Bolshoi Theatre, Moscow

The Bolshoi was on our itinerary as an evening's entertainment, but we still found ourselves wanting to return during daylight hours to check out the architecture of this world-famous theatre. The current building, replacing several earlier versions from as early as 1780, was designed and erected in 1856.

The plush, red and gold auditorium can hold up to 2,000 and its ceiling is decorated with panels of Apollo, the Greek god of music, dancing with the nine muses of the arts and sciences. Apollo also features on the theatre's exterior sculpture, Apollo in the Chariot of the Sun, which was added as part of the building's restoration in 1825.

You can read a bit more about our theatre-going experience under the Nightlife tip.

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Bolshoi is something that you have to attend if you have enough time in this city.I was the luckiest man of earth when I was informed that the performers of La Scala ( milan) were for one night show in Bolshoi.They performed the famous Romeo Juliet with the collaboration of Moscow philarmonic orchester.I payed a fortune in the black market but it was worthed .
So try any performance in Bolshoi and welcome to the immortals ...

It is very good, I recommend to see The Bolshoi's Ballet on their own stage at Bolshoi's Theatre. There is a good reason for it, the stage is huge, and you can see the best performance ever: very theatrical mega-dance with great number of ballet dancers involved. People will fly in the air, jump very high and so on. The name of the theatre Boishoi means actually Big. So, it is.
I have seen some of their performances here, in London, but I can not ever compare it. The London's ones were dissapointments after what I have seen before in Moscow.
Out of all their performances I would recommend to see the Swan Lake and the Spartak.

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Bolshoi Theatre is the part of universal culture and equivalent for the art which symbolize Russia in the world.
Bolshoi Theatre is the national theatre of Russia, the quintessence of the Russian musical tradition and the international center of the music culture. Its goal is to place the classical heritage into the context of changing cultural demand of the Russian society, and to advance and develop the music theatre in Russia.
Right now is on reconstructions.

Moscow is famous for its theaters, and even has some dedicated specifically to children. This theater is a very popular drama theater for children. It is located in an architecturally remarkable Russian-revival building dating to the beginning of the XX century.

This is a splendid theater building given to world-renowned ballet and opera companies. It was constructed in late XIX century in the style of other grand theaters of Europe and is crowned with the Apollo's chariot. Its problem is that it was built on the soft bedrock of an ancient river and continuously sinks in and has to be extensively restored. At this time it is again closed for restoration. Close by is the Maly (Lesser) Theater, the main drama theater of the city and a youth theater.

The State Academic Bolshoi Theatre of Russia is one of the best musical theaters in the world. The Bolshoi Theater was founded in 1776, by the moment when the First regular troupe was organized by Peter Urussov, an educated theatrical Figure and Moscow public prosecutor, and his partner Mikhail Medoks. The troupe was formed from the actors of an earlier Moscow theatrical company, students of Moscow University, and newly engaged serf actors.
Originally the theater did not have its oisin building therefore performances were staged in à private house of Mr. Vorontsov at Znamenka Street. But in 1780 the theater moved to à special theatrical stone edifice built on the place of the modern Bolshoi Theatre. According to the name of the street, where the theater was situated, they called it Petrovsky Theatre. The repertoire of this first professional musical theater in Moscow consisted of drama, opera, and ballet performances. But the center of special attention were operas - that is why the Petrovsky Theatre was most often called the Opera House. The troupe of the theater was not divided into opera and drama companies: the same actors appeared in dramatic and opera performances.
At that time, this exercised influence on formation of the school of opera singers who were required to be equally professional in vocal and dramatic arts.
The history of the Bolshoi Theater numbers many distinguished singers who were passing traditions îf Russian vocal school and actor s mastery from generation to generation.
The real golden age of Russian vocal-execution school set in at the beginning of the 20 th century and was connected with coming to the Bolshoi Theater of Leonid Sobinov, Antonina Nezhdanova, Feodor Shaliapin. Creative work of these great actors placed Russian vocal-dramatic art among the best in the world.

One of the most famous theatres in the world is located in Moscow – the beautiful Bolshoi Theatre.

It is here that ‘Swan Lake’ was preformed for the first time, and the theatre is these days renowned for its world-class ballet and opera performances.

Unfortunately when we were in Moscow there was no performances which was quite disappointing – would love to hear from anyone who has been and enjoyed the experience.