What an amphitheater looks like in a theater. How the auditorium of a modern theater is arranged

If you often go to the theater, of course, you already know all the intricacies of the location of the seats in the auditorium, as well as which tickets are better to buy. But when planning the first viewing of the performance, it is worth finding out how the seats are located, from where the stage is clearly visible. Of course, front row tickets are expensive, we will talk about those that represent a compromise affordable price and comfortable viewing. Let us dwell in detail on the definition of "mezzanine in a theater". What is it and how to choose a comfortable place?

How are the visual chairs positioned?

Consider a theater in general terms, rather than a specific building. The arrangement of the seats is approximately the same, only the area of ​​the auditorium differs. The places closest to the stage are called the parterre. These are the most convenient places for viewing, which affects their cost - tickets for them are the most expensive. It is not worth occupying the first row if there is an orchestra pit in front of the stage, then the action will not be visible at all. Sometimes the chairs are installed on a flat floor, but more often the surface has a slope, so that the people sitting in the back do not get in the way of the heads of those sitting in front.

Further on, on a small elevation, there is an amphitheater at the stage level. In these places, the viewer gets the widest and full overview, as well as good audibility, especially when watching opera or ballet. This is the best choice in terms of price and panoramic views. Sometimes, next to the stage, on the sides of the stalls, there are special boxes called benoir. Often they are covered with a special black net so that the people sitting inside do not interfere with the work of the actors. They are considered the most prestigious places.

Tiers and mezzanines in the theater

What is it and how are the places above the stage located? The seating described above is complemented by tiers along the wall above the stage level. Sometimes there is only one tier, and in theaters with halls of a large area, their number reaches four. The lowest one is called the mezzanine. It is quite comfortable to sit there, but it is better not to take seats close to the stage: you will have to turn and bend over to follow the development of events. It is more optimal to be located in the center, directly above the amphitheater, in the first row. The high tiers won't let you see the actors without binoculars, but tickets are the cheapest. Sometimes these places are called balconies.

Mezzanine decoration

You may have already chosen the mezzanine in the theater. You know what it is and can you see the scene well. Here are examples of what these tiers look like in some houses of Melpomene. The entire hall and stage are decorated in the same style, many carved details are finished in gold, complemented by dense beautiful fabrics. Sometimes it's nice to go to the theater to see the historical beauty. Take for example Mariinskii Opera House, the mezzanine of which is located above the benoir. It is lit by numerous chandeliers giving it the appearance of a palace hall, white with gold trim and red seats. How else is the mezzanine decorated? Variety theater uses fabrics for decoration It seems that the whole hall is ablaze with bright rich colors: carpets, curtains, and chairs - everything folds into the big picture, complemented by white columns and rims supporting the lower tier.

Benefits of buying a mezzanine ticket

Having bought a ticket to one of these places, the viewer will not be disappointed. The advantages of this location have already been noted: good overview scenes, excellent audibility of actors' voices and orchestral music, let's add more seating comfort. Mezzanines rarely have more than 10 rows of chairs, often only 6-12 chairs in 2 lines, located in a small niche. But sometimes you can make a mistake with the choice, and then you will have to spend all the time of the performance on your feet in order to see at least something.

Now you will not be tormented by the question: "The mezzanine in the theater - what is it?" When buying tickets for any performances, check the visibility of all places and the price for them, and then choose the appropriate option.

Select best places to a concert, a theatrical performance, a musical or an opera, not knowing the hall in advance is not so easy, since the halls can vary quite a lot. But some general rules all the same it is possible to formulate. First, you need to imagine the layout of the hall. Several zones are distinguished in the hall, which are clearly separated from each other. The maximum number of zones in the Bolshoi Theater five:,,, and.

Parterre

The area of ​​the auditorium closest to the stage, usually below its level. It is generally considered that the tickets in the first row of the stalls are the most expensive and the nicest seats. But this is not always the case, since the most expensive are the seats in the box. And the position below the stage is not always convenient, especially if the parterre and the stage are separated by an orchestra pit. Moreover, if this is a concert classical music where there is no need to observe in detail what is happening. But solo performances and performances-monologues are more convenient to watch from the stalls and the closer, the better in order to become an accomplice of theatrical action.

Amphitheater

The spectator area is behind the parterre, separated from it by a passage. It can be located just above the parterre and rise in ledges. Literally translated, the amphitheater is around the theater. Due to the fact that it is located at the stage level and higher, the viewer receives an excellent view and audibility, and, perhaps, it is universal in terms of convenience, especially in the first rows. Ballet and performances with big amount actors it is best to look further away from the stage so that you can see the whole action at the same time.

Mezzanine

Literally translated from French - a beautiful floor. In architecture, the second floor after the basement, on which the grand, largest and most beautiful rooms were located. And this floor was, indeed, the best finished, was the most beautiful. The mezzanine in the theater is a tier above the parterre, usually above the amphitheater.

Balcony

Tier above the mezzanine. As a rule, the seats on the balcony and mezzanine are located at a sufficient distance from the stage, therefore, they are more suitable for listening to operas, operettas and musicals (due to their elevation).

Lodges

Separate parts of the hall, located on the sides of the parterre, behind it and on tiers (at the mezzanine level). Such individual hall for several people with a separate entrance. Some of them even have a small entrance hallway. Traditionally, the most expensive and most comfortable seats in the hall. They have the ability to both be invisible to the rest of the audience, and, on the contrary, to attract increased attention. They differ in tiers, the first, most prestigious tier, located at the level (or slightly higher) of the parterre, are called benoir boxes (after the name of this lower tier of boxes). The boxes above have no special name.

To each cultured person it does not hurt to know the name of the places in the theater, especially if he periodically visits theatrical performances... But not everyone can boast of such knowledge. Below we will analyze in detail all the places and how they differ from each other.

Hall layout

If you are one of the people who do not quite understand the names of places in the theater, then the layout of the hall will definitely help you to clarify some points.
There are not many types of seats in the hall, these include:

• Parterre ("on the ground"). These places are located near the center. After the appearance of theaters, there were mostly standing places in the stalls, but now they are gone, and any stalls are equipped with a large number of seating places.
• Balcony. The seats are located above the amphitheater on different levels... As before, these places are appreciated because they offer a good overview of the scene.
• Lodge. It is located, like the balcony, on the upper tiers, located opposite the stage. The view is also very good, but the ticket prices are higher.
• Gallery. Located on the balcony on the uppermost tier. It is not in the most convenient location, and ticket prices are usually lower.
• Benoir. Lodges, which are located at stage level, on the sides of the parterre. Previously, the audience sitting in the benoir remained invisible to the rest of the people in the theater.
• Mezzanine. Located above the benoir and amphitheater. These seats are considered the most convenient, but their prices are also very high, so not everyone can afford to buy a ticket there.
• Amphitheater. Located above the parterre on both sides. The seats are arranged in tiers, which makes them more convenient.

The seating scheme of the hall in the theater is presented below.

Choosing a seat in the theater

In choise good place the diagram of the theater hall will help.

If you are planning to visit the theater and enjoy what is happening on the stage, then you should choose the place responsibly. In order to fully see the entire theatrical performance, and not to look at what is happening on the stage through the people sitting in front, and to get the maximum pleasure from visiting the theater, we recommend choosing a place on the balcony, mezzanine or in the middle rows of the stalls opposite the stage. The listed places will not only have an excellent view of the stage, but also good acoustics.

The layout of the hall is quite simple and does not amount to hard work remember it, but it may come in handy later.

They say that theater starts with a coat rack, but in reality it starts with buying tickets. Main question- which places to choose? There are stalls, boxes, a mezzanine ... In some theaters there are so-called inconvenient places - this is where you can't see anything and hear little. At the same time, such inconvenience is not always warned in advance. In order not to be trapped, the correspondent of the TV channel "MIR 24" Yekaterina Rogalskaya looked at the stage from all sides.

Some places are too far away, from others - the edge of the stage is not visible. To choose the best seats, let's first take a look at the theater hall layout.

What places are in the auditorium

1. Parterre are places in the auditorium area that are closest to the stage.
2. The amphitheater is the space immediately behind the parterre. Usually the amphitheater area is just above the parterre.
3. The mezzanine seats are even higher.
4. At the very top is a balcony.
5. On both sides of the parterre, there are boxes - these are small spaces with a separate entrance.

Lodge

By tradition, the seats in the box are considered the most prestigious - previously only wealthy visitors could sit there. Each box has a separate entrance, and besides that, you can not only watch the performance, but also show yourself. More than a hundred years ago, it was for this that representatives came high society... The officers sat in the stalls, and the titled persons were in separate boxes. Leo Tolstoy described this in.

The seating in the box is one of the most inconvenient. The stage is not fully visible, and the performance has to be viewed in half.

Edward Lewis introduces Richard Gere to the opera by buying tickets in the box. But in fact, the seats there are some of the most inconvenient. The stage is not fully visible, and the performance has to be viewed in half.

Parterre

Today, to the question "What are the best places in the theater?" almost everyone will answer “on the ground”. The seats in the stalls are traditionally considered the best, and they are also the most expensive. At the same time, practically in every theater there is a so-called "sound hole" - it is located somewhere between the 5th and 10th rows. There, the sound literally flies over the viewer. This is especially important if you are going to the opera.

Celebrity film example: Bruce Willis' character Corwin Dallas in The Fifth Element watches the opera from the front row. Many would not advise taking tickets to the front rows of the stalls. It only seems from afar that the artists are flitting across the stage like butterflies, but in the first row you will hear all the extraneous noises. In addition, you will have to watch the action with your head up, while you will still see the back of the conductor's head in front of you.

Choose seats in the middle of the room or a little further. The tickets are cheaper and the overview is better.

Choose seats in the middle of the room or a little further. There, tickets are cheaper than in the front rows, and the visibility is better. Real theatergoers, in addition to the stalls, often choose the first rows of the mezzanine.

In general, the most prestigious and expensive seats in a theater do not mean the best. Sometimes even on the balcony you can see and hear everything without interference.