In the heart of Moscow, on Old Arbat, there is a building constructed in the spirit of Soviet classicism, with pilasters from the base to the roof. Every Muscovite knows this magnificent mansion, in which a theater has existed since 1921. It bears the name of Evgeny Bagrationovich Vakhtangov.
Vakhtangov Theater: history
The owners of the stone mansion on the site where the theater is located today were the Sabashnikov brothers. Serious publishing was carried out in the building , which was appreciated by bibliophiles for the responsible preparation of published works. The revolution that happened at the beginning of the 20th century stopped the publishing house for half a century, the building was taken from the owners and handed over to young theater workers led by Yevgeny Vakhtangov. After rebuilding the premises for the needs of the theater, the project's chief architect L. Mashkov created an auditorium with a capacity of 150 people. Today, the Vakhtangov Theater, the hall layout of which clearly demonstrates the number of seats, can simultaneously receive 1,055 guests.
The building survived the bomb that fell into it in 1941, several reconstructions, including political, and finally acquired its present appearance.
Vakhtangov Theater: hall scheme
After the war, the reconstruction of the premises was entrusted to the architect Abrosimov P.V., who performed the facade of the building in the style of Soviet classicism, and the auditorium in the spirit of old-mode theaters.
How is the theater hall arranged?
- The area closest to the stage and located just below it is the ground floor. These are the most "tasty" places, true theater-goers strive to get here, and tickets for them are worth it accordingly.
- Further in popularity and price - an amphitheater (literal translation - "around the theater"). Sometimes a performance looks much more interesting from these places. The amphitheater wins the stalls in the ability to view the entire scene.
- There is a mezzanine above the amphitheater (that is, a "beautiful floor" translated from French). You need to have good eyesight or rent binoculars, since from these places you can’t make out the details of the costume and facial expressions of the actors, and, accordingly, tickets are already not so expensive.
- Students and senior citizens love the balcony for the opportunity to attend a full-house performance at a reasonable price. The perception of the images is difficult due to the range of the scene, but everything is audible perfectly, since the Vakhtangov Theater, the layout of the hall of which is presented in the article, is meticulous about each viewer.
- Lodges - lateral parts of a balcony, mezzanine and amphitheater. The upper two tiers are not the most advantageous, but the places located on the sides of the amphitheater, called "Benoire lodges", are quite expensive, which is true, since they provide the best overview in the whole theater.
New scene
The new stage accommodates 250 spectators and is located on the ground floor of the house at 24 Arbat Street, adjacent to the main theater building. The opening of the site is timed to the 95th anniversary of the theater, which took place in 2015. The new construction technologies used in the construction of the premises made it possible to construct a space that provides an excellent view of the scene from anywhere in the auditorium. With the help of additional facilities, the Vakhtangov Theater, the layout of the hall of which is useful to every potential spectator, increased its total area to 17.5 thousand square meters.
Historical fact
Over the long history of the theater, the production of Princess Turandot is considered the most outstanding performance. This action was first brought to the public in the distant 1922. The Vakhtangov Theater, the hall scheme of which, having survived all the transformations, has increased almost 10 times, and today it successfully puts on a bright, sparkling, musical pamphlet called “Princess Turandot”. The performance occupies a special place in the repertoire of the theater and for decades remains the most famous and popular sight of the country.
The Vakhtangov Theater, whose photos are familiar to all Muscovites, thanks to its nearly 100-year history, is today one of the leading, most visited and modern theaters in Moscow.