М. Битюкова - English for tourism and cultural science

The theatre was designed by architect A.K.Kavos and reconstructed in the late 19 thcentury under the leadership of V.A.Shreter. It was named after Alexander II's wife Mary. The artistic development of the Mariinsky theatre is associated with performances (often premieres) of operas by the great Russian composers such as N.A.Rimsky-Korsakov, P.I.Chaikovsky, S.S.Prokofyev, D.D.Shostakovich and others, as well as foreign classical composers. The theatre has always had eminent conductors, and the troupe has consisted of world-famous opera and ballet stars such as F.Shalyapin, A.Pavlova, V.Nizhinsky, G.Ulanova and M.Baryshnikov.

Since 1935 until recently the theatre has had the name of Leningrad's communist leader S.M.Kirov. It has received high national awards. The hall holds 1,625 people, and one can scarcely find any vacant seats at any performance. The Kirov Ballet troupe, as it is called abroad, is often on tours.

Tovstonogov Bolshoi Drama Theatre.One of the best theatres in St. Petersburg, if not all Russia. It was founded in 1919 on the initiative of M. Gorky, A. Lunacharsky, A. Blok and M. Andreyeva. After the death of G.A. Tovstonogov, who hds been the theatre's stage director from 1956 until 1989, the theatre was named after him in recognition of his merits and talent. The troupe had always been very bright, although many actors were leaving for other theatres. The theatre is currently experiencing difficult times, as it is not easy to replace the great director, but it seems that the theatre is heading in the right direction. Ballet artists are performing here during the summer, when the theatre troupe is on vacation. The theatre has been awarded several orders and the "Academic" title. Its capacity is 1,258 seats.

Musorgsky Opera and Ballet Theatre

The theatre was established in 1918 as an affiliate of the Mariinsky Theatre. It is most known for its premieres of pieces by contemporary composers, such as S. Prokofyev, D. Shostakovich, A. Khachaturyan, R. Schedrin and others. The theatre created its own troupe during 1931-33.

Today this theatre is the only one in the city to stage plays such as "Fadetta", "Tsar Boris", "The White Knight" and "MacBeth". It occupies the building of the Mikhailovsky Theatre, named after Nicholas I's brother prince Mikhail Pavlovich.

The theatre's capacity is 1,151 seats. French drama and comedy has been presented in it for privileged audiences. A French opera troupe has also been performing here for a long period of time. The building was constructed in 1831-33 on Mikhailovskaya Square (presently called Arts Square) by architect A.P. Bryullov.

Notes

“Samson, tearing apart the jaws of the lion” – “Самсон, раздирающий пасть льва” (фонтан Петергофа)

Admiralty – Адмиралтейство

Amber Room – Янтарная комната в Екатерининском дворце (Царское Село)

Anichkov Bridge – Аничков мост

Arts Square – Площадь Искусств

Bridge of Peter the Great – Мост Петра Великого (Большеохтинский)

Bronze Horseman – Медный Всадник

Catherine Palace – Екатерининский дворец в Пушкине

Church of the Savior on the Spilled Blood (or the Church on the Blood, or Spilled Blood Cathedral) – Собор Спаса-на-Крови

Cruiser Aurora – крейсер «Аврора»

Dostoevsky Museum – Государственный Литературно-мемориальный музей Ф. М. Достоевского

Foundry Bridge – Литейный мост

Gatchina – Гатчина (Государственный художественно-архитектурный дворцово-парковый музей-заповедник «Гатчина»)

Gatchina Palace – Гатчинский дворец

Grand Palace of Peterhof – Большой дворец Петергофа

Gulf of Finland – Финский залив

Hay Market – Сенной рынок

Hermitage – Государственный Эрмитаж

Imperial Estate of Pavlovsk – императорская резиденция в Павловске

Kazan Cathedral – Казанский собор

Lyceum – Царскосельский Лицей

Marble Palace – Мраморный дворец

Mariinsky Palace – Мариинский дворец

Mariinsky Theatre – Мариинский театр

Mars Square – Марсово поле

Museum of the history of Religion and Atheism – Государственный музей истории религии

Musorgsky Opera and Ballet Theatre – Театр оперы и балета имени М.П. Мусоргского

Nikolsky Cathedral – Никольский собор

Palace Bridge – Дворцовый мост

Palace Square – Дворцовая площадь

Paul’s War Hall – Зал Войны императора Павла I в Павловском Дворце (Павловск)

Peter and Paul’s Cathedral – Петропавловский собор

Peter and Paul’s Fortress – Петропавловская крепость

Peter the Great's Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography (Kunstkammer) – Музей антропологии и этнографии им. Петра Великого (Кунсткамера)

Peterhof – Петергоф (Государственный художественно-архитектурный дворцово-парковый музей-заповедник «Петергоф»)

Rastrelli Square – Площадь Растрелли

Russian Museum – Государственный Русский музей

Smolny Cathedral – Смольный собор

Smolny Institute – Смольный Институт

St. Isaac’s Cathedral – Исаакиевский собор

St. Michael’s (Engineers) Castle – Михайловский (Инженерный) замок

Stroganov Palace – Строгановский дворец

Theatre Square – Театральная площадь

Tovstonogov Bolshoi Drama Theatre – Большой Драматический Театр имени Г. А. Товстоногова (БДТ)

Trinity Bridge – Троицкий мост

Tsarskoye Selo – Царское Село (Государственный художественно-архитектурный дворцово-парковый музей-заповедник «Царское Село»)

Upper & Lower parks – Верхний и Нижний парки в Петергофе

Winter Palace – Зимний дворец

Vocabulary

1. To be informally known as – в разговорной речи известный как

2. A process of gradual development – процесс постепенного развития

3. Stone by stone – камень за камнем

4. To dazzle the eye of a visitor – завораживать посетителя

5. Perfectly-planned architecture – идеально спланированная архитектура

6. To be renamed into – переименованный в

7. To bring smb. to power – привести к власти

8. To transfer the capital to – перенести столицу в

9. To preserve – сохранять

10. Heroic resistance – героическое сопротивление

11. The cradle of the city – колыбель города

12. To comment with – акцентировать внимание на