Hermitage Ballet theatre
The theatre was designed by the architect Giacomo Quarenghi and was constructed between the years of 1783-1787. It was originally used as Catherine the Greats personal theatre. It is located on the corner of the Palace Embankment and the Winter Canal Embankment
The Hermitage Theatre is an outstanding architectural monument of the russian classicism of the 1780 sun. And in fact the theatre is one of the best Chamber music theatres in the world. The Hermitage. Theatre is presently used as the lecture hall for the State Hermitage Museum and as the stage for the ballet performances, chamber music recitals, and opera performances.
 Ballet
plays in the Emperor Hermitage theatre of the State Hermitage
took a special place in an event programme of theatrical Petersburg.
The word "Hermitage" is strongly associated with the
palace complex of Winter Emperor Palace in the center of Saint
Petersburg. The complex of buildings of the Winter Palace is
a masterpiece of palace architecture and serves the main decoration
of the city on Neva.
The State Hermitage takes five monumental buildings, created
in 18-19th centuries by famous architects and located in the
very center of Saint Petersburg.
The Hermitage Theatre belongs to a number of famous but nit
available and, as a rule, not including into the usual execution
route objects of the Hermitage; it is really a masterpiece of
the architecture.
The Hermitage Theatre - is the oldest building of the Winter
Palace Complex. It was build on the site of the former Winter
Palace by Peter I. The theatre building is functionally independent,
faces its facade on Dvortsovaya Embankment and is connected
with the main palace building by means of an arch over the canal,
connecting Moika river with Neva river - "Zimniaya Kanavka".
This building was constructed in 171-1723, and the theatre itself
was build later - in 1783-85, to a design by the architect Gakomo
Quarneghi and finished in 1802.
The theatre and hall decoration is unique and represents a classical
masterpiece of palace architecture of 17th century.
Firstly was thought as a small court theatre with capacity of
250 peoples, which is for Emperor family and selected court.
This defined forms, hall sizes and seat arrangement. The hall
has an elegant and brilliant decoration. Deep circle of the
hall, thought in ancient principle, in is proportions is harmonically
suitable to rows of marble semicolumns, arranged a semiround
hall. In front of the stage there are the small stalles for
three rows with seven seats for important guests. Behind the
balustrade, selected the wall from the hall, there are several
rows of the hall are decorated with marble and classical sculptures
of Apollo and nine muses. Bas-reliefs with drawing of famous
poets and musicians are installed.
The seats are covered by red velvet; the floors are covered
by carpets. Unique lamps softly lightening the hall come down
from the ceiling. The architectural design of the hall of the
Hermitage theatre is in the strict classical forms of a worlds
building and canons.
In front of the stage there is an orchestra hole, separated
from the hall by the balustrade. The geometrical proportions
of hall area and depth of stage space are unique. Having small
width the stage is enough deep and allows to set up different
decorations and gives the artists the necessary and large space,
that is enough for staging ballet performances. The hall itself
is unique; it is quite small and is situated so that there is
no need of opera glasses. Everything on the stage is well seen
from each seat. He has unique form and volumes with brilliant
natural acoustics; the music sounds are transmitted clearly
and without distorting.
The performances of best Petersburg and Moscow ballet dancers
and ballet troupes are staged at the unique in beauty and decoration
theatre.  Almost
every evening the curtain is gone up and beautiful ballet performances
start; live music of great composer's sounds in the performance
of symphonic orchestra. These performances with high-class masters
are the treasure of ballet art. Music of great composers, high
level of performing, hospitality really impresses the guests
of Saint Petersburg. The performances are unique and nicely
add the impression of historical image of a beautiful city,
its embankment and canals.
The ballet repertoire is: "Giselle", " Swan lake","Chopiniana"
etc. Also in the Hermitage theatre there are evening of ballets
starts - Gala-concerts, including the fragments of world-known
ballets such as "The sleeping beauty", "Giselle",
"Raymonda", "La Sylphide", "La Esmeralda"
"Corsair", "Don Quixote", "Spartak",
"Carmen", "Legend of love", concert piece,
the masterpiece of Russian ballet "A Dying swan" and
many others.
The leading soloists and ballet artists of the Hermitage theatre
of Russia and other ballet theatres of Saint Petersburg take
place in the performances.
Hermitage theatre hall plan
Address: Dvortsovaya Embankment, 32 see map
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