Maly theater
The State Academic Maly Theater of Russia ( Russian Государственный академический Малый театр России / Gossudarstwenny akademitscheski Maly teatr Rossii ) is a theater in Moscow , Russia founded in the mid-18th century . The main stage of the theater is located in a building erected in 1824 in the center of Moscow, in the immediate vicinity of the Bolshoi Theater .
The term Maly theater literally means “small theater”, which at the time was intended to distinguish it from the Bolshoi theater (“large theater”).
history
While the stage in Yaroslavl , founded in 1750 by the merchant's son and amateur actor Fyodor Volkov , is considered the oldest public theater in the Russian Empire , the Maly Theater became the first professional establishment of its kind in Moscow and the second oldest Russian theater. The theater was founded in 1756, when the Maly Theater, originally called the Peter Theater ( Петровский театр ), was established by the order of Empress Elisabeth . Initially, the theater was an institution of the recently founded Moscow University , and the first troupe of the theater consisted of students. Acting collectives from former serf farmers and even a gypsy troupe were later hired there. The building was given its current name, Maly Theater , after the Bolshoi Theater was founded in 1776.
In the 1820s, both the Maly Theater and its "large" counterpart received a new building in close proximity to one another as part of the reconstruction work in Moscow after the war against Napoleon . The two buildings were built a few hundred meters from the Kremlin , on a square that is now again referred to as Theater Square. Specifically, the Maly building, completed in 1824, was a merchant's residence converted by the city master builder Joseph Bové . On October 14th of the same year there was a first performance of the theater at the new location.
In the 1830s, the Maly Theater engaged Mikhail Shchepkin , one of the most famous Russian actors of the time, which brought the house a great reputation. Among other things, Alexander Griboyedov's most famous play , Verstand macht Leiden , was performed in the Maly Theater for the first time in the uncensored version, with Shchepkin in one of the main roles. In the later 19th century, dramas and comedies by Alexander Ostrowski , who is considered one of the most famous Russian-speaking playwrights, were performed several times . A monument to Ostrowski was later placed in front of the entrance to the theater building, where it still stands today. In addition to Russian classics, famous foreign pieces were also performed, including Schiller's Kabale und Liebe and Lessing's Emilia Galotti . A large number of leading female roles were played by the famous actress Maria Yermolova .
Later in the Soviet times as well as to this day, performances of classical pieces, including works by Ostrowski, are the main focus of the Maly Theater. In 1995 a new stage of the Maly Theater was opened for non-classical formats (including musicals ). Since 1988 the actor Juri Solomin has been the artistic director of the Maly Theater.
In 2007, the asteroid (10007) discovered in 1976 was named Malytheatre after the theater.
Web links
- Official website of the Maly Theater (Russian)
Individual evidence
Coordinates: 55 ° 45 ′ 34.9 " N , 37 ° 37 ′ 14.2" E