Central Academic Theater of the Russian Army hall diagram. Army Theater Tickets
A striking architectural design, the grandiose dimensions of the building and the main hall, impressive stage capabilities and a special organization of events - under the control of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation. All voiced - Central in Moscow.
About the theater
The theater of the then Red Army began its glorious activity in 1930. It was decided to make its home a striking masterpiece of the Stalinist Empire style - a building in the shape of a huge five-pointed star, designed by V. N. Simbirtsev and K. S. Alabyan. It was put into operation ten years later - in 1940.
If you look at the diagram of the Great Hall of the Russian Army Theater, you will have no doubt that it is recognized as the largest among all the halls of the world's drama theaters. 6 floors high, designed for more than 1.5 thousand spectators, it is remembered by everyone who has been here. The stage, recognized as the largest in Europe, also deserves special attention; here it is possible to unfold a natural battle scene, and for an entire military unit to line up, and even to drive a car freely.
You can buy tickets for performances, performances, concerts and other events both at the theater box office and online on its official website and at virtual ticket offices.
The layout of the Great Hall of the Russian Army Theater further demonstrates its scale and grandeur. But the greatest pride is the troupe, the team of stage directors.
The Russian Army Theater in Moscow is a unique academic theater institution under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Defense and has no analogues in the global “theater space”. This refers to the history and organization of the theater, as well as the enormous size of the magnificent building and stage area, which is considered the largest in Europe.
Story
The birth of the theater itself, which was called the Central Theater of the Red Army, dates back to 1929, when the very first performance was staged, dedicated to the military conflict in Manchuria on the border with China.
And only in 1934 did they begin to erect a building, the construction of which was completed 6 years later - in 1940. Based on the results of the competition, a project developed by the chief architect of Moscow Karo Alabyan in collaboration with V.N. was chosen. Simbirtsev.
The majestic, three-tier, compositionally complex building in the shape of a five-pointed star is considered a monumental architectural masterpiece of the “Stalians” style - the “Stalinist Empire”, which combined elements of classicism, baroque, Napoleonic empire and neo-Gothic. The Theater building has ten floors. Six of them occupy the Great Hall for 1900 seats and the Small Hall for 400 spectators.
The unique feature of the Theater is the scale of the stage size and the power of the stage mechanisms, the designs of which, including the complex lifting and turning structures of twelve platforms, were developed by engineer Ivan Maltsin. Thanks to the commissioning of such serious design developments, the stage area can be transformed into any complex spaces. It became possible to implement the plans of theater artists for the scenographic design of performances with the reproduction of mass battles, medieval interiors and mountain landscapes. The unique scene made it possible to create a world of reality with the participation of cars, tanks, military units and cavalry.
The decoration and fresco painting of the theater was carried out by the most talented painters, monumentalists and graphic artists: Alexander Deineka, Lev Bruni, Alexander Gerasimov, Ilya Feinberg, Vladimir Favorsky with his sons, Sokolov-Skalya. Lamps and interior items were made to special order.
In 1951, the theater venue was renamed the Central Theater of the Soviet Army, which in 1975 received the title of academic. In 1993, the famous theater became the Central Academic Theater of the Russian Army.
Productions and team
The theater's debut repertoire consisted mainly of patriotic plays by brilliant writers and playwrights - Konstantin Simonov, Viktor Astafiev, Yuri Bondarev, Vasily Bykov, Victor Grossman, and later Bulat Okudzhava and Vladimir Motyl.
The play “A Long Time Ago” by Alexander Gladkov was staged most often (more than 1200 times) in the history of the theater, on the basis of which Eldar Ryazanov made the famous film “The Hussar Ballad”.
Gradually the repertoire expanded to include classical works of world drama. During its operation, the theater staged numerous performances that earned the love of the audience and prestigious awards. Musical concerts, 3-D musicals, performances - dramas, tragedies and comedies, musicals for children and adults, solo concerts, creative evenings, children's festivals are held on two stages.
Among the performances are famous plays by Alexander Ostrovsky, Chekhov, Alexei Tolstoy, European classics - Shakespeare, Goldoni, Lope de Vega, works by Bulgakov, Jean Sarman, Bronislav Nusic, James Goldman, comedies by Eduardo De Filippo, grotesque realism by Yuri Polyakov, dramas by Alexei Arbuzov.
The Army Theater is a team of talented and multifaceted artists. At first, the stage was the place where the best graduates of theater schools and young actors completed their military service. Later, the leading actors of the Russian Army Theater were Vladimir Zeldin, Nina Sazonova, Fyodor Chenkhankov, Larisa Golubkina, Lyudmila Chursina, Evgeny Steblov, Lyudmila Kasatkina, Boris Plotnikov, and other stage and film stars. Alexander Domogarov, Yuri Komissarov, Olga Kabo worked here.
Moscow is full of unique sights, each of which deserves its own enthusiastic story. The Russian Army Theater is one of a kind in many respects. 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 group with a thematic repertoire, this is one of the great institutions 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
The Russian Army Theater, a hall that houses a large stage (some compare it to a football field), is 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.
Perhaps because already in 1930 Yuri Aleksandrovich Zavadsky became the artistic director of the theater with the light hand of 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 the KVN major league teams played here for 10 years, from 2002 to 2012.
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, Natalia Aristova’s Children’s Theater Studio performs its productions on the small stage. 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” did not leave 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 is to be held on the 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.
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.
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!
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 includes famous Moscow actors 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. On the stage of the theater you can see productions on 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. Cason, “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 had a children's studio that prepares young artists for performances on the big stage and for film projects.
Buy tickets at Russian Army Theater It was quite difficult in Soviet times, due to the fact that many guests of the capital and Muscovites tried to get to 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!