The Alexandrinsky Theatre (russian: Александринский театр) or National Drama Theatre of Russia is a
theatre
Theatre or theater is a collaborative form of performing art that uses live performers, usually actors or actresses, to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place, often a stage. The perform ...
in
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg ( rus, links=no, Санкт-Петербург, a=Ru-Sankt Peterburg Leningrad Petrograd Piter.ogg, r=Sankt-Peterburg, p=ˈsankt pʲɪtʲɪrˈburk), formerly known as Petrograd (1914–1924) and later Leningrad (1924–1991), i ...
,
Russia
Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. It is the largest country in the world, with its internationally recognised territory covering , and encompassing one-eig ...
.
The Alexandrinsky Theatre was built for the Imperial troupe of Petersburg (Imperial troupe was founded in 1756).
Since 1832, the theatre has occupied an
Empire-style building that
Carlo Rossi designed. It was built in 1828–1832 on Alexandrinsky Square (now
Ostrovsky Square), which is situated on
Nevsky Prospekt
Nevsky Prospect ( rus, Не́вский проспе́кт, r=Nevsky Prospekt, p=ˈnʲɛfskʲɪj prɐˈspʲɛkt) is the main street (high street) in the federal city of St. Petersburg in Russia. It takes its name from the Alexander Nevsky L ...
between the
National Library of Russia and
Anichkov Palace
The Anichkov Palace, a former imperial palace in Saint Petersburg, stands at the intersection of Nevsky Avenue and the Fontanka River.
History 18th century
The palace, situated on the plot formerly owned by Antonio de Vieira (1682?-1745), ...
. The theatre was opened on 31 August (12 September) 1832. The theatre and the square were named after Empress consort
Alexandra Feodorovna. The building is part of the
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...
World Heritage Site
A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for h ...
.
It was one of the many theatres of the Imperial troupe. Dramas, operas and ballets were on the stage. Only in the 1880s, the theatre has become dramatic and tragedy filled.
The premières of numerous Russian plays have been performed at the stage of the Alexandrinsky, including plays by
Alexandr Griboyedov,
Alexander Ostrovsky
Alexander Nikolayevich Ostrovsky (russian: Алекса́ндр Никола́евич Остро́вский; ) was a Russian playwright, generally considered the greatest representative of the Russian realistic period. The author of 47 origina ...
, and
Anton Chekhov. Famous directors who have staged work there include
Vsevolod Meyerhold
Vsevolod Emilyevich Meyerhold (russian: Всеволод Эмильевич Мейерхольд, translit=Vsévolod Èmíl'evič Mejerchól'd; born german: Karl Kasimir Theodor Meyerhold; 2 February 1940) was a Russian and Soviet theatre ...
,
Grigori Kozintsev,
Georgy Tovstonogov
Georgy Aleksandrovich Tovstonogov (russian: Георгий Александрович Товстоногов, – 23 May 1989) was a Russian- Georgian theatre director.
He was the leader of the Gorky Bolshoi Drama Theater which was renamed afte ...
, and
Nikolay Akimov
Nikolay Pavlovich Akimov (russian: Никола́й Па́влович Аки́мов; – 6 September 1968) was an experimental theatre director and scenic designer noted for his work with the Leningrad Comedy Theatre. His most notorious product ...
.
On 30 August 2006 the theatre reopened after a reconstruction.
References
External links
Official Web Site in English* 3D model
Alexandrinsky Theater for Google Earth
1756 establishments in the Russian Empire
Nevsky Prospekt
Theatres in Saint Petersburg
Carlo Rossi buildings and structures
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