The exhibition houses a copy of the portrait of Anna Borunova, a serf singer of the Yusupov family, an outstanding actress of the theater group in the Arkhangelskoye estate.
In 1817, celebrations were planned in Moscow on the occasion of the fifth anniversary of the Napoleon’s defeat, which Emperor Alexander I was supposed to attend. For the upcoming celebration, Prince Nikolay Yusupov planned to arrange a theater hall in the estate. He decided to completely rebuild the manege building in the western part of the landscape park, based on a project by the Italian artist Pietro di Gottardo Gonzago. The theater was built from wood on a stone foundation by Osip Ivanov’s crew of carpenters. Th theatrical engineer Peter Ivanov from Moscow was invited to install the stage mechanisms.
By the mid–1818, construction was completed. The stage with a pronounced bias had all the necessary adaptations for changing the scenery and various stage effects. A quarter of the building’s area was devoted to dressing rooms.
The theater in Arkhangelskoye has survived to this day almost in its original form. Not only the elements of the decoration of the auditorium and theatrical machinery were kept, but also the original decorations of Gonzago, which have not been preserved in any of the European theaters according to his project. The original appearance of almost the entire ensemble of decorations is recreated by watercolors made in the 1820s by artists who worked on the estate.
Any performances could be staged in the theater — drama, opera, ballet and others. But first of all, it was planned to show stage set performances in Arkhangelskoye.
The point of such performances was to change different architectural and spatial paintings on the stage of the theater, sometimes to music, but without the participation of actors. Stage performances appeared in Western Europe as early as the 17th century. The architect Gonzago called them “music for the eyes”.
For such performances, Gonzago created a curtain that seemed to continue the architecture of the auditorium and several changes in the scenery. Scientists were able to confirm that he created ten pieces, but some contemporaries believed that there were twelve or even more. Only four have survived to this day — “Temple”, “Tavern”, “Prison” and “Marble Gallery”, — as well as a curtain.
However, on a festive evening, Yusupov did not manage to fully present the conceived surprise to the distinguished guests. According to eyewitnesses, in the theater, the scenery was changed only three times, which caused Emperor’s displeasure.
In 1817, celebrations were planned in Moscow on the occasion of the fifth anniversary of the Napoleon’s defeat, which Emperor Alexander I was supposed to attend. For the upcoming celebration, Prince Nikolay Yusupov planned to arrange a theater hall in the estate. He decided to completely rebuild the manege building in the western part of the landscape park, based on a project by the Italian artist Pietro di Gottardo Gonzago. The theater was built from wood on a stone foundation by Osip Ivanov’s crew of carpenters. Th theatrical engineer Peter Ivanov from Moscow was invited to install the stage mechanisms.
By the mid–1818, construction was completed. The stage with a pronounced bias had all the necessary adaptations for changing the scenery and various stage effects. A quarter of the building’s area was devoted to dressing rooms.
The theater in Arkhangelskoye has survived to this day almost in its original form. Not only the elements of the decoration of the auditorium and theatrical machinery were kept, but also the original decorations of Gonzago, which have not been preserved in any of the European theaters according to his project. The original appearance of almost the entire ensemble of decorations is recreated by watercolors made in the 1820s by artists who worked on the estate.
Any performances could be staged in the theater — drama, opera, ballet and others. But first of all, it was planned to show stage set performances in Arkhangelskoye.
The point of such performances was to change different architectural and spatial paintings on the stage of the theater, sometimes to music, but without the participation of actors. Stage performances appeared in Western Europe as early as the 17th century. The architect Gonzago called them “music for the eyes”.
For such performances, Gonzago created a curtain that seemed to continue the architecture of the auditorium and several changes in the scenery. Scientists were able to confirm that he created ten pieces, but some contemporaries believed that there were twelve or even more. Only four have survived to this day — “Temple”, “Tavern”, “Prison” and “Marble Gallery”, — as well as a curtain.
However, on a festive evening, Yusupov did not manage to fully present the conceived surprise to the distinguished guests. According to eyewitnesses, in the theater, the scenery was changed only three times, which caused Emperor’s displeasure.
