Moscow theatres

When in Moscow, one finds himself in a difficult situation as it is no easy matter to decide which theatre to choose.

Newspapers and posters tell you what is on at different playhouses. The repertoires of the theatres usually offer us a wide choice of plays modern and classical, by Russian as well as by foreign playwrights. There would be no mistake to say that our Russian theatres rank with the best theatres of the world and arouse great interest and unanimous praise of the public and critics.

Grown-up people prefer to attend evening performances, while children are admitted only to matinees. There are special theatres for young people, too. Some of them though are frequented by grown-ups as well. This can be said about the famous Obraztsov Puppet Theatre.

If you go to the Moscow Art Theatre, the "Sovremennik", the Vakhtangov Theatre you will have a real treat enjoying the artistry of superb actors and actresses doing the leads. To amuse yourself and have a good laugh you'd better go to the Moscow Satire Theatre.

For passionate music-lovers there is the legendary Bolshoi Theatre with its marvelous ballets and magnificent operas.

It is always difficult to get tickets for the above mentioned theatres even if you try to book them in advance. But it is especially hard to get tickets for a first-night performance or a production of a celebrated foreign company which has come on tour to our country. In this case tickets are likely to be sold out long before and you are sure to see a sold-out sign posted up over the box-office.

If you have a stroke of luck and manage to get a ticket, in the evening you enter the theatre which is alive and warm with preparation. Soon the last bell rings, the lights go down and the hall plunges into a soft darkness. The conductor raises his baton, the overture sets in, the curtain goes up and the actors step into the stage, they step into a magic world of art.

Questions

1. Do you remember your first visit to the Bolshoi Theatre (Art Theatre, Puppet Theatre)?

2. Where do you prefer to sit at the theatre?

3. Who played the title role (leading part) in the last play which you saw?

4. When do actors get many curtain calls?

5. When and how do you book tickets for the theatre?

6. What plays have you lately seen on TV?

7. Why do people buy programs at the theatre?

8. Which plays that are now on in your city? Are you a success with the public?

9. Do you like music?

10. Which theatre do you prefer?

11. What theatres are there in Moscow?

12. What concerts are on at the Moscow Conservatoire?

13. Do you play the violin (the piano)?