The Bolshoi Theater. Moscow. / Большой театр. Москва.
The state academic Bolshoi Theatre of Russia (SABT) or just The Bolshoi Theater is one of the largest in Russia and one of the most significant in the world of Opera and ballet. The complex of buildings of the theater is located in the center of Moscow, on Teatralnaya square. Originally the state theatre, formed together with Small one Moscow the troupe of the Imperial theaters. From time to time the status of the Moscow troupe has changed: so it passed in the subordination of the Moscow Governor-General, again under the St. Petersburg Directorate. This continued until the 1917 revolution, when all property was nationalized, and only then there was a complete separation of Small ( Malyi) and Large (Bolshoi) theatres.
The whole history of theatrical culture in Moscow for many years was connected with the Bolshoi theatre. The Bolshoi theatre began as a private theater of the provincial Prosecutor Prince Pyotr Urusov. 28 March 1776, Empress Catherine II signed the Prince privilege for performances, masquerades, balls and other entertainments for a period of ten years. This date is considered the day of Foundation of the Bolshoi theatre in Moscow. At the first stage of the Bolshoi theatre's Opera and dramatic troupes formed a single company. The team was the most diverse: from serf artists to guest from abroad stars.
In the formation of the Opera and drama company, played a major role Moscow University and its gymnasium, both of which provided a good musical education. Theatre classes were organized at Moscow foster home, which also supplied the frames into a new troupe.
The content of the plays and entertainments were financially burdensome, and Prince Pyotr Urusov shared his privilege with the companion — Russified Englishman Michael Maddox, the equilibrist, theatre mechanic and lecturer, to demonstrate various kinds of optical devices and other mechanical wonders.
The first building was built on the right Bank of the river Neglinka. It stood on Petrovka street, whence the theatre derived its name Petrovsky (it was subsequently to be called the Old Petrovsky theatre). It opened on 30 December 1780 in the Fall of 1805, the Petrovsky theatre building burned down. The troupe began to perform at private scenes. And from 1808 on the stage of new Arbat theatre, built by design of K. Rossi. This wooden building also went up in flames during the war of 1812 In July 1820, construction began on the new theatre building that would become the center of the architectural composition of the square and adjacent streets. The facade is decorated with a powerful portico on eight columns with a large sculptural team — Apollo in his chariot with three horses, looked built on Theatre square, which contributed much to the decoration. New theatre, surpassed the size of even the capital, St Petersburg's Bolshoi stone theatre was distinguished monumental grandeur, harmony of proportions, harmony of architectural forms and rich interior decoration. It was very comfortable: there were galleries for the audience, the stairs leading to the tiers, corner and side rooms for relaxing and spacious walk-in closets. The huge auditorium could accommodate over two thousand people. The orchestra pit was deepened. During masquerades the stalls ' floor was raised to the level of the forestage, the orchestra pit being covered by special panels, and was an excellent dance floor. The Bolshoi Petrovsky theatre stood for nearly 30 years. But he suffered the same sad fate: on 11 March 1853 at the theatre, a fire broke out, which lasted three days and destroyed everything they could. Burned theatre machines, costumes, musical instruments, notes, sets... was Almost entirely destroyed and the building itself, leaving only the charred stone walls and portico columns. October 22, 1941 at four o'clock in the Bolshoi theatre was hit by a bomb. The shock wave passed obliquely between the columns of the portico, struck the front wall and did considerable damage in the lobby. Despite the wartime hardship and the severe cold, in the winter of 1942 in the theatre began restoration work. In 2005 the Bolshoi theatre was closed for restoration and reconstruction. In March 2010, the Bolshoi theatre together with Веl Air Media began to broadcast their performances to cinemas around the world. 11 March 2012 in conjunction with the company Google Russia Grand theatre started broadcasting ballet performances on YouTube in Russia. In 2011, the Bolshoi theatre was opened after an extensive renovation, which allowed us to purchase the theater of modern technology and preserve the historical look.
Владимир / Vladimir: 1900s
Дореволюционная Россия в фотографиях
Владимир
Pre-revolutionary Russia in photographs
Vladimir
Music:
From the Suite Concertante Op. 25 by Cezar Cui
Here I present an album of photographs of the ancient city of Vladimir at around the turn of the last century. This charming and beautiful city was one of the medieval capitals of Russia and has a significant number of buildings surviving from the 12th century. The founding date if the city has been acknowledged as 1108, as Vladimir was mentioned in the Primary Chronicle under that year...............
Yuri Andropov | Wikipedia audio article
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Yuri Andropov
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- Socrates
SUMMARY
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Yuri Vladimirovich Andropov (; Russian: Ю́рий Влади́мирович Андро́пов, tr. Júrij Vladímirovič Andrópov, IPA: [ˈjʉrʲɪj vlɐˈdʲimʲɪrəvʲɪtɕ ɐnˈdropəf]; 15 June [O.S. 2 June] 1914 – 9 February 1984) was a Soviet politician and the fourth General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. Following the 18-year rule of the late Leonid Brezhnev, Andropov served in the post for only 15 months, from November 1982 until his own death in February 1984. Earlier in his career, Andropov served as the Soviet ambassador to Hungary from 1954 to 1957, during which time he was involved in the suppression of the 1956 Hungarian Uprising, and then Chairman of the KGB from 1967 until 1982.