Hall of the Russian Army Theater. Central Academic Theater of the Russian Army. Good theater

Moscow is full of unique attractions, each of which deserves its own enthusiastic story. Theater Russian Army one of a kind in many ways. Nowhere in the world is there a theater of such a rank that would be inextricably linked with the army.

This is not an army ensemble or a visiting team with thematic repertoire, it is one of the great establishments of its kind in the world. Its status is unique: it is a departmental theater of the Armed Forces, and many of the actors on its stage served in the full sense of the word. Before the war, there were several such theaters in the system of the USSR Ministry of Defense, belonging to certain regions of Russia, they were called

A unique army - a unique theater

Theater of the Russian Army, a hall in which a large stage is located (some compare it to football field), are the largest in the capital. The theater building is one of a kind. And the point is not only that the stage of a multi-story building is the largest in Europe, the very shape of this structure is unique: the building at the base is a star. The army is posted later in the article. The magnificent structure is located so that all five rays are directed to some significant places - the center of the capital, and the three largest transport hubs - Savelovsky, Rizhsky and Belorussky railway stations. And of course, the unique building is surrounded by legends. One of them says that German bombers really wanted to bomb a star, as they would say now, visible from space.

The birth of theater

The Russian Army Theater (or rather, its troupe) was formed in 1929 from amateur army groups, gradually diluted with professional actors and directors. The date of birth of CATRA is considered to be February 6, 1930. On this day, the play “K.V.ZH.D.” was staged.

Maybe because already in 1930 artistic director theater from light hand Yuri Aleksandrovich Zavadsky became director Vladimir Meskheteli, the theater acquired a reputation as a highly professional institution. The best producer and director of that time selected a talented troupe and a wonderful repertoire. The Theater of the Russian Army (then the Red Army) is quickly becoming a favorite place for Muscovites and guests of the capital.

Skillful leadership

This establishment has always been lucky with artistic directors, thanks to whom the level of stage productions set by Zavadsky never fell, and the performances, surprising and shocking the audience, became legends, based on which, given their popularity, films were made, for example, “The Dance Teacher” with the legendary Vladimir Zeldin. Isn’t the 3D musical “Pola Negri”, which opens the 85th season, worthy of surprise and praise?

In the history of the theater there have been few artistic directors. After Zavadsky, the eminent (the most brilliant director and artistic director, according to theater experts) became the artistic director. Then - the no less titled and popularly loved Andrei Popov. After his death, his student Boris Afanasyevich Morozov became the artistic director, and continues to direct it now. The Russian Army Theater has always been famous for its troupe; one can list for a long time the stars of the first magnitude who served in CATRA for many years. In 1975, this theater was awarded the title of academic (the second letter in the abbreviation).

One of a kind building

But, as noted above, this theater is also famous for its building. It is located in the center of Moscow, on a very spacious square, which is called Suvorovskaya (previously - Commune Square, even earlier - Ekaterininskaya, the nearest metro station is Dostoevskaya).

It looks organically against the backdrop of the grandiose TsATRA building, which is the dominant feature of the entire area. A one-of-a-kind example of the Stalinist Empire style (the official name is Soviet monumental classicism), it was built from 1934 to 1940 according to the design of architects K. S. Alabyan and V. N. Simbirtsev, who were given a more than ambitious task: the building was supposed to symbolize the power of the Red Army. And the star-shaped structure (the diagram of the Russian Army theater is given above) met these requirements like nothing else. In one of the articles, the TsATRA building is called a peripeter - from the Greek “surrounded by columns”, which really decorate the facade and give it the desired monumentality.

Gigantism inherent in the Stalinist Empire style

It is not surprising that on the stages of the theater actions can be played out with the participation of cavalry (the play “The First Cavalry” by Vsevolod Vishnevsky) and even tanks. The building has 10 above-ground floors (six of which are occupied by the stage, in particular 4 floors - a large stage and two - a small one) and the same number of underground floors. The room with a large stage can accommodate up to 1.5 thousand people. Theater of the Russian Army gives an idea of its size. The balcony of the large hall, like the amphitheater, is divided into five sectors. The exact number of seats is 1520 (initially there were 2100). It is well known to millions of television viewers, since teams played here for 10 years - from 2002 to 2012 major league KVN.

Cozy small stage hall

The room with a small stage is designed for only 400 seats. Chamber or experimental performances are staged here. In addition, the Children's Theater performs its productions on the small stage. theater studio Natalia Aristova. Performances such as “Kovalyova from the Province” were staged here; A. A. Popov staged Kafka here. And when the big stage was reconstructed, performances continued to be staged on the small one. The list of productions performed on these two stages could fill a whole brochure, and reviews and responses to the performances could fill a whole book.

Diverse repertoire

It is not difficult to assume that the theater’s repertoire has always, throughout the 70 years of its existence, included performances related to military themes. They sang the valor of the Russian Army at all times. For many years F. Gladkov’s heroic “Once upon a time” never left the stage. It was revived in 2005 and closed the 77th season.

Performances based on the plays of A. N. Ostrovsky have never left the stage of this theater. "Wolves and Sheep" is currently showing. In 2015, the Academic Theater of the Russian Army will celebrate its 85th anniversary with a festive anniversary concert, which should go to big stage on Russia Day. The theater's repertoire is no stranger to performances by foreign authors (the already mentioned musical "Pola Negri"), and large historical productions: currently "Tsar Fyodor Ioannovich" is on the big stage. “Aibolit” was staged for children on the small stage.

Good theater - good reviews

The Russian Army Theater has the most enthusiastic reviews. People are fascinated by everything: the grandiose architecture, the elegant decoration of the foyer, where you can take part in a photo shoot and even drink a glass of champagne offered at the entrance. I especially like the performances, in particular those above.

In the history of theaters in our capital, the Central Academic Theater of the Russian Army occupies one of the leading places. The building that the theater occupies is a masterpiece of architecture that no longer exists anywhere. This is the largest stage area in Europe. The theater has Large and Small halls with a total capacity of almost 2000 seats. The history of the theater itself began in 1930 with the Red Army Theater. In 1951, the theater was renamed the Theater of the Soviet Army, and only in 1993 the Theater of the Russian Army.

From the very first years of its activity and today, the theater is famous for the star cast of its troupe. Previously, L. Fetisova, L. Dobrzhanskaya, F. Ranevskaya, M. Mayorov, M. Pertsovsky, V. Pestovsky shone here. Today the theater troupe works famous actors Moscow L. Golubkina, F. Chekhankov, E. Anisimova, G. Kozhakina, V. Zeldin, A. Rudenko, L. Kasatkina, M. Shmaevich and many other beloved and talented actors.

The Russian Army Theater was also distinguished by its special approach to stage productions - its high artistic level. The theater was also directed by A.D. Popov, and A.A. Popov. You can see performances on the theater stage military themes And modern plays, performances based on Russian and European classics.

The most memorable productions in the theater were “The Lady of the Camellias” by A. Dumas, “Trees Die Standing” by A. Kason, “The Inventive Lover” by Lope de Vega, “Much Ado About Nothing” by Shakespeare, “On a Lively Place” by A.N. Ostrovsky, “At the Bottom” by M. Gorky, “Heart on a Stone” by A.N. Ostrovsky, “The Miser” by Moliere.

The Russian Army Theater was awarded the significant Crystal Turandot award, and also took part in the World Theater Olympiad and the Czech theater festival. The theater showed its productions in many army units and garrisons. Today the theater's repertoire includes 19 performances. KVN games are also held on the theater stage.

For more than ten years, the theater has been operating a children's studio, which prepares young artists for performances on the big stage and for film projects.

Buy tickets at Russian Army Theater it was quite difficult and Soviet era, due to the fact that many guests of the capital and Muscovites were eager to attend the performances. The Russian Army Theater is a harmonious interweaving of classics with drama, excellent acting. By allowing yourself to buy tickets to the Russian Army Theater, you can feel all the grace and skill of the actors!

Central academic theater The Russian army has no analogues not only in Russia, but also in the world. This applies to the enormous size of the building itself and its stage, and to the organization of the theater, which is completely under the control of the Ministry of Defense.

The army has always played a big role in the life of Russian and Soviet society. Suffice it to recall numerous sports teams the highest level, under the patronage of the army, forged victories that brought prestige to the state. The Ministry of Defense’s attitude to art was also very attentive. In 1930, the Central Theater of the Red Army was created, taking place in a specially built building - a monumental masterpiece of the Stalinist Empire style. Such a building can be the envy of all other theaters in Moscow. The theater building was put into operation in 1940 and includes two halls - Big and Small. The large hall, accommodating 1900 spectators, is the most spacious theater hall in Europe.

The size of the stage is also grandiose Great Hall. Previously, mass, large-scale productions with the reproduction of battle scenes were very popular. If necessary, entire military units could appear on the theater stage, as well as riders or cars!

Strictly speaking, by the time of the official opening, the theater had already existed for two years. It was an organized system of propaganda brigades that performed in military camps on Far East. After moving to Moscow, the theater immediately began to gain popularity. At first, the theater's repertoire consisted mainly of patriotic plays. The posters were full of the following names: “First Cavalry”, “Commander Suvorov”, “Front”, “Stalingraders”. The most famous performance theater in its entire history is “A Long Time Ago” by Alexander Gladkov, which served as the basis for the film “The Hussar Ballad”. This performance is more than 1200 times higher!

The Theater of the Russian (until 1993 - Soviet) Army has always been famous for its troupe. In Soviet times, the issue of staffing was resolved simply - they passed as theater employees military service best young actors. Actresses also willingly went to work in the theater Soviet army- the wage conditions there were very good. IN different times The theater actors were Vladimir Soshalsky, Boris Plotnikov, Evgeny Steblov, Alexander Domogarov. Leading actors modern theater The Russian army is Vladimir Zeldin, Fedor Chenkhankov, Lyudmila Chursina, Lyudmila Kasatkina.

The theater's modern repertoire includes 19 performances, including Russian classics (works by A. Ostrovsky), European classics (Lope de Vega, Goldoni) and more modern plays. If you want to enjoy the performance of the masters and feel the grandeur of the “Soviet-style” theaters, buy tickets to the Russian Army Theater!

Suvorovskaya sq., 2
1934-1940, architect. K. Alabyan and V. Simbirtsev

There is a wonderful picture in the magazine “Technology of Youth” (1940. No. 2) - the Central Theater of the Red Army from the inside:

I especially liked the tank entrance.
The text commentary explains:
"In the theater the works will be heard in full voice greatest masters world drama and plays by Soviet playwrights.
The height of the stage box, counting from the stage floor to the grate, from where the decorations suspended on cables descend, is 34 meters. Such a box could easily fit a large, eight-story building.
There are spacious side rooms on both sides of the stage. The area of each of them is 350 square meters. These are the so-called pockets. They are used to prepare three-dimensional decorations. Here you can prepare a “battleship”, “armored train”, etc. for going on stage. The back stage can also be used for the same purpose. Thus, it is possible to prepare design for three different actions at once. And in the corner rooms located between the pockets and the back stage, you can store the design for 3-4 performances of the current repertoire."
The Soviet Army Theater is one of the characteristic monuments of Stalinist architecture.

Some art critics and historians consider this building to be iconic, seeing it as a departure from the “style of the 1930s.” and the beginning of the Stalinist Empire style. In any case, the idea was grandiose, carried out, moreover, by far from the last architects in the hierarchy of that time (deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, academician of architecture K.S. Alabyan, who was assisted by V.N. Simbnrtsev). Traditionally - as happens with iconic buildings - the construction of the theater reflected several aspects characteristic of the essentially imperial Stalinist state.
1. "Army - eternal love empire, it is an instrument of conquest, it is also a model for society" (this is a phrase from an article by Evgeniy Anisimov).
Empires were created through overwhelming militarization.
It is no coincidence, writes a Soviet magazine, that “the inspiration for the entire construction project was the Red Army and its glorious commander Marshal Soviet Union K.E. Voroshilov. Comrade Voroshilov personally reviewed the sketches of artistic painting, fittings, furniture and made very significant specific amendments. Nothing escaped the People's Commissar's attention. Throughout the entire period of construction, he tirelessly made sure that the theater was beautiful, comfortable, simple, that the theater was worthy Soviet people and his great Red Army."

"You involuntarily raise your eyes upward to see aviation. Above the heads of the spectators, in the expanses of the clear, blue sky, proud Stalinist falcons fly. This magnificent artistic painting of the ceiling gives a feeling of freedom and expanse. The most important artwork- large ceiling painting auditorium and the foyer - made by painting professors L. A. Bruni and V. L. Favorsky."

2. Art is a tool of propaganda.
The theater of unprecedented size was supposed to show “pictures of the glorious military past of the Russian people. Mass heroic performances will reflect the bright pages of the history, life and way of life of the Red Army, which won its fading glory in the battles for the homeland, for socialism.”
“The revolution put art at the service of the people,” is a typical mantra of the Soviet press when it comes to culture.
3. Theatricality - in general characteristic feature of that time.
Let us recall the construction of main highways with decorative houses (the magnificent front façade and the rest unprocessed), physical education and military parades, etc.
Therefore, the new empire could not help but create its own Bolshoi Theater. And having created it, she made sure that it was the very best. This leads to another principle.
4. Gigantomania.
It is no coincidence that sources from the Stalin era constantly mention the competitive nature of Soviet construction: more beautiful than in the rest of the world, more beautiful than before the revolution.
"The theater stage is adapted for a wide variety of performances and productions. Its width reaches almost 40 meters, and its depth, counting from the portal, is 30 meters. But this is only the main stage area. Behind it there is an extensive back stage (backstage), which can also be used for theatrical action. If we add to this the front part of the stage (proscenum), which extends beyond the boundaries of the portal, then the total depth of the entire stage will be 62 meters. Its area significantly exceeds the auditorium. It can accommodate a mass action with the participation of more than a thousand. people. Here you can show the taking on a grand scale. Winter Palace, storming of Perekop. An infantry battalion, cavalry, or tanks can “operate” on such a stage. The theater has a special tank entrance through which these formidable combat vehicles will get onto the stage."

“In the theaters that were built by the bourgeoisie, concern for the viewer did not rise above the stalls and boxes. It was a concern for the wealthy visitor. Comfortable, soft chairs, the chic and luxury of the so-called “expensive seats” were intended for him. But about the comfort of the spectators of the balcony and especially the galleries were not very worried. There were common wooden benches, almost nothing could be seen from here, the actor’s voice was barely audible.
In the new Soviet theater, in the Central Theater of the Red Army, all seats are equally comfortable and good. Here, each spectator has twice as much space and air as in other theaters. The auditorium seats almost 2 thousand. This is for drama theater- a record figure. Despite such a large capacity, the farthest seats in the balcony are only 28 meters away from the stage."
5. The city is a sacred place with its own symbolism.
In the very center is the leader’s mausoleum, central squares- places for ceremonies in honor of great events.
The Square of the Commune, where the theater is located, was also allocated important role. A whole memorial of the military glory of the Red Army was to be formed here.

"In the near future, Commune Square will be transformed, the compositional center of which is new theater. Now to the left of it is the vast building of the Central House of the Red Army named after. M. V. Frunze. On the other side of the square, to the right of the theater, an equally large building will rise Central Museum Red Army. Tram traffic will go to neighboring streets and alleys. Surrounded by forest, this square will be an amazingly beautiful corner of Moscow, personifying the formidable strength and greatest culture The Red Army, its unfading glory, which will live for centuries and reach our distant descendants."
6. The architecture of the Stalin era, of course, had its own language of symbols, which, without a doubt, included the Red Army Theater.
In fact, it became a true hymn to the Soviet five-pointed star, probably the most important symbol.
Probably everyone knows the legend that Army Commander Voroshilov traced his marshal’s ashtray with a pencil and suggested that Alabyan build a theater in a similar form.

Whether this is true or fiction, I personally don’t know. However, in addition to the fact that several tiers of the building in the plan turned out to be five-pointed stars, the columns framing them also have a star-shaped cross-section.
Inside, stars decorate the stairs, ceilings, balconies, and lamps.

What else can you add?
“The best, qualified forces of the country took part in the construction of the theater. The theater project was developed by architects, Deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, Academician of Architecture K.S. Alabyan and V.N. Simbnrtsev.
Wonderful stage device, the only one in the world, developed by engineer P. E. Maltsin. His work was influenced by a careful study of the richest evidence of the work of the stage of the Moscow Art Academic Theater of the USSR. A. M. Gorky." [Which was built by the damned capitalists led by the Bolshevik sponsor industrialist S.T. Morozov]

“It goes without saying that the complex and varied technical equipment of the theater, as well as the lighting of the auditorium, stage, foyer and other premises require a colossal amount of electricity. The total installed power throughout the theater exceeds 4 thousand kilowatts. This means that if you turn on everything at the same time stage mechanisms and lighting devices, then exactly the kind of enormous power that would be needed to illuminate a large city with a population of several tens of thousands of inhabitants is required. The theater is equipped with its own electrical substation, the power of which is 2,400 kilowatts. light points and about 50 kilometers of multi-core cable were laid. If all these cores, all the electrical and telephone wires were pulled into one line, it would stretch from Moscow to Kyiv, a distance of 800 kilometers."

"Over the big auditorium located concert hall, designed for almost 500 seats. The Red Banner Song and Dance Ensemble and the best artistic forces of the capital will perform here. Ordinary people can also go here theater performances. In addition, this hall will serve as a rehearsal room for the theater. In this regard, it is of great convenience, because the stage here is as wide as the one below.
Over concert hall There is a spacious art workshop. Large picturesque decorations are being prepared here."

In addition, the theater was never fully realized as planned - the war probably got in the way:
“The architectural design of the theater has not yet been completely completed. A giant figure of a Red Army soldier has yet to be erected on the upper tower of the building. The grandiose sculpture “October” must also be placed above the central pediment of the theater. upper corners the buildings will be decorated with sculptures depicting various branches of the Red Army, and powerful fountains will be installed in the lower corners."

The Central Academic Theater of the Russian Army has no analogues not only in Russia, but also in the world. This applies to the enormous size of the building itself and its stage, and to the organization of the theater, which is completely under the control of the Ministry of Defense.

The army has always played a big role in the life of Russian and Soviet society. Suffice it to recall the numerous sports teams of the highest level, which, under the patronage of the army, forged victories that brought prestige to the state. The Ministry of Defense’s attitude to art was also very attentive. In 1930, the Central Theater of the Red Army was created, taking place in a specially built building - a monumental masterpiece of the Stalinist Empire style. Such a building can be the envy of all other theaters in Moscow. The theater building was put into operation in 1940 and includes two halls - Big and Small. The Great Hall, which seats 1,900 spectators, is the largest theater hall in Europe.

The size of the stage in the Great Hall is also grandiose. Previously, mass, large-scale productions with the reproduction of battle scenes were very popular. If necessary, entire military units could appear on the theater stage, as well as riders or cars!

Strictly speaking, by the time of the official opening, the theater had already existed for two years. It was an organized system of propaganda brigades that performed in military camps in the Far East. After moving to Moscow, the theater immediately began to gain popularity. At first, the theater's repertoire consisted mainly of patriotic plays. The posters were full of the following names: “First Cavalry”, “Commander Suvorov”, “Front”, “Stalingraders”. The most famous performance of the theater in its entire history is “A Long Time Ago” by Alexander Gladkov, which served as the basis for the film “The Hussar Ballad”. This performance is more than 1200 times higher!

The Theater of the Russian (until 1993 - Soviet) Army has always been famous for its troupe. In Soviet times, the issue of staffing was resolved simply - the best young actors served as theater employees. Actresses also willingly went to work in the Soviet Army Theater - the wage conditions there were very good. At different times, theater actors included Vladimir Soshalsky, Boris Plotnikov, Evgeny Steblov, Alexander Domogarov. The leading actors of the modern theater of the Russian Army are Vladimir Zeldin, Fyodor Chenkhankov, Lyudmila Chursina, Lyudmila Kasatkina.