The Mykholaiv Academic Russian Drama and Arts Theatre
The theatre has always been one of Mykholaiv’s features. Russian Prince Potemkin invited the best actors of the imperial capital to perform their plays in the city of Mykholaiv. These traditions were kept until the mid 19th century – the period first theatres were built in the city.
In 1880 the construction of the Mykholaiv Academic Russian Drama and Arts Theatre started. Construction work was carried out on the corner of Soborna Square under the project of engineer-architect Theophil Brusnyts’kyi. He designed a rectangular shape building in order to create a big stage. Thus, the theatre could seat up to 900 spectators, where 350 seats were reserved for the stalls and the rest was divided into 39 dress-circles.
The main facade of the building is built in the style of neo-Renaissance – a combination of various styles, including the Baroque. The pediment of the theatre is designed as an isosceles triangle, which is crowned with a sharply projecting cornice. Six columns, designed in the Corinthian style with ornaments of acanthus leaves, hold up the portico – this makes the building more monumental against the background of plastic art walls. Rectangular windows are decorated with circular cornices. Small female statues painted in white are located on both sides of the main entrance above its prominent elements. The theatre is built in the sustained style with its neat and small ornaments on the walls, a gable, and an order of columns.
When the Mykholaiv Theatre was built, its architectural composition was very attractive among buildings of Soborna Square. The front side of the building faces to Risdv’yana Street (presently Lyagina Street), and its rear part looks at Admiral’s’ka Street. In 1894 the building of the Mykholaiv Theatre was sold to Jacov Sheffer. As a professional entrepreneur he improved it – the stalls was increased, the lobby and the old gallery were rebuilt.
In 1896 people could see the first movie in the Mykholaiv Theatre. Famous actors, poets and musicians appeared on its stage. Opera Kateryna based on the poem of famous Ukrainian poet Taras Shevchenko was put on the stage of this theatre. In 1914 a famous Russian poet and a member of the Silver Age of Russian poetry, Vladimir Mayakovsky read his poems on the stage of the Mykholaiv Theatre. Travelling theatre troupe Shakhterka Donbassa performed its plays there in 1934. Lugans’k theatre troupe made its debut with a play Optimistic Tragedy of Russian writer Vsevolod Vishnevsky.
The Mykholaiv Academic Russian Drama and Arts Theatre is one of the most beautiful architectural monuments of the late 19th century in the city. Five thousand museum pieces, including decorations and costumes of past performances, are located in this theatre. Visit Mykholaiv and enjoy great performances of one of the oldest art groups of South Ukraine.
