Bolshoi and Maliy Theatres

The oldest and most famous Moscow theatre is the State Bolshoi Opera and Ballet Theatre. Its building was erected in 1817 by architects Andrei Mikhailov and Osip Bove on the site of the former Petrovsky Theatre (built in 1780). In thirty years the building was burnt down but soon, in 1856, it was restored to the design by architect Kavos.

The building of the theatre is very beautiful and dominating in the architectural ensemble of Teatralnaya Square. Bolshoi Theatre itself is considerably older than its building. It is already 200 years old. Its origin has come from an opera troupe founded in 1775 in Moscow. The opera company got the status of an imperial one (that is a state one) in 1789.

For two centuries almost all the best Russian and Soviet operas and ballets have been staged at the theatre. It is here that such famous singers as Chalyapin, Sobinov, Nezhdanova, Geltser, Barsova, Maksakova, Obraztsova, Arkhipova, Vishnevskaya, Kozlovsky, Lemeshev, Mikhailov, Reizen, Nesterenko worked and performed. The theatre's stage has also seen such stars of ballet as Semyonova, Ulanova, Lepeshinskaya, Plisetskaya, Bessmertnova, Maximova, Vassilyev, Lavrovsky, Liepa, Grigorovich and many other outstanding masters of opera and ballet. The theatre has resounded to the music played by the orchestras conducted by such famous conductors and musicians as Rakhmaninov, Samosud, Dudarova, Rozhdestvensky, Pokrovsky, Rastropovich and Svetlanov.

Next to the majestic building of Bolshoi Theatre there is a more modest building of a drama theatre that is named Maly Theatre (built by architect Elkinsky and rebuilt in 1840 to the design by Ton). Before its facade the statue to the famous Russian playwright, Alexander Ostrovsky, has been put up. It was made by the sculptor Andreyev.

Maliy Theatre is also called the House of Ostrovsky because from here all Ostrovsky's plays started their journey. By tradition the theatre's repertoire always includes only one or two Ostrovsky's plays. Before the Revolution Maliy Theatre as well as the Bolshoi Theatre was an imperial one. The forefathers of the Russian theatrical school, Shchepkin and Mochalov, worked here. On 17 March 1879 in Maliy Theatre in accordance with Pyotr Tchaikovsky's desire the first performance of his opera Eugene Onegin was held. The opera was performed by students of the Moscow Conservatoire. The best actors of Russia, the dynasty of the Sadovskys, Fedotova, Yermolova, Yuzhin, Yablochkina, Ostuzhev, Ilyinsky, Tsaryov, Zharov, Gogoleva, appeared on the stage of Maliy Theatre.

Moscow Art Theatre (MKhAT)

The theatre was founded on 14 October 1898 and during four years it performed in the rented Hermitage Hall and other occasional premises. In 1902 to the design by architect Shekhtel with the active participation of the theatre's leadership headed by Konstantin Stanislavsky and with the help of the patron of art Sawa Morozov the Lianozovsky chamber theatre in Kamergersky Lane was thoroughly reconstructed. Here the founders and leaders of the theatre, Konstantin Stanislavsky and Vladimir Nemirovich-Danchenko, and the galaxy of the remarkable actors, Kachalov, Moskvin, Knipper-Chekhova, Tarkhanov and others, worked. Today the Theatre is headed by a famous actor and stage director Oleg Yefremov. At the theatre such well-known actors as Stepanova, Prudkin, Yevstigneyev, Smoktunovsky, Kalyagin, Vertinskaya and many others have worked and some of them work now.

2. Answer the questions:

1. When were the first theatrical entertainment establishments formed?

2. When was the oldest and most famous Moscow Theatre erected? Who were the architects?

3. Who was the present building designed by?

4. How did the Bolshoi Theatre originate?

5. What world famous names are connected with the Bolshoi stage?

6. Where is Maliy Theatre situated?

7. What is its other name?

8. What tradition does the Theatre follow?

9. When was MKHAT founded?

10. What architects designed the building to the theatre?

11. What world-wide known names can be mentioned in connection with Maliy and Art Theatre?

12. Sum up what you know about the oldest theatres of Moscow.

Do you know that…

– the first theatrical performance was held in 1672 on the 17 of October for the Tsar Alexey Michailovitch.

– The first theatre was built on the order of the tsar in the village of Preobrazhenskoye on the Yauza river embankment.

– The theatre was state-owned and had been built for the Tsar’s fun.

– Seniority was strictly observed fat the theatre like at all the most important state ceremonies.

– The tsar was sitting in front of the stage, the Boyars sitting on the benches behind him.

– The young tsarina (Natalya Narishkina) was looking at everything that was going on from a special little “klet” (room) situated at the end of the premises.

– The first performance consisted of 7 acts not counting the “prelude”.

– The play was based on the Bible but deviations from the Bible story also occurred. Organ, violin and other musical instruments sounded.

Speak on the most famous: 1. theatres of Moscow.

Museums of Moscow.

Module V

Keys

Test yourself

Module I – Holidays and Holidaymaking( time-25-30min\ 35points)

1 O-I ; 1-h; 2-c; 3-b;4-e; 5-a; 6-d; 7-f; g-not needed .

2 1-f, 2-d, 3-h, 4-g, 5-i, 6-j, 7-b, 8-e, 9-c, 10-a

3 1-c,2-a,3-b,4-f,5-d,6-e,7-h,8-I,9-g,10-j

4 1.attracted; 2.range, oriented; 3.pursue; 4.solitude;5.store up; 6.single, accommodation;7.multi-centre; 8.cater for.

Module II - Choosing a Career

Task 2:

D. 1) nursery children; 2) infants; 3) juniors; 4) secondary school pupils; 5) sixth-form students; 6) undergraduates; 7) postgraduates.

E. 1) for example; 2) that is; 3) note well; 4) Post Scriptum (added to letter); 5) Bachelor of education; 6) Physical Education; 7) maximum; 8) especially; 9) approximately; 10) minimum

F. 1) stupid; 2) unfriendly; 3) self-confident; 4) relaxed; 5) rough; 6) miserable; 7) interesting; 8) generous; 9) energetic; 10) bad-tempered; 11) ignorant; 12) impulsive.

Module II Test yourself (time 30-40min\52p)

Task 1: 1) B 2) F 3) G 4) H 5) C 6) A 7) D

Task 2: 1) compulsory; 2) precedes; 3) provided; 4) introduce; 5) Basically; 6) such; 7) advanced; 8) prepare; 9) lead; 10) high; 11) as well as; 12) expand; 13) development.

Task 3: 1) by; 2) allows; 3) start; 4) like; 5) respond; 6) during; 7) quality; 8) immediately; 9) who; 10) device; 11) lifts; 12) at; 13) all; 14) for; 15) time.

Task 4: 1) training; 2) completed; 3) confident; 4) supervisor; 5) abilities; 6) responsibilities; 7) demanding.

Task 5: 1) mandatory; 2) divided; 3) admitted; 4) lasts; 5) semesters; 6) finishing; 7) alternative; 8) supply; 9) according; 10) comply with.

Module III. Test Yourself( time-30-40min.\max.40points)

Keys: Task 1.1-I; 2-a; 3-f; 4-h; 5-b;6-c; 7-e.

Task 2.1 annoyance;2 disastrous;3 survival;4 irreversible; 5 treatment; 6 prevented;7 infectious.

Task3. 1-b;2-c;3-d;4-d;5-b;6-a;7-a;8-c;9-d;10-a.

Task4. 1aftercare; 2recovery; 3 care; 4 treatment;5 remedies; 6 bruised 7. fractured; 8 sprained; 9 strained.