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\n \n MUSSORGSKY OPERA AND BALLET THEATRE. Dates back to 1918, when it was established in the building of the Mikhailovsky Theatre (1 Iskusstv Square; 1833, architect А. P. Bryullov, rebuilt in 1859 by architect А. K. Cavos). The theatre changed names several times: from 1919 it was known as the State Academic Comedy Opera Theatre, from 1921 as the Maly Petrograd Academic Theatre, from 1926 the State Academic Maly Opera Theatre (Malegot), from 1964 as the State Academic Maly Opera and Ballet Theatre, and in 1989 received its current name. It was intended to be affiliated with the Mariinsky Theatre, acting as its experimental ground without having a troupe of its own. It wasn't until 1931 that the theatre's own troupe gave its first performance, though an orchestra and choir was established as far back as 1918. The theatre continued to develop its repertoire, staging rarely-performed operas, operas-comique, and classical and contemporary operettas, including A. Thoma's Mignon, 1918; G. A. Lortzing's Tsar and Carpenter 1919; D. F. Auber's Fra Diavolo 1920; C. A. Cui's Mandarin's Son 1921; and F. Lehar's Wo die Lerche singt (Where the Lark Sings) and Yellow Jacket 1923). In the early 1930s the theatre had the reputation of being the main experimental space of Soviet opera. It featured the premieres of Shostakovich's The Nose and Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk District (1930, 1934), as well as I. I. Dzerzhinsky's opera The Quiet Don (1935), D. B. Kabalevsky's Colas Breugnon (1938), and A. F. Pashchenko's Pompadour (1939). The first 20 years of the theatre's history are closely associated with conductor S. A. Samosud and director N. V. Smolich. Later came associations with conductors B. E. Khaikin and E. P. Grikurov, and directors B. А. Pokrovsky and E. E. Pasynkov. During the Great Patriotic War the theatre was evacuated to the city of Chkalov (today Orenburg), where it operated until 1944. Prokofiev's opera War and Peace premiered in 1946. Later works by contemporary composers were staged, such as S. M. Slonimsky's Virinea (1967); Mary Stuart (1981), G. Gershwin's Porgy and Bess (1968), and R. K. Shchedrin's Not Only Love (1973). In 1972, S. Gaudasinsky assumed the directorship of the theatre. The theatre saw vocal performances by N. L. Welter, Е. S. Gorokhovskaya, P. M. Zhuravlenko, Y. V. Ivshin, R. L. Izgur, N. I. Krivulya, T. N. Lavrova, S. P. Leiferkus, Y. M. Marusin, V. L. Matusov, А. Y. Modestov, Е. G. Olkhovsky, V. R. Pankratov, А. I. Popova-Zhuravlenko, I. L. Prosalovskaya, V. K. Retyunsky, N. I. Romanova, Е. V. Ustinova, and Е. P. Tselovalnik. In 1931, on F. V. Lopukhov's initiative, the opera ballet troupe was reorganised into an experimental choreographic theatre. Lopukhov choreographed R. E. Drigo's Arlekinada (1933), L. Delibes' Coppelia (1934), and Shostakovich's The Limpid Stream (1935). In the mid-1930s, L. M. Lavrovsky took up Lopukhov's experiments with L. Delibes' Fadette (1936) and B. V. Asafyev's The Caucasian Prisoner (1938). During the post-war years, the troupe was directed by B. А. Fenster. His affinity leaning toward dramatic theatre, he staged M. I. Chulaki's ballets The False Bridegroom (1946) and Youth (1949), Asafyev's Lady Peasant (1951) and a number of others. In the mid-1950s P. А. Gusev cultivated dance culture by adding classical ballet pieces to the repertoire. I. D. Belsky also used this approach in his choreography of Shchedrin's The Little Hump-backed Horse (1963), Shostakovich's Symphony No. 11 (1969), and Tchaikovsky's Nut cracker (1969). It was during these years that new choreographers joined the theatre and established their own interpretation of many ballets, such as A. I. Chernyshov staging of E. L. Lazarev's Antony and Cleopatra (1964), and G. R. Zamuel's production of E. Irszai's Don Juan, or The love of Geometry (1973). O. M. Vinogradov did his best-known choreographic work on B. I. Tishchenko's Yaroslavna (1974). A number of classic ballets were performed in 1973-77, including A. Bournonville's Sylphida to H. Levenshell's music (1975). In 1977, N. N. Boyarchikov began to concentrate on new productions: Prokofiev's Tsar Boris (1978), S. Kallos' Macbeth (1984), S. P. Banevich's Petersburg (1992), and L. S. Lebedev's choreography of Y. A. Simakin's The Legend of the Bird of Donenbai(1983). Troupe-soloists from over the years included G. М. Abaydulov, V. K. Adzhamov, Е. G. Alkanova, N. N. Boyarchikov, Z. A. Vasilyeva, N. А. Dolgushin, G. R. Zamuel, N. А. Zubkovsky, G. I. Isaeva, L. P. Kamilova, R. I. Kuzmicheva, Y. А. Kuks, М. B. Kurshakova, А. S.Linnik, М. P. Mazun, V. S. Mukhanova, V. B. Ostrovsky, V. P. Panov, Y. N. Petukhov, G. N. Pirozhnaya, G. V. Pokryshkina, V. А. Rosenberg, М. А. Rostovtseva, L. N. Safonova, V. M. Stankevich, G. V. Sudakov, Т. I. Fesenko, А. S. Khamzin, S. K. Sheina, N. S. Yananis. The theatre hall holds 1151 persons.

References: Балет Ленинградского государственного академического малого театра оперы и балета. Л., 1964; Малый театр оперы и балета, 1918-1968. Л., 1968; Санкт-Петербургский государственный Академический театр оперы и балета имени М. П. Мусоргского / Е. В. Третьякова и др. СПб., 2001.

G. N. Dobrovolskaya, E. V. Tretyakova.\n
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Persons
\n \n \n \n \n \n \n Asafyev Boris Vladimirovich\n
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