The new Bolshoi Theater constructed in 1856, remaining unchanged since then, is a little bit more decorative in style than its former version. This five-tiered auditorium is known for its excellent acoustics, due to architect Kavos' design and choice of materials. It is famous for its decorations such as the great crystal chandalier, and also the ceiling from which it hangs, decorated with a painting by Academician Titov, depicting Apollo surrounded by the nine muses.
The magnificant auditorium seats 2153 people, is 21 meters high, and is 25 meters by 26 meters. Surprisingly enough, the stage itself is almost as big as the auditorium. The company is also big, with an average of at least 3,000 members. This includes:
The theater performs for an exceptionally large amount of people too, with over one million people worldwide coming to see them annually.
In the 20th century of ballet, the Russians have seen a change in prestige, as far as ballet companies are concerned. The Great October Revolution of 1917 is said to have helped the Bolshoi's success in that it "rid it of both the bigoted and ignorant imperial officials and the measly patronage of the Provisional Government" which replaced the last czar, Nicholas II. The Bolshoi Theater Council was also established at this time by Leonid Sobinov, the new director of the theater.
The Bolshoi thus became a theater of the people, not only because it was owned by the people rather than the government, but because singers and dancers were routinely selected from among the common folk, such as the peasants, serfs and people without families. Their ballets related to the people, bringing to stage the life of the commoners, and satirizing the nobility. The theater that in the past, under imperial rule, used to favor foreign performers and hire West European composers from Paris, London, Vienna, Berlin, and Milan, was now looking within the country for talent, and going out of its way to perform classical pieces from its own country.
The last difficult period that the Bolshoi has gone through has been during the communist years. After the 1917 Revolution, the destiny of the Bolshoi was uncertain, and it was even proposed that the theater be destroyed. Fortunately, unlike a lot of the performing arts that disappeared at this time during Lenin's and Stalin's rules, this never came about, and the theater conformed its repertoire to the socialist ideal. In fact, it became a favorite place to hold assemblies, and Lenin (who ruled from 1917-1924) introduced his electrification plans from the stage of the Bolshoi, with electric light bulbs hanging from the balconies and stage. Communist symbols were hung from the theater curtains and bas-reliefs.
Lenin was said to be a supporter of the Bolshoi, and even in the bleak year of 1918 after the Soviet Union's many years of wars, when there was little electricity or fuel, Lenin and the Soviet government refused to shut it down. He is quoted as saying "It is absolutely essential to bend every effort to prevent the collapse of the principal pillars of our culture; the proletariat would never forgive us."
The Bolshoi also sufferd damage due to World War II, when in 1941 a 500 lb. bomb exploded in its lobby, destroying its facade and part of the auditorium. Reconstruction began immediately, and despite the fact that it was right in the middle of the war, it took only 240 days for complete restoration.
Today the Bolshoi is seeing exceptionnal success, and is without a doubt the most reknown theater and ballet company in Russia. It made its first trip to the United States in 1959, and has since been travelling worldwide. The Bolshoi this past century has also been home to some of the most famous ballerinas, such as Galina Ulanova, Maya Plisetskaya, Ekaterina Bessmertnova, as well as Mikhail Baryshnikov. Some of the composers whose works have been performed here are: Glinka, Mussorgsky, Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninoff, Borodin, Prokofiev, etc.
It is truly a grand production when the Bolshoi performs, and a source of great pride for the Russians. After surviving such events as fires, social unrest within the country, economic hardship and wars, it is no wonder that this ballet theater has become so strong, and there is no doubt that the legacy will continue to live on...
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