The first award ceremony for the most significant and brilliant achievements in theatrical art was held in the distant nineties. Since that time, the venerable jury determines each year worthy prize winners.
History of creation
In 1995, the story of another theatrical award began - Golden Soffit. Competitions in the theatrical world take place annually. This award is intended to mark and evaluate the merits of each outstanding theater, director or stage worker in the theater field of St. Petersburg.
Initially, the award was awarded based on the results of not one, but two seasons, starting from 1993/1994 and 1994/1995.
The 1995 award ceremony was held at the Alexandrinsky Theater. The festival council presented actors, actresses, directors, stage decorators, directors, conductors, choreographers, performances and scripts for awards.
Among the first applicants for this award were Alisa Freindlich and Gennady Bogachev, the production of "Mary Stuart" was the best performance in the drama genre.
Nominations
The organizers of the Golden Spotlight Award are trying to cover all areas of theatrical art. For convenience, the contest was divided into three parts:
drama theatre;
theater of music;
puppet art theater.
In addition, special prizes are awarded each year that go beyond the three main categories. The laureates in them are distinguished cultural figures who have dedicated their entire lives to the stage or have made an invaluable contribution to the development of the theater.
In each of these categories there are several nominations. Organizers can expand their number. For example, in the Drama department in 1995 there were nominations for Best Actress, Best Actor, Best Director, Best Performance.
In the Musical Actions department, the prize was awarded to the first ballerinas, elite male performers in ballet, male vocal performers, female vocal performers, ballet and opera performances, conductors, directors, artists, debutants and debutants.
In the category “Puppet art”, actresses and actors who voiced the characters of the play, as well as stage directors, were awarded.
Later, supporting actors and actresses, small and large form performances, troupes and so on were added to the nominees.
Today there are much more nominations. All theatrical life is evaluated with the help of Golden Spotlights. Regardless of what exactly a person creates for the performance, he can be awarded a prize if he does it with great skill and love.
Rewarding party
Each of the nominees for the award is selected by the jury. Commission varies from year to year. In the Golden Spotlight ceremony, a prize can be awarded to one person several times. Judges operate within one category and submit their proposals only in a closed ballot.
An expert jury must remain completely unbiased. That is why the new generation is changing with a more respectable one.
Just before the presentation ceremony, another meeting of the authoritative council takes place. During it, the winners in their nominations are determined.
Prizes at the ceremony are presented to the laureates by famous cultural figures. Winning the Golden Spotlight Award, the winners make a solemn speech, which the theater-goers then often parse into quotes.
Prize Tip
The composition of the council includes:
organizing committee of the "Golden Spotlight", it performs the main functions of the ceremony,
Council of theaters
nomination jury
the board of the Union of Theater Workers in Russia (branch at St. Petersburg), which expresses its authoritative opinion about the candidates for Golden Sofit, the award finds its winners largely due to their common decision.
The Council also annually determines how many nominations will be in the competition.
For a long time, the head of the organizational department of the award has been Nikolai Burov, People's Artist of the Russian Federation.
Ceremony venue
The first venue for the award was in 1995 the Alexandrinsky Theater. Later they returned to it several times for the ceremony: in 1997, 2003 and 2004.
In 1996, Music Hall was chosen as the venue. The organizers did not use the services of this establishment anymore.
Once the award was also held at the Musical Comedy Theater - in 2002.
Nevertheless, it was the Bolshoi Theater named after G.A. that most often opened its doors. Tovstonogov, who has become almost home to the laureates and guests of the Golden Spotlight ceremony. The prize was awarded in this institution more than six times.
In recent years, starting from 2012, the solemn presentation of prizes takes place at the Bryantsev Theater for Young Spectators.
Traditionally, the award process falls on one of the autumn months.
Main goals
The most elite theater award has its goals and objectives. The organizers of the "Golden Spotlights" direct all their efforts to ensure that:
maintain and develop urban theater foundations,
to reveal and demonstrate outstanding talents to the general public,
to define fashion trends in theatrical business,
to support beginning directors and groups, as it was, in particular, during the presentation of Golden Spotlights - 2014, the nominees for the award are already considered winners.
Ceremony
The Golden Sofit Organizing Committee selects a venue, as well as a time for the celebration. Each of the laureates is notified in advance of exactly where the ceremony itself will take place.
The main event of the past year was held on November 10. The guests were waiting for them. Bryantseva.
During the festive meeting at the ceremony, the jury presents the Golden Spotlights figurines to the laureates. The award also includes diplomas, which list the merits of the awarded actor or organization.
Figurines pass into the irretrievable possession of the winners.
Sponsors can add their own to these awards, having previously agreed upon everything with the organization of the competition.
Financing
According to the official statute of Golden Soffit, the main source of financing for the project is the Saint Petersburg art center itself, as well as the Russian Federation.
Public organizations of St. Petersburg, which are interested in supporting and further developing the theater world, also help with financing.
Part of the money comes from generous sponsors, as well as charitable donations to the reward fund.
The Golden Sofit organizing committee manages all resources at its discretion.
Golden Spotlight 2014
The Golden Spotlight Award 2014 announced its list of nominees in August of that year. And in November, ceremonial figurines were awarded.
According to the results of the outgoing theater season, it was especially difficult to choose the most worthy, because the beloved residents of the Melpomene temple became applicants . They have already come winners at the “Golden Spotlights” ceremony - 2014. The winners of the current award are considered masters of their craft recognized throughout the world.
According to the Golden Soffit committee, Lev Dodin is the best director of the season. His original production of The Cherry Orchard earned universal respect and honor.
"Garden" was awarded in another category - as the most worthy of the performances of 2013-2014. In total, the production has earned three awards. Unfortunately, the director himself was absent in the country at that time, so he instructed his deputy to receive prizes, as well as express the warmest words of gratitude.
In the Drama Theaters category, the magnificent A. Freundlich was honored as the best among actresses. She was recognized as a winner thanks to the role of Alice in the play directed by Andrei Moguchy. For her, this is not the first award from Golden Soffit. It was Freundlich who won the first prize in the competition in 1995.
The actress made a very touching speech about the activities of the ceremony “Golden Spotlights” - 2014. The laureates enthusiastically welcomed her. She shared her feelings about the future of modern theater and expressed hope that theatrical art will live forever.
The performance entitled "Alice" was awarded in the category "Small Stage".
Peregudov Sergey, when he was given the main male role in the production of "We are all wonderful people," he did not exactly expect that he would be awarded the title of "Actor who performed his role most excellently."
For several consecutive years, O. Ryazantsev, who played in Trofimov Petr Sergeevich in the Cherry Orchard, received an award for a secondary role.
Two great actresses were awarded a separate prize “For Contribution to Theater City Art”: Tatyana Schuko and Gabriela Komlev.
The musical performance “Not only Love”, as well as a ballet with the name “Vain Precaution”, were recognized as winners in the category “Musical Art”. They got the Golden Spotlight.
The 2014 Prize, the laureates of which were among non-governmental institutions, very pleased all guests. The innovative theater “Beyond the Black River” took away the prize for the play “The Tempest” by Ivan Stavisky.
The creative duet of Anna Vartanyan and Sergey Byzgu became the first among the "Best Acting Tandems". Actors played together in the play "Grafoman."
Annette Kurtz was recognized as the number one director, and Mark Van Deness, who designed the play Macbeth, was recognized the best lighting artist.