News of the story
"After the Fact: Lukashenko’s Decisions"
In 2009 the National Academic Bolshoi Opera and Ballet Theater reopened after renovation, the largest in its history. Aleksandr Lukashenko took part in the grand opening of the renovated building. He toured the rehearsal hall and the rooms that serve the stage. From that moment, the Bolshoi Theater set out on a new journey. In a recent episode of BelTA’s YouTube project “After the Fact: Lukashenko’s Decisions” we will tell you about the new stage and what it is capable of. What productions always draw a full house? And how to get behind the scenes?
Best theater in the former Soviet space
“They say it is very expensive. Let me reiterate something for the last time. You may have forgotten about it: I am not the only one who wanted our country to be sovereign and independent. Let me quote myself again: “Sovereignty and independence are expensive”. If we are sovereign and independent, if we are not a province of some state, then our state should create symbols of sovereignty and independence, objects that will make us proud. Then when hosting people from around the world we will have something to show and proudly say that we have it too. Not worse than in your land but much better. What am I about? I am about this object. We created it. I say we recreated it. We have an ultra-modern opera and ballet theater. We have a stage that corresponds to the world’s best standards. There is no such theater in the countries of the former Soviet Union,” the head of state said during the opening of the Bolshoi Opera and Ballet Theater after major renovations on 8 March 2009.
The origins of the theater
In 1939 the Bolshoi Theater of Belarus moved into a new building. It was designed by famous architect Iosif Langbard. On 10 March, the theater had a first-night performance of Yevgeny Tikotsky's opera Mikhas Podgorny. In the first days of the Great Patriotic War, the building was hit by an air bomb. After the liberation of Minsk, the theater was reconstructed and completed. In the 1990s, the financing of culture was put on the backburner.
“In the 1990s, people in power were all about “national-cultural revival”. Yet architectural monuments, theaters, and museums were falling apart before the eyes of some of today's artists. Car dealerships and casinos were opened in movie theaters. People of art and culture were sidelined. The country was simply sliding into an abyss,” the head of state said at a ceremony to honor cultural workers at the Bolshoi Theater of Belarus on 3 July 2022.
“They say it is very expensive. Let me reiterate something for the last time. You may have forgotten about it: I am not the only one who wanted our country to be sovereign and independent. Let me quote myself again: “Sovereignty and independence are expensive”. If we are sovereign and independent, if we are not a province of some state, then our state should create symbols of sovereignty and independence, objects that will make us proud. Then when hosting people from around the world we will have something to show and proudly say that we have it too. Not worse than in your land but much better. What am I about? I am about this object. We created it. I say we recreated it. We have an ultra-modern opera and ballet theater. We have a stage that corresponds to the world’s best standards. There is no such theater in the countries of the former Soviet Union,” the head of state said during the opening of the Bolshoi Opera and Ballet Theater after major renovations on 8 March 2009.
The origins of the theater
In 1939 the Bolshoi Theater of Belarus moved into a new building. It was designed by famous architect Iosif Langbard. On 10 March, the theater had a first-night performance of Yevgeny Tikotsky's opera Mikhas Podgorny. In the first days of the Great Patriotic War, the building was hit by an air bomb. After the liberation of Minsk, the theater was reconstructed and completed. In the 1990s, the financing of culture was put on the backburner.
“In the 1990s, people in power were all about “national-cultural revival”. Yet architectural monuments, theaters, and museums were falling apart before the eyes of some of today's artists. Car dealerships and casinos were opened in movie theaters. People of art and culture were sidelined. The country was simply sliding into an abyss,” the head of state said at a ceremony to honor cultural workers at the Bolshoi Theater of Belarus on 3 July 2022.
An ad-hoc commission recognized the building as unsafe and subject to fire risk. “Reconstruction was long overdue by then. The theater was already very shabby and ugly. Old carpets, dusty parquet. Meanwhile artists wanted to work and create art in a more befitting environment,” said Anton Kravchenko, manager of the ballet company of the Bolshoi Theater of Belarus, People's Artist of Belarus.
A large-scale reconstruction and restoration project began in 2006. Three years later, within a record short time, the theater got a new lease on life.
"The theater has been taken good care of since we put it in order. Is it in order indeed? Nothing has collapsed, has it? Everything is maintained as in those days. And the stage we bought was really top-notch. The same is true about the hall. It used to be a disaster. We suspended the roof so that it wouldn't collapse. We had to preserve the stucco. In general, we struggled a lot with the remodeling back in the day," the president noted during his visit to the Bolshoi Theater on 3 July 2021.
Why is the Bolshoi Theater stage so unique?
Now we can say for sure that it was worth it. Performances are sold out. Tickets need to be purchased in advance. One of the most remarkable features of the theater is the stage.
“The theater has a huge transformer stage that is over 600m2 big. This state-of-the-art stage allows implementing all kinds of ideas. Ballet dancers have their own stage with scenery wagons. There is a regular opera stage. There is a wagon with a running platform to create visual effects. There is equipment enabling disappearance and appearance of artists, special stage equipment with internal elevators, the withdrawal space – all this is more than 14 meters long,” said Yekaterina Dulova, Director General of the Bolshoi Theater of Belarus, recipient of the Medal of Francysk Skaryna.
The orchestra pit can be raised, and the musicians can play at different levels. And if it is completely closed, the stage space increases by 100m2.
“All this has been done to enhance the viewer experience. There is one more thing. The hall now looks a bit like an amphitheater, which improves perception. The stage is tilted towards the viewer by four degrees. At first our ballet dancers struggled to get used to it, but it does not cause any inconveniences to them anymore,” Yekaterina Dulova said.
The most advanced sound and lighting equipment is here. There are fifty levels of special devices to hold all kinds of structures and scenery, including wings. All this can rise, disappear and appear at the same time.
“When we performed the ballet Vitovt, the entire stage was placed underneath and at the first sounds of music the dancers rose up in a haze. Female dancers appeared and started dancing. It was stunning. This could not be done on the old stage,” said Anton Kravchenko.
“Now we have a stage that enables us to implement all ideas of directors, even the most daring ones,” said Vladimir Gromov, soloist of the Bolshoi Theater opera, People's Artist of Belarus.
Now we can say for sure that it was worth it. Performances are sold out. Tickets need to be purchased in advance. One of the most remarkable features of the theater is the stage.
“The theater has a huge transformer stage that is over 600m2 big. This state-of-the-art stage allows implementing all kinds of ideas. Ballet dancers have their own stage with scenery wagons. There is a regular opera stage. There is a wagon with a running platform to create visual effects. There is equipment enabling disappearance and appearance of artists, special stage equipment with internal elevators, the withdrawal space – all this is more than 14 meters long,” said Yekaterina Dulova, Director General of the Bolshoi Theater of Belarus, recipient of the Medal of Francysk Skaryna.
The orchestra pit can be raised, and the musicians can play at different levels. And if it is completely closed, the stage space increases by 100m2.
“All this has been done to enhance the viewer experience. There is one more thing. The hall now looks a bit like an amphitheater, which improves perception. The stage is tilted towards the viewer by four degrees. At first our ballet dancers struggled to get used to it, but it does not cause any inconveniences to them anymore,” Yekaterina Dulova said.
The most advanced sound and lighting equipment is here. There are fifty levels of special devices to hold all kinds of structures and scenery, including wings. All this can rise, disappear and appear at the same time.
“When we performed the ballet Vitovt, the entire stage was placed underneath and at the first sounds of music the dancers rose up in a haze. Female dancers appeared and started dancing. It was stunning. This could not be done on the old stage,” said Anton Kravchenko.
“Now we have a stage that enables us to implement all ideas of directors, even the most daring ones,” said Vladimir Gromov, soloist of the Bolshoi Theater opera, People's Artist of Belarus.
The audience liked these ideas. People started pouring in. The hall is at capacity as performances are sold out.
“Now we have a new stage, which marks a new chapter in the history of our culture, our opera. The upgrade of the theater allowed staging performances of a much better aesthetic level. We have won our audience back, our halls are full. We have reignited people's interest in our art,” Vladimir Gromov said.
He came to the Bolshoi Theater at the end of 1999. As he admits today, he was looking at everything "with his eyes wide open”. “I remember that during some performances we went down under the stage through cauldron traps. And there, as you inhale the dust, you feel in awe of the theater,” Vladimir Gromov recalled.
“After the reconstruction we have a ballet wagon that can raise and lower the floor level. Certainly, there are no cauldron traps on it due to a special coating,” Anton Kravchenko added.
Marble, crystal, gold leaf. What was used in the decoration of the Bolshoi Theater?
The reconstruction took place in several stages. The area of the theater increased by nearly 9,000 square meters, providing more space for workshops and various services.
“In such a short time we have actually revived what we were losing for centuries. This became possible thanks to you, people of culture - creative, devoted to your profession, state-minded. What you did, and what you create today, will go down in history. In many respects it depends on you what history our young independent country will write. It depends on you whether Belarusians will continue to be proud of their country and their past. Will Belarus remain unique and recognizable in a world where the boundaries between national cultures are blurring before our eyes? The main thing that is especially relevant today is whether we preserve moral purity, something that makes our nation unique. All these are the basic values on which an independent state is built,” the Belarusian president said during a ceremony to award art luminaries in the National Academic Opera and Ballet Theater on 3 July 2022.
Aleksandr Lukashenko presented state awards to art luminaries. Anton Kravchenko received the badge of the People's Artist of Belarus then.
“I remember when I was a child I used to come to the theater and wonder: ‘Plasterwork is here but not there. Here things are gilded, but there they are not.’ I asked my mom why it was so. Why, when walking through the theater, everything creaked, everything was old and worn-out. Now when people visit the theater, they feel that it is the national pride of the country,” Anton Kravchenko stressed.
“Now we have a new stage, which marks a new chapter in the history of our culture, our opera. The upgrade of the theater allowed staging performances of a much better aesthetic level. We have won our audience back, our halls are full. We have reignited people's interest in our art,” Vladimir Gromov said.
He came to the Bolshoi Theater at the end of 1999. As he admits today, he was looking at everything "with his eyes wide open”. “I remember that during some performances we went down under the stage through cauldron traps. And there, as you inhale the dust, you feel in awe of the theater,” Vladimir Gromov recalled.
“After the reconstruction we have a ballet wagon that can raise and lower the floor level. Certainly, there are no cauldron traps on it due to a special coating,” Anton Kravchenko added.
Marble, crystal, gold leaf. What was used in the decoration of the Bolshoi Theater?
The reconstruction took place in several stages. The area of the theater increased by nearly 9,000 square meters, providing more space for workshops and various services.
“In such a short time we have actually revived what we were losing for centuries. This became possible thanks to you, people of culture - creative, devoted to your profession, state-minded. What you did, and what you create today, will go down in history. In many respects it depends on you what history our young independent country will write. It depends on you whether Belarusians will continue to be proud of their country and their past. Will Belarus remain unique and recognizable in a world where the boundaries between national cultures are blurring before our eyes? The main thing that is especially relevant today is whether we preserve moral purity, something that makes our nation unique. All these are the basic values on which an independent state is built,” the Belarusian president said during a ceremony to award art luminaries in the National Academic Opera and Ballet Theater on 3 July 2022.
Aleksandr Lukashenko presented state awards to art luminaries. Anton Kravchenko received the badge of the People's Artist of Belarus then.
“I remember when I was a child I used to come to the theater and wonder: ‘Plasterwork is here but not there. Here things are gilded, but there they are not.’ I asked my mom why it was so. Why, when walking through the theater, everything creaked, everything was old and worn-out. Now when people visit the theater, they feel that it is the national pride of the country,” Anton Kravchenko stressed.
The National Academic Opera and Ballet Theater is a monument of architecture. The building was specifically designed for the theater, not adapted for it. Marble, crystal, and gold leaf were used in its decoration.
“There is a special atmosphere of high academic art here. Everyone is well aware that art is in the air here. Believe me, I have been to a lot of theaters. Some of them did not even feel like theaters. People would sit in such an opera house wearing outerwear and eating popcorn. Our theater is an absolutely different kind of thing. It has never been desecrated like this. I believe we are up to the mark,” Yekaterina Dulova, Director General of the Bolshoi Theater of Belarus, said.
It is impossible to predict the public taste. But traditionally, classical ballets top the charts. Swan Lake, The Nutcracker and Don Quixote are best-selling plays. The interest in contemporary choreography is also on the rise.
“It is no longer some kind of magic. This is a reality. The Illusion of Love and Anna Karenina are contemporary choreography productions. These ballets feature more young people. They represent the state of the Belarusian choreographic art. The most important operas are eternal classics such as Carmen, Prince Igor, and, what is especially important for us, Savage Hunt of King Stakh based on Vladimir Korotkevich's novel. The music to this production was composed by Belarusian composer Vladimir Soltan. We have a full house today (10.18). This is a national phenomenon, unique in its production, in its implementation,” Yekaterina Dulova said.
Bolshoi behind the scenes
Everyone wants to have a glimpse behind the curtain,to see the production process. It is like solving a mystery. For such inquisitive spectators, the theater has launched the project “The Unique World of the Bolshoi Theater Backstage”. The upcoming tours have already been sold out.
It is impossible to predict the public taste. But traditionally, classical ballets top the charts. Swan Lake, The Nutcracker and Don Quixote are best-selling plays. The interest in contemporary choreography is also on the rise.
“It is no longer some kind of magic. This is a reality. The Illusion of Love and Anna Karenina are contemporary choreography productions. These ballets feature more young people. They represent the state of the Belarusian choreographic art. The most important operas are eternal classics such as Carmen, Prince Igor, and, what is especially important for us, Savage Hunt of King Stakh based on Vladimir Korotkevich's novel. The music to this production was composed by Belarusian composer Vladimir Soltan. We have a full house today (10.18). This is a national phenomenon, unique in its production, in its implementation,” Yekaterina Dulova said.
Bolshoi behind the scenes
Everyone wants to have a glimpse behind the curtain,to see the production process. It is like solving a mystery. For such inquisitive spectators, the theater has launched the project “The Unique World of the Bolshoi Theater Backstage”. The upcoming tours have already been sold out.
“Of course, we don't reveal all the secrets. We provide an opportunity to take a peek behind the stage and see what is going on there. How our workshops work, how a performance is created. And, of course, a backstage tour to explore the depths of the theater, to walk the corridor the artists use. It is so inspiring to see the signs, to learn who is in the dressing room. It is a completely different environment. This is a truly fascinating experience,” Yekaterina Dulova said.
The Bolshoi Theater of Belarus is steeped in traditions. One of them is the New Year's Ball, which features quadrilles, polonaises, waltzes. There are so many dances the participants present! This year the ball was held for the 16th time.
Theater has a special atmosphere. Its creation, however, requires certain conditions: the construction and maintenance of stages, organization of events, festivals and so on. After all, there is no history without art.
“No nation in the world can be truly independent without a rich cultural heritage and a strong spiritual foundation. You, people of art, create it. It is you who capture the historical moment. In other words, you chronicle the life of a generation, the life of our state,” the Belarusian president said at a ceremony to award cultural workers on 3 July 2023.
The Bolshoi Theater of Belarus is steeped in traditions. One of them is the New Year's Ball, which features quadrilles, polonaises, waltzes. There are so many dances the participants present! This year the ball was held for the 16th time.
Theater has a special atmosphere. Its creation, however, requires certain conditions: the construction and maintenance of stages, organization of events, festivals and so on. After all, there is no history without art.
Follow us on:
