Articles

Lviv State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre of Solomiya Krushelnytska

Lviv State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre of Solomiya Krushelnytska – is a real masterpiece of the neoRenaissance style, that became the adornment not only for Ukrainian citizens but also for the whole Europe. Its architectural features demanded special location, that’s why it was decided to build the theatre in the center of the city, on the central square, despite the fact that that’s where the river Poltva was at that time. The river was taken in manifold. For the foundations the concrete blocks were used for the first time on the territory of Europe. The first brick of the Opera theatre was laid in 1897. Zigmund Gorgolevskiy, the famous architect of that period, was working on the project of this theatre. The construction of the theatre lasted over 3 years, they were using the money from the local treasury and the donations from the common people in Lvov. The cost of the construction was 2.4 million Austrian crowns.

The best experts in Lvov were involved to the construction and decoration works: P.Viytovich, T.Baronch, A.Popel, T.Popel, E.Petch, T.Ribkovskiy, M.Gerasimovitch, S.Dembitskiy, S.Reikhan.

The Lvov Opera theatre is built in classical traditions, using the elements of renaissance and baroque architecture styles. The façade of the building is decorated with a great number of sculptures: columns, niches, balustrades. Over the main cornice you can see 8 muses, over them the composition “the Happiness and the Sufferings of life”. The pediment ends with the triad of bronze sculptures – the Drama genius, the Comedy genius, the Tragedy genius with The Fame in the middle with golden palm branch in its hands. The main entrance to the theatre consists of 3 ways in the shape of an arch with columns in the middle. The sculptural compositions strike with its attire, both inside and outside. Inside of the theater itself the marble and beautiful moldings are mostly used.

The interior of the theater also strikes you with its beauty. Gilding was generally used in decoration (a few kilograms of gold were used), colorful marble, paintings and magnificent sculptures.

On the premiere nights you can see a wonderful curtain “Parnas” (1900), made by famous painter Genrikh Semiradskiy. This creation is a allegorical interpretation of the sense of human’s life in the Parnas shapes. The Big City theater (the name of Opera theater till 1939) was opened on October 4, 1900 with a lyrical and dramatic opera “Yaneck” by V.Ghelenskiy. But in 1934 it was closed because of critical financial situation. Only in 1939, when western Ukraine joined the USSR, the theater was re-opened and got the name of Lvov national theater. In 1956 it was given the name of Ivan Franko, in 1966 it gained the status of academic theater. The whole elite of that society gathered for the Grand opening of the theater. In the end of the previous century the Lvov national theater was restored, in 2000, on the occasion of the anniversary of a famous Ukrainian singer, it was attributed the name Solomiya Krushelnytska. More than 40 singers are currently working and performing on this stage. There is also a choir, the ballet troupe and symphonic orchestra.