Noilly Prattle: Europe Summer 2017: Russia 5 – the Bolshoi Theater

COMEDY AND TRAGEDY

Большо́й теа́тр - Bolshoi Theater

One of our main reasons, aside from a little sightseeing, in going to Moscow and St. Petersburg was to attend some musical performances at two of Russia's best known theaters, The Bolshoi Большо́й теа́тр in Moscow and The Mariinsky Мариинский театр in St Petersburg. Both theaters present operas but are best know for their superb ballet performances. We had the chance to see some of both at these houses and at other smaller theaters in both cities.

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оперетта - OPERETTA

оперетта (operetta)

for Grand Cancan

Just around the corner from our hotel on Kuznetsy Most there was a music hall in an ordinary building that was distinguished as a theater by a large vertical sign on the side of the building that read, simply оперетта (operetta) and a large marquee over the entrance that read Анна Каренина (Anna Karenina). The show that we attended, however, was not Anna Karenina, based on a tragic story of adultery and suicide by Tolstoy, but a lighthearted grab bag of vaudeville sketches, music, dance, songs, acrobatics and comedy that was called Grand Cancan. It was somewhat reminiscent of turn of 20^th Century Paris at the height of the Belle Époque. The operetta was great fun. It was wonderfully relaxing and entertaining being back in the theater after two or more years absence with a lively and enchanting show and professional performances by the talented cast.

the cast of Grand Cancan taking their bows

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Большо́й теа́тр - BOLSHOI THEATER

Orchestra and stage of the Bolshoi Theater

chandelier Bolshoi Theater

A trip to Moscow would not be complete without attending a performance or two at Большо́й теа́тр (Bolshoi Theater)--Big Theater. There were no ballets, for which the Bolshoi is world famous, while we were in Moscow. We attended a performance of the Russian opera Boris Godunov by Modest Mussorgsky. The subject of the opera is the Russian ruler Boris Godunov who reigned as Tsar during the Time of Troubles from 1598 to 1605. The opera was enjoyable. With a prologue and four acts, it is a bit long but fast paced with three intermissions. There is a certain darkness in many Russian operas and Boris Godunov is no exception. The music was heavy but appropriate for the theme and most of the singers were excellent. The performance had an almost Shakespearean feel, especially the histories, but with music. The bass (Dmitry Ulyanov) who played the title role was excellent both in voice and acting. The story is about a guilt ridden boyar (noble), Boris Godunov, who reluctantly became Tsar during Russia's Time of Troubles and was accused of having usurped the throne by murdering Ivan the Terrible's son, the Tsarovitch Dmitry.

for Boris Godunov

matching clothes and curtains

Dmitri Ulyanov as Boris Godunov

the cast of Boris Godunov taking their bows

All in all it was an interesting contrast between the light operetta Grand Cancan and the heaviness of the Boris Godunov tragedy in which Godunov, in a very dramatic scene, dies in Act Four.

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MOSCOW BY NIGHT

lower Tverskaya Street (sans 870 Festivities)

In order to work off our somber mood after Boris Godunov, we strolled around nighttime Moscow and got a different perspective from daytime Moscow. Like most very big cities, Moscow is better looking at night than in the daytime.