you are: Sources of Russian theatre

In the end of XVII century in Russia there were first serf theatres. In hundred years - in the end of XVIII - the beginning of their XIX century was already from above 170. In the beginning the serf theatre served a small number ' selected ' publics, later, becoming popular, it has opened the doors for wide layers of the people and brought in to the owners sometimes considerable incomes. But many serf farmstead theatres and remained at level of lordly entertainment, however there were theatres rather made in which with a business profound knowledge difficult performances were executed.

Development of serf theatre in Russia has been narrowly connected with movement of public thought. Considerable influence on a spiritual life of a society of this time was rendered by such important political events, as country war under the guidance of E.I.Pugacheva and Great French revolution 1789-1794

There were some versions of serf theatre: theatre house, calculated on a narrow circle of people close to the landowner; theatre the landowner commercial; the theatre which has fallen into as a result of ruin of the landowner in hands of businessmen-businessmen from merchants, raznochintsev or prosperous, enterprising peasants.

Some serf theatres passed from one version in another. There were theatres commercial, but tickets in them were on sale only to the selected public.

In the majority of serf theatres in XVIII century there was an operno-ballet repertoire. Theatres of some rich landowners differed causing luxury of the statements, at all not conceding on execution and registration level to court theatres. Statements of small farmstead theatres were modest, but too pursued basically the entertaining aims.