Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
children, folk music, piano jazz, and Avant-Garde shows. 4/31 Triumfalnaya Sq. & 495/232-
0400. Tickets 60-1,000 rubles. Metro: Mayakovskaya.
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OPERA
Russian opera is less renowned abroad than its ballet, but opera fans will appreciate hear-
ing gems by Rimsky-Korsakov, Mussorgsky, and Tchaikovsky in their home country,
performed by top-notch singers. Opera tickets at the Bolshoi Theater cost less than bal-
let tickets and sell out less often, but that's more a reflection of ballet's popularity than
the opera's quality.
Bolshoi Theater Operas at the Bolshoi stick to the classics, such as The Marriage of
Figaro, The Barber of Seville, and Carmen, but they may include pleasant Russian works
such as Tchaikovsky's Iolanta. Mussorgsky's Boris Godunov is a major draw for Russian
audiences, delving into the 16th and 17th centuries, when Russian history was fraught
with battles for succession and much shifting of alliances—but the opera reflects more of
the romantic nationalism of the 19th century when Mussorgsky wrote it than the murky
turmoil of Godunov's era. Hearing opera at the Bolshoi is just part of the experience;
viewing the grandiose theater is the other half, once it reopens after renovations. See the
listing under “Dance” above for details on the theater and how to get tickets. Tickets
must be purchased at least a week in advance unless you get them through your hotel.
Operas are staged at least once or twice a week. 1 Teatralnaya Sq. & 495/650-7317. www.
bolshoi.ru. Metro: Teatralnaya.
Helikon Opera This theater, a rounded space of graduated platforms that feels
almost intimate, presents more innovative and controversial performances than the Bol-
shoi, such as updated renditions of Wagner's Ring Cycle. The theater's popularity among
Russians means tickets are often scarce. 19 Bolshaya Nikitskaya St. & 495/695-6584. www.
helikon.ru/eng_default.php. Metro: Arbatskaya.
New Opera (Novaya Opera) Stylistically somewhere between the Bolshoi and the
Helikon, the New Opera has a strong repertoire of standards and a few more anthology-
style shows. Highlights include La Traviata and other Verdi works, Tchaikovsky's Eugene
Onegin, and Rimsky-Korsakov's Snow Maiden. 3 Karetny Ryad. & 495/694-0868. www.novaya
opera.ru. Metro: Pushkinskaya.
Stanislavsky Nemirovich-Danchenko Theater As with its ballet company, the
Stanislavsky's opera company is strong and respected, though it is often overshadowed by
colleagues at the Bolshoi. The theater itself is similarly shaped and decorated, and a cur-
rent renovation is expected to renew the shine on the banisters and refresh the repertoire.
Operas are staged about once a week, and tickets are cheaper and easier to obtain here
than those for the Bolshoi or the other opera houses. 17 Bolshaya Dmitrovka. & 495/629-
2835. www.stanislavskymusic.ru. Metro: Pushkinskaya.
9
THEATER
English-language theater troupes sometimes visit Moscow and perform Russian classics,
and occasionally Russian theater companies stage a few performances in English. See the
English-language newspaper The Moscow Times for listings of English-language theater
(www.themoscowtimes.com).
Maly Theater The theater is called “Maly” (small) only because it's across from the
Bolshoi (which means “big” or “grand”), but the Maly's hall is full-sized and its perfor-
mances are top-quality. Most shows are in Russian, with an emphasis on classics from
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