Mussorgsky Opera and Ballet Theatre

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MUSSORGSKY OPERA AND BALLET THEATRE. Dates back to 1918, when it was established in the building of the Mikhailovsky Theatre (1 Iskusstv Square; 1833, architect А. P. Bryullov, rebuilt in 1859 by architect А. K. Cavos). The theatre changed names several times: from 1919 it was known as the State Academic Comedy Opera Theatre, from 1921 as the Maly Petrograd Academic Theatre, from 1926 the State Academic Maly Opera Theatre (Malegot), from 1964 as the State Academic Maly Opera and Ballet Theatre, and in 1989 received its current name. It was intended to be affiliated with the Mariinsky Theatre, acting as its experimental ground without having a troupe of its own. It wasn't until 1931 that the theatre's own troupe gave its first performance, though an orchestra and choir was established as far back as 1918. The theatre continued to develop its repertoire, staging rarely-performed operas, operas-comique, and classical and contemporary operettas, including A. Thoma's Mignon, 1918; G. A. Lortzing's Tsar and Carpenter 1919; D. F. Auber's Fra Diavolo 1920; C. A. Cui's Mandarin's Son 1921; and F. Lehar's Wo die Lerche singt (Where the Lark Sings) and Yellow Jacket 1923). In the early 1930s the theatre had the reputation of being the main experimental space of Soviet opera. It featured the premieres of Shostakovich's The Nose and Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk District (1930, 1934), as well as I. I. Dzerzhinsky's opera The Quiet Don (1935), D. B. Kabalevsky's Colas Breugnon (1938), and A. F. Pashchenko's Pompadour (1939). The first 20 years of the theatre's history are closely associated with conductor S. A. Samosud and director N. V. Smolich. Later came associations with conductors B. E. Khaikin and E. P. Grikurov, and directors B. А. Pokrovsky and E. E. Pasynkov. During the Great Patriotic War the theatre was evacuated to the city of Chkalov (today Orenburg), where it operated until 1944. Prokofiev's opera War and Peace premiered in 1946. Later works by contemporary composers were staged, such as S. M. Slonimsky's Virinea (1967); Mary Stuart (1981), G. Gershwin's Porgy and Bess (1968), and R. K. Shchedrin's Not Only Love (1973). In 1972, S. Gaudasinsky assumed the directorship of the theatre. The theatre saw vocal performances by N. L. Welter, Е. S. Gorokhovskaya, P. M. Zhuravlenko, Y. V. Ivshin, R. L. Izgur, N. I. Krivulya, T. N. Lavrova, S. P. Leiferkus, Y. M. Marusin, V. L. Matusov, А. Y. Modestov, Е. G. Olkhovsky, V. R. Pankratov, А. I. Popova-Zhuravlenko, I. L. Prosalovskaya, V. K. Retyunsky, N. I. Romanova, Е. V. Ustinova, and Е. P. Tselovalnik. In 1931, on F. V. Lopukhov's initiative, the opera ballet troupe was reorganised into an experimental choreographic theatre. Lopukhov choreographed R. E. Drigo's Arlekinada (1933), L. Delibes' Coppelia (1934), and Shostakovich's The Limpid Stream (1935). In the mid-1930s, L. M. Lavrovsky took up Lopukhov's experiments with L. Delibes' Fadette (1936) and B. V. Asafyev's The Caucasian Prisoner (1938). During the post-war years, the troupe was directed by B. А. Fenster. His affinity leaning toward dramatic theatre, he staged M. I. Chulaki's ballets The False Bridegroom (1946) and Youth (1949), Asafyev's Lady Peasant (1951) and a number of others. In the mid-1950s P. А. Gusev cultivated dance culture by adding classical ballet pieces to the repertoire. I. D. Belsky also used this approach in his choreography of Shchedrin's The Little Hump-backed Horse (1963), Shostakovich's Symphony No. 11 (1969), and Tchaikovsky's Nut cracker (1969). It was during these years that new choreographers joined the theatre and established their own interpretation of many ballets, such as A. I. Chernyshov staging of E. L. Lazarev's Antony and Cleopatra (1964), and G. R. Zamuel's production of E. Irszai's Don Juan, or The love of Geometry (1973). O. M. Vinogradov did his best-known choreographic work on B. I. Tishchenko's Yaroslavna (1974). A number of classic ballets were performed in 1973-77, including A. Bournonville's Sylphida to H. Levenshell's music (1975). In 1977, N. N. Boyarchikov began to concentrate on new productions: Prokofiev's Tsar Boris (1978), S. Kallos' Macbeth (1984), S. P. Banevich's Petersburg (1992), and L. S. Lebedev's choreography of Y. A. Simakin's The Legend of the Bird of Donenbai(1983). Troupe-soloists from over the years included G. М. Abaydulov, V. K. Adzhamov, Е. G. Alkanova, N. N. Boyarchikov, Z. A. Vasilyeva, N. А. Dolgushin, G. R. Zamuel, N. А. Zubkovsky, G. I. Isaeva, L. P. Kamilova, R. I. Kuzmicheva, Y. А. Kuks, М. B. Kurshakova, А. S.Linnik, М. P. Mazun, V. S. Mukhanova, V. B. Ostrovsky, V. P. Panov, Y. N. Petukhov, G. N. Pirozhnaya, G. V. Pokryshkina, V. А. Rosenberg, М. А. Rostovtseva, L. N. Safonova, V. M. Stankevich, G. V. Sudakov, Т. I. Fesenko, А. S. Khamzin, S. K. Sheina, N. S. Yananis. The theatre hall holds 1151 persons.

References: Балет Ленинградского государственного академического малого театра оперы и балета. Л., 1964; Малый театр оперы и балета, 1918-1968. Л., 1968; Санкт-Петербургский государственный Академический театр оперы и балета имени М. П. Мусоргского / Е. В. Третьякова и др. СПб., 2001.

G. N. Dobrovolskaya, E. V. Tretyakova. Abaydulov Gali Myagazovich
Abaza Alexander Aggeevich
Adzhamov Vladimir Kasumovich
Alkanova Elena Georgievna
Asafyev Boris Vladimirovich
Auber Daniel Francois Esprit
Aubert Louis Francois Marie
Banevich Sergey Petrovich
Belsky Igor Dmitrievich
Bournonville August
Boyarchikov Nikolay Nikolaevich
Bryullov Boris Pavlovich
Cavos Albert Katarinovich
Chernyshev Igor Alexandrovich
Chulaki Mikhail Ivanovich
Cui Cesar Antonovich
Delibes Leo
Dolgushin Nikita Alexandrovich
Drigo Richard Evgenievich
Dzerzhinsky Felix Edmundovich
Fenster Boris Alexandrovich
Fesenko Tatyana Ivanovna
Gaudasinsky Stanislav Leonovich
Gershwin George
Gorokhovskaya Evgeniya Stanislavovna
Grikurov Eduard Petrovich
Gusev Peter Andreevich
Haykin Boris Emmanuilovich
Irszai E.
Isaeva Galina Ivanovna
Ivshin Yury Vasilievich
Izgur R.L.
Kabalevsky Dmitry Borisovich
Kallos Sandor Ernestovich
Kamilova Lyudmila Pavlovna
Khamzin Adol Sagmanovich
Krivulya Nikolay Ivanovich
Kuks Ya.A.
Kurshakova Margarita Borisovna
Kuzmicheva R.I.
Lavrova Tatyana Nikolaevna
Lavrovsky (real name Ivanov) Leonid Mikhailovich
Lazarev Eduard Leonidovich
Lebedev Leonid S.
Lehar Ferenc (Franz)
Leiferkus Sergey Petrovich
Levenshell Herold
Linnik A.S.
Lopukhov Fedor Vasilievich
Lortzing Albert
Marusin Yury Mikhailovich
Matusov Vladimir L.
Mazun Maria Pavlovna
Modestov Alexander Yulievich
Mukhanova Valentina Sergeevna
Mussorgsky Modest Petrovich
Olkhovsky Evgeny Grigorievich
Ostrovsky Vasily Borisovich
Pankratov Vladimir R.
Panov Valery Matveevich
Pashchenko Andrey Filippovich
Pasynkov Emile Evgenievich
Pirozhnaya Galina Nikolaevna
Pokrovsky Boris Alexandrovich
Pokryshkina Galina Vasilievna
Popova-Zhuravlenko A.I.
Prokofiev Sergey Sergeevich
Prosalovskaya Inessa L.
Retyunsky Viktor K.
Romanova Nina I.
Rosenberg Valentina Maximovna
Rostovtseva M.A.
Safronova L.N.
Samosud Samuil Abramovich
Shchedrin Rodion Konstantinovich
Sheina Svetlana Konstantinovna
Shostakovich Dmitry Dmitrievich
Simakin Yury A.
Slonimsky Sergey Mikhailovich
Smolich Nikolay Vasilievich
Stankevich Vera Mikhailovna
Sudakov Gennady Vladimirovich
Tchaikovsky Peter Ilyich
Thomas Ambroise
Tishchenko Boris Ivanovich
Tselovalnik Evgenia P.
Ustinova Elena Vasilievna
Vasilyeva Zinaida Anatolievna
Vinogradov Oleg Mikhailovich
Welter Nadezhda Lvovna
Yananis Natalia Stanislavovna
Zamuel German Rafailovich
Zhuravlenko Pavel Maximovich
Zubrovsky Nikolay Alexandrovich
Iskusstv Square/Saint Petersburg, city, house 1
Балет Ленинградского государственного академического малого театра оперы и балета. Л., 1964
Малый театр оперы и балета, 1918-1968. Л., 1968
Санкт-Петербургский государственный Академический театр оперы и балета имени М.П. Мусоргского / Е.В. Третьякова и др. СПб., 2001 Mariinsky Theatre
1833
1934