Winter Garden, Variety Theatre

Categories / Art/Music, Theatre/Stage, Cabaret, Variety Shows
WINTER GARDEN (Zimny Sad), a variety theatre, opened in 1875 by impresario K. Kulebyakin on the spot of the restaurant Orfeum in the former apartment of the English Club (9 Fontanka River Embankment, having been rebuilt). It possessed its own winter garden, a grotto, a restaurant with three halls, two concert halls (The Grand Hall and the Golden Hall) where famous actors gave performances. The theatre was called Orfeum. In 1882, the garden was destroyed and the halls reconstructed, while the theatre adopted a new program, including operettas in the repertoire. The theatre was renamed Variety Salon in 1893. In 1894, it was renamed Alkazar. In 1904, it was renamed Apollo. It attracted performances from French variety show Mart-Martha, Lyne de Serves et al., Russian couplet-singer, S. F. Sarmatov who did tramp acts and a Gipsy band directed by A. N. Masalsky et al. performed here. Masquerades lasting till dawn were arranged on Saturdays. The theatre gave charitable concerts. Impresario P. Y. Tyurin became the owner of the theatre in 1909, and it was Tyurin who returned the Winter Garden to theatrical performances, transforming it into a lavish establishment (the restaurant was one of the most expensive ones in St. Petersburg, rich bourgeois and people of half-aristocracy prevailed among the visitors, the institution, however, was not above reproach: it was possible to take a room with a girl. In 1913, the Winter Garden ceased its activities.

References: Рус. худож. культура кон. XIX - нач. XX в. М., 1977. С. 191-208, 483-90; Алянский Ю. Увеселит. заведения старого Петербурга. СПб., 1996. С.106-08.

Y. N. Kruzhnov. Kulebyakin K.
Masalsky Alexey Nikitich
Sarmatov (Openkhovsky) Stanislav Franzevich
Tyurin P.Y.
Fontanka River Embankment/Saint Petersburg, city, house 9
Русская художественная культура конца XIX - начала XX века. М., 1977
Алянский Ю. Л. Увеселительные заведения старого Петербурга. СПб., 1996 English Club