One of the most important art performances in Russia is the Ballet performances, which is quite popular among both Russian citizens and foreign tourists. If you check the top ballet performances of all time, you’ll notice that some of the top ballets of all time are from Russia, from Russian composers, and Russian ballet companies. For instance, we can point out to Swan Lake, which is one of the most famous Russian ballet by Pyotr Tchaikovsky, the famous Russian composer. He also wrote another famous ballet called the Nutcracker.
Since ballet it’s not only entertainment in Russia and considers as one of the serious art performances in Russia, it’s under lots of recognition. The Russian Ballet didn't exist until the end of the 17th century, but Peter I was a huge admirer of Western Culture, and after he became the ruler of Russia, a new style of Ballet introduced to the world. Soon enough, the Russian ballet alongside operas and dramas became one of the most favorite musical art performances in Russia. There are several theater halls in Russia that put lots of ballet performances in their year work calendar for that very reason.
In the St. Petersburg city, ballet performances are not limited to one or two theater halls. Since there are many local people and tourists who want to see famous Russian ballet performances, several theater halls have at least one stage assigned to the ballet performances.
One these theater halls, for example, is the Grand Palace theater which is more famous as Theater of Musical Comedy. The Theater of Musical Comedy is located at Italiaskaya Street only a few steps away from Nevsky Prospekt. The theater building was designed and built in 1799 by the Russian architect, Sokolova. The building was bought by the grandson of Nicholas I in 1896 for his favorite, famous Alexandrinsky Theater’s actress, Pototzkaya. The building got on a great fire in 1910 which destroyed most of the building. Soon after the fire, the building bought by Piltzov to become a theater hall. The interior of the new building was a fusion of Italian renaissance and improved late Baroque architecture which quickly got locals’ attention.
The Palas Theater started to work at the end of 1910, but the building changed ownership several times afterward. The building was given to the newly established Circus Music-hall in 1929. Then the Leningrad Theater of Musical Comedy replaced the Leningrad Peoples House in 1938.
One of the brightest moments in the Theater of Musical Comedy history was during the 900 days of Siege of Leningrad when the theater didn’t postpone its work even while the city was under attack. The Theater of Musical Comedy was the only theater hall that kept working during the war in St. Petersburg. The people of the theater from actors and actresses to singers and ballerinas were active both on stage and in the front line of the war.
During the post-war era, the theater continued to work. The Grand Palace Theater which is historically known as The Theater of Musical Comedy is still one of the most famous and popular theater halls of the city of St. Petersburg.
As we said before, the Russian ballet is favorite by the Russian and tourists, many foreign tourists who travel to Russia put at least one ballet performance in their Russia tour program. St. Petersburg is one of the top targets in Russia for tourists and travel agencies which has several Theater Halls that ballet companies can perform on regularly.
We suggest that in your trip to St. Petersburg, take some time aside for the Theater of Musical Comedy and watch at least one ballet show in there, so you can both enjoy the show and the historical yet modernized theater building.
