Kazan Academic Russian Drama Theater named after V.I. Kachalova is one of the oldest theaters in our country. The year of its foundation can be considered 1791, since it was then, on the initiative of Prince S.M. Barataev - the governor of Kazan - that the first public theater was organized, which gave regular performances for citizens. The room for him was specially rented for this purpose in the very center of the city.
History reference
Kazan
Drama Theater . Kachalova has existed for more than two centuries. As already mentioned, the governor of Kazan S.M. Barataev was the initiator of its opening in 1791. On Voskresenskaya street was the building that was rented by a public theater. Performances for the city residents were held regularly.
In 1802, a wooden building was built for the theater by the landowner P. P. Esipov. He also formed a troupe of his serfs and several free. The theater was headed by P.A. Plavilshchikov - an actor and playwright. In 1836, M. S. Shchepkin staged a play in the Kazan Theater based on the play The Examiner, in which he himself played one of the roles. Since 1841, he came to Kazan every year. Already at that time, the level of productions could be compared with the Moscow and St. Petersburg imperial theaters Kazan Kachalova Theater. The history of the stone theater building began in 1849. The city built a new building for the troupe, which was in no way inferior in terms of technical equipment to the best theaters in Russia. In 1852, N.K. Miloslavsky became the artistic director, who played all of his most famous roles here. 1867-1888 were the period of entrepreneur P.M. Medvedev, who was known as a brilliant teacher and discovered a huge number of talented actors. At that time, the Kazan Theater was a real forge of the best personnel for the imperial stage. The artists taught by P.M. Medvedev became an adornment of such metropolitan theaters as Alexandrinsky and Maly. Since 1874, an opera company was formed in the city, which regularly gave performances and laid the foundation for the formation of the opera house.
In 1919 there was a fire, the old theater building was destroyed in the fire and the troupe was forced to move to the building of the Bolshoi Theater. In the years 1933-1934. In Kazan, a stationary troupe was formed, unique in composition, headed by G. D. Rigorin. Since 1939, touring began, in Moscow and Leningrad, the collective of artists from Kazan became famous as one of the strongest.
V. I. Kachalov
In 1948, the BDT was named after the
People's Artist of the USSR Vasily Ivanovich Kachalov. The theater in which he began his career, immortalized within his walls - a monument to V. I. Kachalov was opened in a festive atmosphere, in the foyer-atrium of the theater.
Vasily Ivanovich was the owner of a unique voice, which in 1931 was heard from the movie screen in the very first sound Soviet film “A Trip to Life”. The artist reads a small introductory text there, telling about the difficult fate of the homeless. This was the only work of V.I. Kachalov in the cinema, but his voice lived in the memory of several generations of Soviet people.
The real name of the artist is Shverubovich. He was born in Vilnius in 1875, his father, an Orthodox priest, determined his son to sing in a church choir when he was still a little boy. But the time came when Vasily Ivanovich became cramped in a small choir at the church, and he had a dream - to become an artist of the opera house.
As a child, he often went to the theater for opera and dramatic performances, after which he organized his own performances at home, in the absence of his parents.
At school at recess, he recited monologues to his classmates, showed sketches in their faces. While still a gymnasium student, Vasily Ivanovich played his first role in the theater - it was Khlestakov.
By the will of his father, V. Kachalov, after graduating from high school, had to enter the law faculty of St. Petersburg University, where he studied for 4 years. But during his student years he also managed to go through theatrical universities, in St. Petersburg he became a regular at the Imperial Alexandrinsky Theater. After the first year of the university, Vasily began to take part in the productions of a group of students led by V.N. Davydov, a leading actor of the Alexandrinsky Theater. The student troupe was very successful, in all the capital's newspapers they wrote about their performances and everywhere they especially noted the student Shrerubovich, calling him a nugget. The timbre of his voice, as well as his plasticity, was honored with special epithets.
Since 1896, Vasily was admitted to the troupe of the professional theater of A. S. Suvorin, while remaining a law student. That's when Shreubovich turned into Kachalova. Attributed to the idea of such a pseudonym F. Chaliapin, who was a friend of Basil. In the summer of 1986, Vasily played over 35 performances. After such a vacation, he realized that his life was a theater, and left the university.
In January 1900, Kachalov went to conquer Moscow and got the role of Tsar Berendey in the fairy tale “The Snow Maiden”, directed by K. S. Stanislavsky in the Moscow Art Theater, in which he then served 48 years and where he played leading roles in performances.
IN AND. Kachalov received the highest state award - the Order of Lenin, in 1936 he was awarded the title People's Artist of the USSR, and in 1943 received the Stalin Prize.
In 1948, a brilliant actor died of lung cancer.
Opening small scene
On October 4, 2012, the Kachalov Theater (Kazan) opened the new 222nd theater season, which was the denominator of the fact that the troupe had a small stage. This new hall is designed to accommodate up to 170 spectators, and the seats will be located in the performances in different ways: in the traditional way - on one side of the stage, around the stage - on all sides, or on two or three sides of it. How spectator seats will be located for each specific performance depends on the decision of the director. According to the actors of the V.I.Kachalov Theater, on the small stage the performances are completely different than on the big one, the interpretation of the images changes, the relationships take place at a different level, even the characters' characters become different. In such a hall there is a different atmosphere, more trusting, you can’t lie or replay here, you need to live the role even more strongly, because the viewer can see everything.
Building reconstruction
Kazan Academic Theater. Kachalova was under reconstruction for more than 10 years, which was completed only by the end of 2014. On the opening day of the theater, the comedy "Wedding" by M. Zoshchenko was presented. During the reconstruction, the stage, the auditorium, the backstage, as well as the lobby were updated. The stage was equipped with new technical means - a turntable, hoist, lighting and sound equipment. In the auditorium, flooring, ceiling, doors, chairs, curtains, chandeliers were replaced, lodges were reconstructed. The backstage of the theater was expanded, for which it was necessary to make an extension to the theater, now the artists have created comfortable conditions - dressing rooms designed for three people, and not for six, as before, each is equipped with a bathroom and shower. Also, the renewed V. I. Kachalov
Melpomene Temple - the theater in Kazan - now has a rehearsal room with a large area, there are workshops, a museum room, large rooms for storing costumes and props.
Theater management today
Today, Alexander Yakovlevich Slavutsky is the director and artistic director of the V. I. Kachalov Theater. The theater (Kazan), under his strict guidance, is developing, opening up new horizons, expanding its repertoire. Alexander Yakovlevich himself is a Honored Artist of Russia and People's Artist of Russia, as well as Tatarstan, a laureate of State Prizes.
The current director of the theater was born in 1947 in Chelyabinsk, he graduated from a professional studio at the Tsving Theater, after which he was an actor of the Theater for Young Spectators. Then he graduated from the directing department at the Higher Theater School named after B. V. Schukin. In the theater named after V.I. Kachalova has been serving since 1994, at first he held the position of chief director, and since 2007 he became artistic director and director.
Theater troupe
Kazan Kachalov Theater is a troupe of 39 professional and talented artists of different ages. Among them are thirteen honored artists of the Republic of Tatarstan and three awarded the title of People's Artist.
Repertoire
The Kachalov Theater (Kazan) offers a repertoire for spectators of different ages. Among the performances there are performances for children, such as "Little Red Riding Hood", "Golden Key, or The Adventures of Pinocchio", "Doctor Aibolit" and many others.
An extensive repertoire for adults is offered to its viewers by the V. I. Kachalov Theater. The theater (Kazan) shows the following performances for this age category: “Family portrait with an outsider” based on the play by S. Lobozyorov, “Squaring the circle” by V. Kataev, “American whore” I. Kvirikadze, “Dust in the eyes” by E. Labish and many other classical and modern plays.
Performance Reviews
Nowadays, one can easily find reviews about any theater or performance in numerous forums of interest. What do the spectators of the V. I. Kachalov Theater write? He always gives his presentations with full houses, the audience leaves almost only enthusiastic reviews about the theater itself, about its productions and about what wonderful and talented actors are involved in the performances.
Tour
Active touring activities are performed by artists of the Kachalov troupe. The theater carries its performances to other cities of Russia, where they are always accepted with a bang, and all productions are held with a full house. Artists also travel abroad, successfully participate in theater festivals and conquer foreign audiences.
Excursion "Service entrance"
The Kachalov Theater recently launched a project called Official Entrance. This is an excursion for the audience, which gives them the opportunity to see the theater from the inside, as the actors see it. The role of the guides was taken by the artists themselves, who are more than anyone familiar with the mysterious world of the backstage. Spectators can see the rehearsal room; a fake workshop where scenery for performances is created or restored; a tailoring workshop in which costumes are sewn, altered and restored. In the artist’s office, you can see sketches of future decorations. In the dressing room - makeup, wigs and a mustache, and the most daring can even experience the magic of reincarnation. The props workshop will allow you to get acquainted with how the props are made and stored - fake cutlets, revolvers, masks and much more.
The audience also has a unique opportunity to visit the stage and understand how the artists see the hall, how they feel.
How to get there
The Kachalov Theater (Kazan) is located on Bauman Street, house number 48. The nearest metro station, from which it is most convenient to get to the theater is the Kremlin. Near the theater building are: Rodina Cinema, School No. 5, Business Center, Youth Theater. Nearest streets: Mousses of Jalil and Kavi Najmi.