Moscow theatres

Moscow theatres are relatively new to the scene, having just begun to develop in Russia at the end of the 17th century. Today the city boasts of the famed Poteshny Palace at the Kremlin, the Maly (Small) and the Bolshoi (Large) Theatres, among others.

In the 19th century, theatre criticism began to develop alongside the appearance of the first stationary theatres in Moscow. In 1824, the drama troupe of the Moscow Imperial Theatre found a voice in Maly Theatre, housed in the merchant Vargin's house, and in 1825 Bolshoi Theatre appeared on the site of the former Petrovsky Theatre. For many years, these two playhouses were paramount to the theatrical life of Moscow.

At the turn of the 20th century, the theatres of Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko, Chekhov and Gorky were born, while in the realm of opera the Mamontov, Zimin and Chaliapin Theatres were formed. These houses of drama and song were later joined by the theatres of Meyerhold, Tairov, Vakhtangov and Eisenstein.

Today, thanks in part to the drama, opera and comedy productions held in Moscow theatres, the city is counted among the cultural capitals of the world.

Recommended Theaters in Moscow:

MHT after Anton Chekhov
Maly Theatre
Taganka Theatre
Sovremennik Theatre