Theatres in Belarus

Bolshoi Opera and Ballet Theater

The National Academic Bolshoi Opera and Ballet Theater of the Republic of Belarus is one of biggest theaters in Europe and the architectural landmark of Minsk.

In 2018 the Bolshoi Theater of Belarus marked 85 years since its founding. The theater has some 20,000 performances and over 200 premieres under its belt.

Today the repertoire of the Bolshoi Theater of Belarus features over 80 opera and ballet performances. One of the priorities for the theater is to expand the national repertoire. Some productions have been on the theater’s playbill for more than three decades due to their popularity. These, for example, include the Madame Butterfly opera, the ballets Creation of the World and the legendary Spartacus by world-famous choreographer Valentin Elizariev. The new production was shown to mark the 70th anniversary of the Maestro.

The Bolshoi Theater of Belarus hosts the world’s best troupes and performers. The recent guests were Saint Petersburg State Academic Ballet Theater of Leonid Yakobson, Tbilisi Z. Paliashvili Opera and Ballet Theater, Eifman Ballet…

 

Janka Kupala National Theatre

Yanka Kupala National Academic Theatre, the oldest theater of Belarus, on the right is the first stage of the republic. Grand opening of the country's first public theater was held September 14, 1920. Even more has a long history of building Minsk provincial theater, designed by the architects of Caral Kozlowski and Constantine Uvedenskogo in 1890 with the help of donations of citizens.

A wide palette of repertoire Yanka Kupala Theatre includes modern plays, genre productions, Russian and foreign classics. A special role is played by the national dramaturgy, on the basis of which created the best performances, "Pavlinka" Yanka Kupala, staged in 1944, and is the hallmark of Kupala theater, "Symon the Musician" Yakub Kolas, "Black panna Nesvizh" and "Evening" by Alexei Dudarev, "The Wild hunt of King Stach" Vladimir Karatkevich, "The ballad of love" on the novel by Vasil Bykov "Alpine ballad" and many others.

Today the National Academic Theatre of Yanka Kupala - a symbol of Belarusian theatrical culture, a source of national drama and bold artistic search, a treasure trove of theatrical talent. The terms of his leadership role in the theatrical life of Belarus - a highly professional actor's school and theatrical culture, careful preservation of their traditions and at the same time, an active search for new theatrical forms. At the theater work the leading masters of the Belarusian scene, the theatrical art of the country pride: People's Artist of the USSR Gennady Ovsyannikov, People's Artists of the Republic of Belarus Maria Zaharevich Galina Orlova Galina Tolkachev, Gennady Garbuk Arnold anointed August Milovanov. Theater troupe consists of 70 people, one third of which - the talented youth. The head of the creative team of Pavel Ivanovich Polyakov, artistic director of the theater - the winner of the State Prize of the Republic of Belarus Nikolai Pinigin. Theatre has toured extensively throughout the country and abroad, taking part in international festivals and competitions, enjoys great respect and love from Minsk residents and guests.

 

Drama Theatre named after Maxim Gorky

The theater has its own special artistic appearance, stands a high level of performance of the actor, director’s interpretations of the original, profound approach to the development of the repertoire. National Academic Drama Theater named after Maxim Gorky is one of the centers of theater as an integral part of the cultural life of the country, a national treasure of the republic.

 

Musical Theater

The Belarusian State Academic Musical Theatre was created in 1970. It was called "State Musical Comedy Theatre of the Republic of Belarus" Until 2000. His first theatrical season opened January 17, 1971 performance of "The Lark Sings" Belarusian composer Yu.Semenyako.

During the period of his creative activity carried out more than a hundred theater productions, many of which the eccentricity attracted the attention of the most demanding critics and theater community.

Today's repertoire different latitude range of creative and genre diversity. His poster widely represented classical operetta, musical, musical comedy, a comic opera, rock opera, ballet, theater performances for children, diverse concert programs.

Theater Collective has great creative potential, has in its composition a lot of bright actors' personalities - great masters of the stage, whose names are the pride of the Belarusian theatrical art, and talented young people, highly professional symphony orchestra, a wonderful choir, a wonderful ballet company that can successfully solve the most complex artistic tasks.

Creative credo of the theater - the respect of the traditions of musical art and the courage to experiment. To implement these ideas the theater cooperates with many well-known composers and playwrights, invites to create performances of talented directors.

 

THEATRE OF BELARUSIAN DRAMA

The theater was founded in 1990 to provide practical help for beginners of Belarusian playwrights. Most of the performances staged on Belarusian language.

In order to improve, theater regularly plays the world drama by Shakespeare, Chekhov, Brecht, Bulgakov, and others.

The Republican Theatre of Belarusian Drama is well known not only in Belarus, but in Russia, England, Poland, Romania, Egypt. It has account of numerous Grand Prizes and the prestigious awards from international and national theater festivals.

 

Puppet Theater

The State Puppet Theater of the Republic of Belarus is the oldest puppet theater of the Republic.

The Belarusian State Puppet Theater is one of the leading theatrical collectives of the country. His performances convince of the professional maturity and creative enthusiasm of the team, when the spirit of search and experiment can rest on the strength of the traditions developed over the years.

It was created on July 15, 1938, when the State Puppet Theater of the BSSR was opened in Gomel. In 1950 the theater moved to Minsk.

In 2008, the resolution of the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Belarus awarded the theater the title of "Honored Collective of the Republic of Belarus".

 

Theater "Lyalka"

The building where the Belarusian Theatre “Lyalka” is located today is an architectural monument protected by the state. It was built at the end of the 20th century as a private mansion house on the high bank of the Vitba River.

In 1917, the building was used by the Soviet of Workmen and Deputies. Later, till 1937, there was a Jewish Pedagogical Technical School. Before the outbreak of the Great Patriotic War the building hosted the Vitebsk Pedagogical Institute. In 1945, it was occupied by the City Communist Party Committee.

In 1991, the building was given to the Belarusian Theatre “Lyalka” founded in 1985 as a branch of the Belarusian Academic Drama Theatre named after Yakub Kolas.

In 1990, the puppet troupe formed an independent company.

Over the years of its creativity the Belarusian Theatre “Lyalka” has won a number of prestigious awards in the national and international festivals including puppet theatre festivals in Brest (1998, Belarus), Kotor (2002, Montenegro), Zagreb (2004, Yugoslavia), Vinnitsa (2005, Ukraine), Stara Zagora (2009, Bulgaria), Subotica (2010, Serbia), Lomza (2011, Poland).

The Belarusian Theatre “Lyalka” gave performances in Germany, Iran, Latvia, Poland, Russia, Tunisia, Turkey, Finland, France.

The performances of the theatre were also included into the programs of several editions of the International Festival of Arts “Slavianski Bazaar in Vitebsk”.

In 2001, the international forum of arts presented the puppet theatre festival.

In 2005, the Belarusian Theatre “Lyalka” hosted the “Orchestra” play staged by Robert Jakobsson and presented by the Swedish Theatre “Albatros”.

 

Gomel Regional Drama Theater

n 2014 one of the oldest Belarusian drama theatres — Gomel regional drama theatre will celebrate its 75-th anniversary. Rich history of the theatre is filled with bright stagings and famous names. Expressive creative style and diverse repertoire have made the theatre well-known not only in the Republic of Belarus but also far away from Europe – in Africa. On Gomel stage appear People’s and Honoured Artists of the Republic of Belarus – Ludmila Korhova, Fedor Ivanov, Victor Chepelev, Yury Feigin.

This anniversary year Gomel regional drama theatre holds XII International festival “Slavic theatre meetings”. [In international status the festival has existed since 1994 and it is held in Gomel once in three years.] Its purpose is a creative integration of theatre groups, consolidation of traditions and advancement of new tendencies of Belarusian theatre, acquaintance of the audience with the masterpieces of the world and national art heritage. In the programme of the festival there are stagings of different theatre genres from refined classics to modern performances, master-classes of famous theatre figures, traditional round-table conferences.

 

Mogilev Drama Theater

The Mogilev Theater today collaborates with various directors - Y. Natapov, A. Hartsyev and others. Remarkable performances put and himself Vladimir Petrovich (this surname) - the main director of the Mogilev Regional Drama Theater.

For children in the repertoire of the theater there are fairy tales, as well as a special project "Lessons of Ethics, Aesthetics and Morality." Once or twice a week, the theater organizes an appropriate program for schoolchildren and students and, strangely enough, it usually takes place at full house.

A visiting card of the theater today is the play "These Free Butterflies" by L. Gersh. This production for two and a half years fills all 319 seats in the auditorium.

In general, every year the theater puts on its stage 6-7 premieres. They necessarily include 1-2 tales and several works of national drama.

At the regional theater there is a theater-studio for the younger generation. Most often here come the students of the Mogilev College of Culture. Krupskaya, many of them remain in the theater. By the way, 70% of today's troupe of the Mogilev theater is talented youth. From the actors of the "old school" in the theater are honored artists of Belarus Z. Burtseva, G. Belotserkovsky, Honored Artist of Russia A. Palkin, Honored Artist of Bashkortostan L. Klimenko and others.

 

Theatre for Young Audience

The first Young Spectator Theater was opened in Minsk in 1931 and lasted until July 1941. The second opening of the Belarusian Republican Theater of the Young Spectator was held on April 8, 1956. Spectators were shown scenes from three performances: from the staging of the novel by N. Ostrovsky "How the Steel Was Tempered", from the tale "City of Masters" by T. Gabbe and from the modern drama "Love of Ani Berezko" by V. Pistolenko.

The most striking productions of recent years can rightfully be considered performances "My Sister Mermaid" by L. Razumovskaya (diploma of the festival "Hope - 2001"), "Flight into the Land of Dreams" by M. Varfolomeyev, Christmas fairy tale-parable "The Road to Bethlehem" by S. Kovalev (Winner of the festival "Molodechnaya Sakavitsa" 2001 for a bright director's embodiment of spiritual life), "Knight of the Order of the Sun" P. Vasyuchenko (winner of the Federation of Trade Unions of Belarus), "Last Duel" and many others.

The repertoire of the theater differs in its genre variety: a tragic legend, a fairy tale-parable, a play-play, a musical fairy tale-fantasy, a folk joke, a lyric-dramatic story in the genre of a musical, a fairy tale for adults and intelligent children, a slightly sad story with a happy ending, etc. .