5.Bolshoi Theatre
The Bolshoi’s history began in 1776, when Catherine II allowed Prince Pyotr Urusov to open a theatre in Moscow, but Urusov’s Petrovsky Theatre (so named due to its location at Ulitsa Petrovka (Petrovka Street)) was not meant to be. The building burned down before the theatre could open. The effort was resumed by an Englishman, Michael Maddocks. His theatre stood for 25 years, but then also burned down in 1805. Following the 1812 war with Napoleon, the theatre was included in the general restoration plan for Moscow. However, the new building (1825) designed by Joseph Bové, was again destroyed by fire in 1853. The theatre was hastily reconstructed for the coronation of Alexander II (1856, architect: Albert Kavos). The building would subsequently see a few more renovations, but only minor external changes were made. The most recent and most serious renovation was from 2005 to 2011. The company continued to give performances at its New Stage next door, specially built in 2002 to keep the theatre in business during the renovation.