theme of rock "Masquerade", staged on the eve of revolutions, they saw " the death of the empire.
After the revolution of 1917, the theater was subjected to the most severe attacks from the revolutionary theatrical figures of Proletkult, futurists and others. They demanded the dissolution of the troupe and the elimination of the imperial theater, representing the "old world" of "bourgeois art." Of course, it was a time of crisis. In 1919, the Alexandrinsky Theater became part of the association of academic theaters, and in 1920 it was renamed the Petrograd State Academic Drama Theater.
For the first time in the post-revolutionary years, the theater staged predominantly Russian and European classics. Gorky's dramaturgy appeared on his stage ("Petty Bourgeois", "At the Bottom"). In the mid-20s, plays of historical and revolutionary content appeared on its stage: "Ivan Kalyaev", "Pugachevshchina", and the director N.V. Petrov staged "The End of Krivorylsk" by Romashov, "Calm" by Biel-Belotserkovsky, "Armored Train 14-69" Vs. Ivanova.
The revolutionary line of the repertoire will now remain in the theater for a long time. And, although, in the 30s, historical characters and Russian autocrats will appear on the stage of the theater (the play "Peter I" by A.N. Tolstoy, "Commander Suvorov" by Bekhterev), Russian history is interpreted in the spirit of the "class approach".
In 1937 the theater was named after A.S. Pushkin. During the Great Patriotic War, he worked in Novosibirsk, and the best plays about the war by Soviet playwrights - "Front", "Russian People", "Invasion" were performed on its stage. In the autumn of 1944, he resumed work in Leningrad.
The largest event was the staging on its stage in 1955 of the play "Optimistic Tragedy" directed by G.A. Tovstonogov. The largest artists worked in the troupe of the theater: V.V. Merkuriev, N.K. Simonov, Yu.V. Tolubeev, N.K. Cherkasov, V.I. Chestnokov, E.V. Aleksandrovskaya, B.A. Freindlich and great theater directors Vs. Meyerhold, L. Vivienne, G. Kozintsev, G. Tovstonogov, N. Akimov and many others.
The history of the theater is also history human soul, her ups and downs. The history of the theater is the history of a human creative gift, which we do not always dispose of at its true worth. Still, you can't help but love the theatre. And we love this magnificent, beautiful and fascinating world of theatrical art, which amazes with its diversity and vitality. After all, even at the beginning of the new century, we still see parsley performances in the streets and fairs, the traditions of Chinese and Japanese theater are still alive, we still feel awe when we hear about "Russian classical ballet" or "Italian bel canto".
The Alexandrinsky Theater is one of the most famous theaters in St. Petersburg.
There are many generic features in the life of St. Petersburg; but the Alexandrinsky Theater is almost one of its most characteristic features, it is almost the main "burrow" of the huge and beautiful capital. One need only look at the Alexandrinsky Theatre, which, with its lovely square in front, the garden and arsenal of the Anichkin Palace on one side, and the Imperial Public Library on the other, is one of the most remarkable decorations of Nevsky Prospekt. But whoever wants to get to know inner Petersburg, not only its houses, but also those who live in them, to get acquainted with its way of life, he must certainly visit the Alexandrinsky Theater for a long time and constantly, primarily before all other theaters of Petersburg.
The name of the Alexandrinsky Theater is inextricably linked with the world history of performing arts. The unique complex of buildings, with a five-tiered auditorium, a huge stage, palace front foyers, a majestic facade, which has become one of the emblems of the Northern capital, has become one of the pearls of world architecture registered by UNESCO. Among the great oldest national theaters in Europe - the Paris Comedie Francaise, the Vienna Burgtheater, the London Drewry Lane, the Berlin Deutsches Theater - the Alexandrinsky Theater occupies a place of honor, being a symbol of the Russian National Theatre.
Alexandrinsky theater building, created by K. I. Rossi, is one of the most characteristic and outstanding architectural monuments of Russian classicism. It plays a dominant role in the ensemble of Ostrovsky Square. As a result of the redevelopment of the Anich Palace estate in 1816–1818, a vast town square arose between the building of the Public Library and the garden of the Anich Palace. For more than ten years, from 1816 to 1827, Rossi developed a number of projects for the reconstruction and development of this square, which included the construction of a city theater on it.
The final version of the project was approved on April 5, 1828. The construction of the theater began in the same year. On August 31, 1832, its grand opening took place. The theater building is located in the depths of Ostrovsky Square and faces Nevsky Prospekt with its main facade. The rusticated walls of the lower floor serve as a plinth for the solemn colonnades that adorn the facades of the theatre. The colonnade of the main façade of six Corinthian columns stands out clearly against the backdrop of a wall pushed back into the depths. The traditional motif of a classical portico brought forward is here replaced by a spectacular loggia motif, rare in St. Petersburg. The surface of the walls on the sides of the loggia is cut with shallow semicircular niches with statues of the Muses - Terpsichore and Melpomene and completed with a wide sculptural frieze encircling the building. The attic of the main façade, decorated with sculptural figures of Glory, is crowned with the quadriga of Apollo, symbolizing the successes of Russian art.
Solemn and spectacular are the side facades of the theater and the southern facade, which closes the perspective of Zodchego Rossi Street. In his work on the project of the theater, Rossi focused his attention on its three-dimensional solution, monumentality and expressiveness of the external appearance.
Inside the building, the most interesting is the auditorium. Its proportions are well found. Fragments of the original architectural design have been preserved here, in particular, decorative gilded carvings of the boxes near the stage and the central large (“royal”) box. The barriers of the tiers are decorated with gilded ornaments made in the second half of the 19th century. Sculpture plays an important role in the design of facades. Its performers were S. S. Pimenov, V. I. Demut-Malinovsky and A. Triscorni. The chariot of Apollo was minted from sheet copper at the Alexander iron foundry according to the model of S. S. Pimenov. By the centenary of the theater in 1932, under the direction of I. V. Krestovsky, the lost statues of Terpsichore, Melpomene, Clio and Thalia, installed in niches on the facades, were re-made.
The building of the Alexandrinsky Theater in St. Petersburg. A historic building in the style of classicism, part of the architectural ensemble of Ostrovsky Square. It was built according to the project of K. I. Rossi in 1828-1832. It houses one of the oldest theaters in the country - the Russian State Academic Drama Theater. A. S. Pushkin.
At the site of the current Alexandrinsky Theater, there was originally a vast garden of the Anichkov Palace, on the territory of which, among other things, a wooden theater pavilion was located - an Italian opera group performed in it. In 1801, the pavilion was rebuilt, creating the Maly Theater on its basis. Over time, the growing cultural needs of St. Petersburg required the construction of a new, larger and more comfortable stone theater building. Therefore, in 1818, the territory cut off from the park of the Anichkov Palace was transferred to the jurisdiction of the theater directorate.
The Alexandrinsky Theater was named after the wife of Emperor Nicholas I, Alexandra, who patronized this art form. The design of the theater building was directly linked to the layout of the architectural ensemble of the modern Ostrovsky Square (after the opening of the theater, it also became known as Aleksandrinskaya). K. I. Rossi made the theater the main element of the entire square. The massive building in the classical Empire style had its main façade facing Nevsky Prospekt, and the back side facing Architect Rossi Street.
The front of the Alexandrinsky Theater was decorated with a multi-columned loggia of the Corinthian order, the side facades were decorated in the form of eight-column porticos. The entire perimeter of the upper part of the building is occupied by a sculptural frieze with antique theatrical masks and laurel garlands. At the ends of the theater in special niches there are statues of muses - Terpsichore, Melpomene, Clio and Thalia, and the attic of the main facade is crowned by the famous quadriga of Apollo (a cart drawn by four horses) - the work of S. S. Pimenov.
The interior decoration of the theater building is also striking in its splendor. The auditorium was made according to a modern multi-tiered system with boxes, an amphitheater and a stalls. The capacity of the hall was designed for 1700 people. The interiors were decorated with velvet, gilded carvings and wall paintings.
The roof of the Alexandrinsky Theater was an interesting design - the innovative idea of using metal arched trusses with cast-iron stops was first applied in the construction business. Moreover, the author of such a roof device was K. I. Rossi himself. Another technological innovation of the building was the installation of steam heating in the theater.
As a token of gratitude to the architect for creating such a masterpiece, after the opening of the theater, K. I. Rossi received a box at the Alexandrinsky Theater for life use, tickets for which he later often sold to moneyed citizens.
The building of the Alexandrinsky Theater is included in the Unified State Register of Objects cultural heritage(monuments of history and culture) of Russia.
Note to tourists:
Inspection of the building will be of interest to theater lovers who wish to attend a performance, to all other tourists interested in the architecture of the first half of XIX century, and can also become one of the points of the excursion program while exploring neighboring attractions -
