Aleksanterin Teatteri
Encyclopedia
Aleksanterin teatteri Alexandersteatern (Swedish
) is a Finnish theatre in the city of Helsinki
at Bulevardi 23-27, also known as Russian Theater and Alexander Theatre.
of Russian Finland
in 1866-1881, Count Nikolay Adlerberg
, who was a frequent theatergoer, received Alexander II of Russia
's permission to build a theater for Russians living in Helsinki
. The auditorium of the theatre was decorated by the Saint Petersburg
architect Jeronim Osuhovsky, and the Finnish artist Severin Falkman decorated the ceiling paintings, which depict twelve cupids, reminding of the Mariinsky Theatre
in Saint Petersburg. The theatre technology was designed by Iosif Vorontsov. The theatre was completed in October 1879, and in February 1880 was named after Russian Tsar Alexander II
.
The grand opening of the Finnish Opera Company founded by Aino Akte and Edward Fazer was made on March 30, 1880 with Charles Gounod
's Faust
.
Since 1993, the building of the Alexander Theater has been used for guest stage performances, both theatre and dance. The theatre building also houses the administration of the Cultural Office, rehearsal facilities, the Sibelius Academy
Opera Studio, and the junior classes of the National Opera
's ballet school.
Swedish language
Swedish is a North Germanic language, spoken by approximately 10 million people, predominantly in Sweden and parts of Finland, especially along its coast and on the Åland islands. It is largely mutually intelligible with Norwegian and Danish...
) is a Finnish theatre in the city of Helsinki
Helsinki
Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
at Bulevardi 23-27, also known as Russian Theater and Alexander Theatre.
History
In the summer of 1875, the Governor-GeneralGovernor-General of Finland
Governor-General of Finland ; was the military commander and the highest administrator of Finland sporadically under Swedish rule in the 17th and 18th centuries and continuously in the autonomous Grand Duchy of Finland between 1808 and 1917.-Swedish rule:...
of Russian Finland
Grand Duchy of Finland
The Grand Duchy of Finland was the predecessor state of modern Finland. It existed 1809–1917 as part of the Russian Empire and was ruled by the Russian czar as Grand Prince.- History :...
in 1866-1881, Count Nikolay Adlerberg
Nikolay Adlerberg
Count Nikolay Vladimirovich Adlerberg , Councilor of State, Chamberlain, governor of Taganrog, Simferopol and Finland.-Biography:Nikolay Adlerberg was born into a Swedish noble family of Adlerberg on May 19, 1819 in Saint Petersburg...
, who was a frequent theatergoer, received Alexander II of Russia
Alexander II of Russia
Alexander II , also known as Alexander the Liberator was the Emperor of the Russian Empire from 3 March 1855 until his assassination in 1881...
's permission to build a theater for Russians living in Helsinki
Helsinki
Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
. The auditorium of the theatre was decorated by the Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
architect Jeronim Osuhovsky, and the Finnish artist Severin Falkman decorated the ceiling paintings, which depict twelve cupids, reminding of the Mariinsky Theatre
Mariinsky Theatre
The Mariinsky Theatre is a historic theatre of opera and ballet in Saint Petersburg, Russia. Opened in 1860, it became the preeminent music theatre of late 19th century Russia, where many of the stage masterpieces of Tchaikovsky, Mussorgsky, and Rimsky-Korsakov received their premieres. The...
in Saint Petersburg. The theatre technology was designed by Iosif Vorontsov. The theatre was completed in October 1879, and in February 1880 was named after Russian Tsar Alexander II
Alexander II of Russia
Alexander II , also known as Alexander the Liberator was the Emperor of the Russian Empire from 3 March 1855 until his assassination in 1881...
.
The grand opening of the Finnish Opera Company founded by Aino Akte and Edward Fazer was made on March 30, 1880 with Charles Gounod
Charles Gounod
Charles-François Gounod was a French composer, known for his Ave Maria as well as his operas Faust and Roméo et Juliette.-Biography:...
's Faust
Faust (opera)
Faust is a drame lyrique in five acts by Charles Gounod to a French libretto by Jules Barbier and Michel Carré from Carré's play Faust et Marguerite, in turn loosely based on Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's Faust, Part 1...
.
Since 1993, the building of the Alexander Theater has been used for guest stage performances, both theatre and dance. The theatre building also houses the administration of the Cultural Office, rehearsal facilities, the Sibelius Academy
Sibelius Academy
The Sibelius Academy is a university-level music school which operates in Helsinki and Kuopio, Finland. It also has an adult education centre in Järvenpää and a training centre in Seinäjoki. The Academy is the only music university in Finland. It is among the biggest European music universities...
Opera Studio, and the junior classes of the National Opera
Finnish National Opera
The Finnish National Opera in Helsinki is the leading opera company in Finland. Its home base is the Opera House on Töölönlahti bay in Töölö which opened in 1993, and is state-owned through Senate Properties...
's ballet school.