The New Theatrical Buildings of Moscow in XXI Century (on the Hidden Theatres)

Abstract

Over the past three decades, the number of theater groups in Moscow has increased several times compared to the Soviet era. In the past, the theaters were only state and strictly divided into all-union, republican, Moscow and departmental. And now they are born and die, but still multiply, their number is even difficult to determine - it's about two hundred. The quantitative boom is accompanied by an active search for new forms of performing art, for which halls of a new type with unprecedented stage equipment are needed. Prosperous theaters tend to have their own new houses with original architecture and modern sophisticated technology. Far from everyone succeed at this. The financial problem occurs everywhere, and there are also difficulties in finding a suitable site on the territory of the capital. Many talented teams are forced to look for original ways of financing for construction or at least finishing their interiors and acquiring stage equipment. The situation is saved by cooperation with sponsors and investors, who include theaters in their large facilities under certain conditions, which are dictated by the city's authorities for the allocation of a favorable site. The article discusses three new theatrical objects that appeared in Moscow over thelast decade. Two of them (drama theaters) are built as parts oflarge multifunctional complexes. They arelocated on thelargest highway - the Garden Ring (Malaya Sukharevskaya Square) opposite each other. The third - the Helikon Opera house in the very center of the capital - uses the historic restored rooms of the old city manor and the newly created hall on the site of the former courtyard with the preservation of the old architecture elements. All three theaters have an original architectural appearance of their interiors, modern technological equipment of different levels and variously transformable scenes and halls. The author's search for original design and constructive solutions of the main premises is of great interest. Famous Moscow architects participated in the development of the buildings.