44. Памятник Николаю I – история создания/Monument to Nicholas I – the history of creation, 1856-1859

Authors: architects - A-R. Montferrand and' N.Ye. Yefimov (1856 - 1859), sculptors - P. K. Klodt, R.K.Zaleman, N.A., Ramazanov (1856 - 1859)

Address: Isaakiyaevskaya ptoshchad¹

The Monument lo Nicholas I was opened on 25 July 1859 soon after the Emperor's death (the idea of creation of the Monument belonged to his daughter -Mariya Nikolaycvna). The laic Kmpcror ruled the country in a very severe manner -- he flooded Russian cities with agents of the Secret Policy and introduced censorship and repressions in the country. People didn't love him and gave the Rmperor the nickname Nikolay Palkin (Nicholas the Stick).

The Monument resembles the Bronze Horseman - Nicholas I as well as Peter the Great is shown on a rear horse. The Monument is placed on one axis with the Bronze Horseman - no one can see it because of the Si Isaac's Cathedral. Such an obstacle gave birth to a popular saying A Fool catches up with a Clever, hut Isaac prevents! (Дурак умного догоняет, ла Исакий мешает!).

The Monument that is 16 m high has only two basis - the hind legs of the horse. The Emperor is dressed in a state uniform of the Cavalrygurdian regiment. The pedestal is decorated with allegorical statues of Wisdom, Strength. Belief ami Justice (to one legend Nicholas' wife and three daughters sat for these statues). The pedestal is also ornamented with high-relicves depicting the most important events that took place in the reign of Nicholas 1: the Revolt of the Decembrists in 1825, the rewarding ceremony of M. Spcranskiy for the compiling of the first statute-book in 1832, and a grand opening of the bridge on the road from Saint-Petersburg ю Moscow in IS51. The pedestal is faced with se\eral kinds of marble, red porphyry, a red Finnish and a dark-grey granite. The Monument is surrounded by four intricately designed lanterns.

45. Мариинский Театр: вчера и сегодня/The Mariinskiy Theatre – past and present, 1859-1860

Authors: architects – A.Kavos (1859-1860), V.Schreter (1885-1894)

Address: Teatral’naya ploshchad’, 1

On 12 July 1783 the Decree ordering the establishment of a special committee to control theatrical and musical performances was signed. On 5 October 1783 ihc Big Theatre designed by A. Rinaldi was opened at the Roundabout Square that soon became known under the name the Theatre Square. The first play performed on the scene was // Mondo dclla lima (Moonlight Night) by G. Pacsicllo. The Russian troupe performed there by turns with the French and the Italian ones. That period of lime was the Golden Age for the Big Theatre, among its frequent visitors was Alexander Pushkin himself. Not faraway there was ihc Drama School - among its famous graduates there were a lot of outstanding Russian actors of thai time, some of them dwelled nearby.In 1836 A. Kavos. the son of the composer and the conductor of the Big Theatre, changed the interior of ihc edifice, having enlargencd ihc capacity of its auditorium up to 2000 visitors. With the course of lime the performances of the Russian Opera troupe were staged in ihc Alexandrinskiy Theatre and the Theatre-Circus (located in front of the Big Theatre), while the Russian Ballet troupe and the kalian Opera continued lo perform on the stage of the Big Theatre.In 1859 A. Ka\os designed a new building for the burnt Theatre-Circus, lhat goi the name Mariinskiy after Alexander ll's wife - Mariya Alcxandrovna. On 2 October i860 the Mariinskiy Theatre was ceremonially opened by Glinka's opera Life for the Tsar. In 1883 - 18% the edifice of the Theatre was rebuilt by V. Schrcler who changed the interior of the building, decorated ihe main facade with a loggia and improved the acoustics of the auditorium. In 1886 all the performances that had been staged in the Big Thealre were moved to the stage of the Mariinskiy Theatre, while on the spot of the Big Theatre the Suinf-Petersburg Conservatoire was established in 1862.The contemporaries said the Mariinskiy Theatre was the most gorgeous in the whole Europe. The interior decoration resembled the one of the Alexandrinskiy Theatre: ihe snow-while sculptures, Ihe blue upholstery and the gilt carvings. E. Frachiolli created a wonderful plafond (the design by K. Duzi). A huge bron/e chandelier consisting of three circles of crystal pendants was made on ihe donations by merchant K. Plcskc. Such world-famous performances as Chaykovskiy's Queen of Spades. Sleeping Beauty, and Borodin's Prince Igor' were staged in the Theatre for the first time.In late 19^lh cent. - early 20ⁿ cent, ihe ballet troupe headed by Maurice Petipa was successfully performing on the stage of the Mariinskiy Theatre. The ballet dancers famous all over the world (T. Karsavina, A. Pavlova, A. Vaganova. V. Nezhynskiy) participated in the ballets on ihc music by P. Chaykovskiy and A. Glazunov. A. Bcnois. K. Korovin, A. Golovin, V. Serov created wonderful examples of the theaire painting. In 1914 a famous curtain that soon became the emblem of the Theatre was created by A. Golovin. In 1952 S. Virsaladze changed a deep red colour into a navy-blue one to match the decoration of the hall.

On 9 November 1917 the Theatre became the property of the Soviet government. In 1920 it was renamed the Suite Theatre of Opera and Ballet. A kit of ballet actors left the Theatre. The situation was somehow improved when F. Shalyapin returned lo ihe Theatre in 1918, and became its art director. He invited a lot of talented young artists, preserved the costumes and the requisite of the Thealre the bol'sheviks planned to give out to the peasants. F. Shalyapin managed Ю restore some classical Russian and foreign operas in which he performed himself. In 1922 he left Russia.

In 1935 ihe Theatre was named after S. Kirov, During the Second World War ihe Thealre was evacuated in Perm' where the troupe continued giving performances. Part of the troupe left in Leningrad and was working in ihe concert brigades. Al the lime of siege more than twenty shells dropped on the Mariinskiv Theatre's edifice. By aulomn 1944 ihc building had already been restored. In 1968 - 1970 ihc Mariinskiy Theatre was reconstructed under the supervision of S. Gclfairc. As a result the left wing was prolonged and acquired its present look.In 1976 the Theatre was headed by Yu. Temirkanov who staged Chaykovskiy's operas. In 1988 V. Gcrgiyev became its art director. On 16 January 1992 the Theatre got its former name. In 2006 the Mariinskiy Concert Hall was built in ul. Dckabrisio\. 37.

Nowadays the Mariinskiy Theatre collaborates with ihc most famous opera theatres of the world: Covcni Garden, Metropolitan Opera. Opera de Bastille, La Scala. li is the most famous theatre in Saint-Petersburg that attracts thousands of spectators by high-quality performances and a special atmosphere created by talented architects and decorators of past and present.