Peter and the Wolf

On March 28 (March 17 Old Style), 1776, Catherine II granted Prosecutor Prince Pyotr Urusov a privilege to organize performances, masquerades, balls, and other entertainments for ten years. This date is considered the founding day of Moscow's Bolshoi Theatre. The current Bolshoi building, long regarded as one of Moscow's main landmarks, opened on August 20, 1856, during the coronation of Alexander II. On October 29, 2002, the theater troupe received the New Stage, where it operated during the large-scale reconstruction of the historical building. This reconstruction lasted from July 1, 2005, to October 28, 2011, restoring many lost historical features while making it one of the world's most technically advanced theaters. The Bolshoi Theatre remains an enduring symbol of Russia, a status earned through its immense contribution to Russian art. Its history continues, with Bolshoi artists still writing many of its most brilliant pages.