Alexander Theatre

The Alexander Theatre (Finnish: Aleksanterin teatteri; Swedish: Alexandersteatern) is a Finnish theatre in Helsinki at Bulevardi 23–27 in the neighborhood of Kamppi.[1][2]

History

The Alexander Theatre was built for the Russian State Theatre in Helsinki, which had been founded in 1868.[1]

The theatre's official name was the Russian State Alexander Theatre of Helsinki (Gelsingforsski Russki Kazionnyi Aleksandrovski Teatr).[3]

The project was initiated by Governor-General of Grand Duchy of Finland, Count Nikolay Adlerberg, known as a great patron of culture. The drawings were prepared by Lieutenant Colonel Pyotr Petrovich Benard, head of the Viapori Engineering Administration. Architect Johan Jacob Ahrenberg designed the interior as well as the decorative elements of the façades. Completed in 1879, the theatre was named after Emperor Alexander II, who had approved the plans and from whom Adlerberg repeatedly requested additional funds as construction costs increased.[1][4]

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 contain twelve cupids reminiscent of the Mariinsky Theatre in Saint Petersburg. The theatre's technology was designed by Iosif Vorontsov; the theatre itself was completed in October 1879, and in February 1880 it was named after Russian Tsar Alexander II.[4]

The grand opening occurred on 30 March 1880 with Charles Gounod's Faust.

In the opinion of actor Aleksandr Nilsky, the Alexander Theatre could be compared to a Saint Petersburg theatre: “Both inside and out, it resembles a court theatre - equally miniature, graceful, and almost splendid.” In 1899, an amateur performance by members of high society was arranged in honor of Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich's visit to Helsinki. The theatre was nicknamed "Little Mariinsky."[3][5]

Above all, the Alexander Theatre was a stronghold of Russian stage art. Between 1882 and 1918, around a thousand Russian actors, singers, and entertainers performed in Helsinki. Troupes arrived from near and far, both from Saint Petersburg and from the Russian provinces. In Helsinki, audiences saw a cross-section of Russian acting at its finest. The Russian Theatre of Helsinki was part of the cultural sphere of Saint Petersburg and its surrounding region.[3]

Actors also came here on guest performances from the Imperial Theatre, among them such famous figures as Konstantin Varlamov, the "Tsar of Russian laughter," and Vladimir Davydov, a kindred spirit of Chekhov. The repertoire was all-encompassing, ranging from the classics to contemporary plays, from the serious to the light, with dozens of works performed. Russian repertoire was the theatre's strong suit. Nikolai Gogol's The Government Inspector was staged every year. The vast output of Aleksandr Ostrovsky brought to the stage a portrait of Russian society. His satirical comedies Enough Stupidity in Every Wise Man and The Forest were performed in Helsinki soon after their premieres, followed in time by many others.[3]

Leo Tolstoy's depiction of the people, The Power of Darkness, was performed in 1895, along with stage adaptations of Anna Karenina and Resurrection in the early 1900s. World classics such as William Shakespeare's Hamlet were also staged in Russian.[3]

Anton Chekhov's short comedies were especially popular. The Finnish premiere of The Seagull took place already in 1899, followed by the rest of the playwright's major works.[3]

The first Russian opera troupes arrived from Saint Petersburg in the winter of 1888–1889, when Mikhail Glinka's A Life for the Tsar was performed several times. The true artistic highlights took place between 1906 and 1914. On the first visit of Mariinsky Theatre singers in the spring of 1906, audiences heard within two weeks, among others, Pyotr Tchaikovsky's The Queen of Spades, Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov's The Tsar's Bride, and Georges Bizet's Carmen, with leading roles brilliantly performed by, among others, Maria Kuznetsova.[3]

After Finland's independence in 1917, the Finnish Opera (founded in 1911, later the Finnish National Opera and Ballet) moved into the building. The architectural firm Palmqvist & Sjöström designed the alterations, which expanded the auditorium, stage, and orchestra pit. The opening ceremony was held on January 19, 1919. The property, which had been owned by the City of Helsinki, was transferred to state ownership in 1928.[1]

The building on Bulevardi was too small for the opera's needs and had originally been intended only as a temporary solution. Nevertheless, the National Opera remained in the house for more than 70 years. In 1956, much-needed additional space was gained when a three-story annex, designed by architect Aarno Raveala, was completed behind the stage. After many twists and turns, a new opera house was completed at Töölönlahti in 1993, at which point the Alexander Theatre regained its old name and became a venue for visiting theatre performances.[1]

According to legend, a Russian officer who died in the Crimean War found his way into the theatre with the building stones brought from the war's ruins: the theatre had been built using bricks that had previously served in the Bomarsund fortress on Åland. Bomarsund surrendered during the Åland War to English and French forces, and it was destroyed because the British wanted to prevent a Russian military presence on the islands.[6]

Modern times

Since 1993, the theatre has been used for guest stage performances of various genres. The complex also houses different offices, rehearsal facilities, dance studios and different companies.

The current state of the Aleksanteri Theatre in 2025 is active and diverse. and its historic section is protected as a cultural heritage site. Theatrical activity continues in the old part in its established form, offering opera, ballet, circus, drama, and dance. The building houses a theatre auditorium with approximately 500 seats and seven rehearsal studios, used by both professionals and amateurs. The premises also host cultural communities, such as the Tero Saarinen Company as well as other dance and theatre groups.[7][8]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ a b c d e "Aleksanterin teatteri". Senaatti (in Finnish). Retrieved 2025-08-29.
  2. ^ Byckling, Liisa (2009). Keisarinajan kulisseissa - Helsingin Venäläisen teatterin historia 1868-1918 [Behind the Imperial Curtains – The History of Helsinki's Russian Theatre, 1868–1918] (in Finnish). SKS Kirjat.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g "Aleksanterin teatteri on tanssin ja musiikkiteatterin kotinäyttämö". Aleksanterin teatteri (in Finnish). Retrieved 2025-08-29.
  4. ^ a b Arvi Ilonen, Helsinki - An Architectural Guide, Helsinki: Otava, 1990.
  5. ^ "kertomuksia keskustan kortteleista | Venäläisiä tähtiä Pikku-Mariinskissa". Helsingin Sanomat (in Finnish). 2008-12-07. Retrieved 2025-08-29.
  6. ^ Makkonen, Nita (2015-03-31). "Aleksanterin teatterin kummitusmysteeri kiehtoo yhä: "On tapahtunut hauskoja sattumuksia"". Ilta-Sanomat (in Finnish). Retrieved 2025-08-29.
  7. ^ "Aleksanterin teatterin ohjelmisto". Aleksanterin teatteri (in Finnish). Retrieved 2025-10-02.
  8. ^ "Alexander theatre – in the heart of Helsinki and in Helsinki´s heart". Aleksanterin teatteri (in Finnish). Retrieved 2025-10-02.

60°09′48″N 24°55′59″E / 60.16333°N 24.93306°E / 60.16333; 24.93306


This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.