About Us. What is theater. History of theatrical art

Theater is one of the art forms. On stage in front of the audience, actors perform plays of different content: tragedies, dramas, comedies.

What is Theater?

London's Globe Theater was rebuilt in 1614 after a fire destroyed the old building a year earlier. Spectators were located here in the galleries or stood near the stage. It was in the "Globe" that the premieres of most of Shakespeare's plays took place.

Modern theater traces its history back to Ancient Greece... He brought together music and dance, poetry and prose, painting and design.

Theater of antiquity

In ancient Greece, the genres of tragedy and comedy arose. In the Greek theater, the events taking place on the stage were commented on by the chorus, while the actors used facial expressions to portray their characters. The performance took place under open air... The audience sat on the slopes of the hill, and the actors performed on a flat area called the "orchestra". From the middle of the century. BC e. theaters with rows of stone benches such as the theater began to be erected. The Romans were the first to use sets that were raised and lowered during the action. The stage towered over the orchestra, as in modern theaters.

Revival of theater in Europe

During the Middle Ages, theater in Europe practically ceased to exist. In the XV century. William Shakespeare and several other playwrights revived it. All the roles in the performances were then played by men and boys. For the first time, actresses appeared in the troupes of itinerant Italian actors who acted out comedy target arte - comic plays featuring permanent mask characters. In Japan, the aristocratic theater but also the folk theater of kabuki gained particular popularity.

Portal and stage

In the XV century. English theaters were round wooden buildings with an open stage. In the 15th century, a proscenium (proscenium) and a portal appeared - an arch separating the stage from auditorium... Behind him, actors were waiting for their release or there were stage workers that the audience was not supposed to see. Most significant contribution to development European theater XV century. introduced by David (1717-1779) - an actor, playwright and entrepreneur, who staged plays both by his contemporaries and by Shakespeare.

Music hall, opera and ballet

Since the XX century. the music hall began to gain more and more popularity, where actors gave performances, pop singers and comedians who performed in front of a noisy, violent audience. Opera and ballet also began their triumphal path in the 20th century. The appearance of electric lighting in the theater belongs to the same period, a large number scenery, a rotating stage and impressive special effects with water, smoke, light, etc. The staging of performances became so complex that at the beginning of the XX century. some directors began to call for simplicity and abandon the opulent set. Among the innovations of recent times, one can take revenge on the open stage, protruding into the hall with a round stage (around which the audience is located), as well as open-air theaters.

Modern theater

Performance in modern theater created by the labor of a large group of people. In addition to the actors and the director, these are also those who take care of technical side performances - designers, decorators, stage workers, costume designers, make-up artists. Modern theaters use high-quality electronic equipment, lighting and sound systems in their performances. But traditions are also alive. Built in Antiquity, the theater continues to stage classical Greek tragedies, and the restored London Globe Theater enables the modern public to see Shakespeare's plays as they were performed during the author's lifetime.

Metropolitan Opera

The New York Metropolitan Opera has existed since 1833. In 1966 it moved to a new building in the center performing arts... Operas and ballets are staged in the theater. His troupe numbers about 1000 people.

It all started in primitive society, when a person was completely dependent on the forces of nature that he did not understand. The change of seasons, unexpected cold weather, crop failure, fires, diseases - everything was attributed to supernatural forces that had to be won over. One of right ways the achievement of success was magic or sorcery. It consisted in the fact that before the beginning of any work, a scene was played out depicting the successful completion of this process. Participants in these performances used complex pantomime, accompanied by singing, music and dancing. And in these ritual actions, elements of modern theater have already begun to appear ... Photo-1L

V Ancient egypt already at the end of the third millennium BC. annually at the temples, theatrical scenes were staged about the patron saint of farmers and artisans - the god Osiris.

In Greece, rites of the carnival type in honor of the rural gods have long been widespread. The cult of the god Dionysus played an important role in the development of the Greek theater. These performances consisted of three tragedies and three comedies. Theaters were built in the open air and were huge in size. The actors were only men who played and female roles... Comedy characters were supposed to cause laughter, so the masks worn by the actors had flattened noses, protruding lips and bulging eyes. Spectacles were also popular in Greece folk theater who were called mimes. Mime is small scene everyday or satirical character, in which both market thieves and mythological heroes were depicted. They were performed not only by men, but also by women, and in these theatrical performances the actors performed without masks.

Theatre Ancient rome Is a show intended primarily for the entertainment of the public. And the actors were considered people of the lowest class, but some actors achieved universal respect.

Theater of the Renaissance, these performances were cheerful, saturated with sharp satire and juicy humor. Theatrical performances were staged in squares, on wooden platforms, around which there was always a large crowd of people. Theaters began to concentrate in large industrial and cultural cities... During the same period, the theater was divided by type. Opera, for example, emerged at the turn of the 16-17th century, ballet from the mid-18th century, operetta from the mid-19th century.

A feature of the drama of this era of the theater was the presence of a high heroic principle, the division of concepts into good and evil, a free transition from the sublime to the low, from the tragic to the comic.

Renaissance and gave impetus to further development theater and its approach to the one we know now.

It is considered the birthplace of many types of arts, including theatrical, which arose at the turn of the 4th-5th centuries BC. The word "theater" itself is of Greek origin and is literally translated as "spectacle". The time of origin is usually called classical era perceived as a certain standard and sample. The ancient Greek theater itself did not arise from scratch. For many hundreds of years, one of the major events v cultural life the country had a festival in honor of the god Dionysus. It was based on cult rites and symbolic games associated with the rebirth of nature after a long winter. In the capital of Greece from the end of the 4th century BC. every year, on a certain day of the beginning of spring, comedies, tragedies and dramas dedicated to this event were staged. Over time, similar theatrical performances began to be held not only in Athens, but also in other parts of the country, a little later they were recognized as an obligatory part of any public holiday... The city authorities were involved in the selection of performances, they also appointed judges who evaluated the work of the "actors". The winners received incentive prizes. So, the theater became integral part any celebration.

The first ancient Greek theater was named after Dionysus and was located in the open air on one of the slopes of the Acropolis. This building was erected only for the duration of the performances and accommodated a fairly large number of spectators. All the auditoriums, as well as his scene, were made from wooden planks... Being in such a structure was very unsafe. So, to this day, information has come down that during the seventieth Olympiad (499 BC) the wooden seats of the spectators almost completely collapsed down. After this tragedy, it was decided to start the construction of a solid stone theater.

In the 4th century BC. the second ancient Greek theater was erected, its appearance changed several times over the years of its existence. Stone was a fine example of Greek architectural art and served as a model for all the others that appeared in subsequent theaters. According to some reports, the diameter of his stage (orchestra) was at least 27 meters. At first, all the seats were located directly around the stage on which the theatrical performance took place. However, there were so many people wishing to attend the performances that it was necessary to take out certain places far beyond its walls. As a result, some spectators had to contemplate the performances, sitting at a fairly large distance from the stage itself.

The ancient theater was very different from the modern one, not only in performances, but also interior decoration... So, his actors performed on the stage, built at the level of the rows of spectators. Only a few centuries later the stage began to be elevated. There was also no curtain in the ancient theater. The first auditoriums were usually assigned to influential people, government officials and their entourage. Ordinary people had to borrow not the most best places at a sufficiently large distance from the orchestra.

Theater in Ancient Greece was under the full patronage of the state. The organization of all performances was carried out by the highest officials - the archons. The expenses for its maintenance, as well as for the training of actors, choristers, etc. fell on the shoulders of wealthy citizens of cities, who were called khoregs. and playwright in ancient Greece were considered highly honorable. Many theater actors at the turn of the 4th-5th centuries BC occupied the highest ranks, were engaged in politics.

It should be said that women were not allowed to play. Their roles have always been played by men. The actor had to not only read the text well, but also be able to dance and sing. The basis appearance the hero of the ancient Greek play was a mask that was worn on the face of the player on the stage, as well as a wig. It was the mask that conveyed all his basic emotions and experiences, allowing the viewer to distinguish goodie from negative, etc.

Ancient greek theater laid the foundation for the development of European theatrical art generally. Even in modern theater, its basic principles are still observed, both in architecture and in the acting. He gave the world a dramatic dialogue, the participation of a living actor, without which the existence of theatrical art as such is impossible.

3. Theater and theatrical performances in Ancient Greece.

4. Tragedies and comedies in the ancient Greek theater.

5. The creators of the theater.

6. Conclusion.

The emergence of the theater.
The theater originated in Ancient Greece about two and a half thousand years ago.
The very word "theater" Greek origin and means "a place for spectacles."
Theatrical performances were a favorite of the ancient Greeks.
The origin of the theater was associated with the religion of the ancient Greeks, namely with
festivities in honor of the god Dionysus - the patron saint of winemakers. In one of
myths tell that Dionysus wanders all over the earth with the crowd
their companions. These are satyrs - forest gods, half-humans, half-goats. Satyrs
long tails, pointed ears and hooves. When to the sound of flutes and pipes
Dionysus comes to Greece, then spring begins in this country, warmer
the sun warms up, flowers bloom, all life is reborn.
At the end of March, Greece celebrated main holiday god of winemaking - Great
Dionysius. Depicting satyrs, the Greeks wore goatskins, tied
long beards of oak leaves, painted on or covering their faces
goat masks. A cheerful procession of mummers moved along the streets of the city and
stopped somewhere in the square. The lead singer came forward. He singsong
talked about the wanderings of Dionysus, about his meeting with pirates and other
adventures, and the rest of the mummers in chorus sang along with him. The lead singer portrayed
now one of the heroes of the myth, now Dionysus himself, now one of the satyrs. Scenes,
played out by the participants of the holiday, and were the first theatrical
spectacles: the lead singer and mummers were actors, and spectators were all
the population of the city.

Theater and theatrical performances in Ancient Greece.
In Greek cities from the end of the 6th century. BC e. built for theatrical performances
special buildings. In almost every Greek city, including the colonies in
the shores of the Mediterranean and Black Seas, had its own theater, and sometimes several (for example,
there were more than ten theaters in Attica). Each of the ancient theaters contained
several thousand spectators. For example, the theater of Dionysus in Athens had about 17
thousand places.
The theater was a favorite show in ancient Greece, all residents were eager
get to the feast of Dionysus, but these festivities (of which they were
theatrical performances) were not staged daily, but only twice a year.
There were no evening performances in Ancient Greece. Performances in theaters in Greece
began at seven o'clock in the morning and continued until sunset: they put in a row
several performances.
"Ancient Greek theater tickets»: A small fee was charged for entering the theater
(in Athens, power belonged to common people, demos, therefore
the state, taking care of the poorest citizens, gave them money to buy
tickets). The ticket was made of lead or burnt clay. The letters are visible on the ticket
Beta (B) and epsilon (E). The letter indicated one of the "wedges" on which
the theater shared staircases, diverging rays. As indicated on the ticket
The "wedge" could take any place, starting from the second row. In order not to
sit at the very top, the Greeks went to the theater before dawn. They took with them a bundle with
pies and a flask of wine, a warm raincoat, a pillow that was placed under
yourself on a stone bench. The theater was rarely half empty.
Most of the spectators were men - citizens and visiting Greeks.
Women, constantly busy with household chores, attended the theater significantly

less often than men. Slaves entered the theater only as servants accompanying

their masters.
The seat in the first row was not only marble, but also free;
they are for honorary spectators (priests of Dionysus, Olympic winners,
strategists).
The audibility was excellent in the theater. If you throw a coin in the center of the orchestra,
its ringing will be heard on the very back benches. The theater building had the shape
a huge thicket, which, like a megaphone, amplified all the sounds of speech and music.
There was no curtain in the Greek theater. The action took place without intermissions,
those. without interruption.
Theaters were located in the open air on the slopes and could accommodate thousands
spectators. The theater building consisted of three parts.
One part of the theater is a place for spectators. They were divided by passages into sections,
resembling wedges.
Another part of the theater - the orchestra - is a round or semicircular platform on which
the actors and the choir performed. Without songs and dances, not a single one passed
representation. Choir members depending on the content of the performance
portrayed either the friends of the protagonist, or townspeople, or warriors, and
sometimes animals - birds, frogs and even clouds.
The third part of the theater was called skene. It was adjacent to the orchestra
construction. Painted boards or panels were attached to its wall,
depicting either the entrance to the palace, or the portico of the temple, or the seashore. Inside the skene
the costumes and masks of the actors were kept.
Only men participated in the performances. They performed in men's or
women's masks, in special shoes with thick soles to appear taller

growth. Since the actors' facial features were poorly visible from the back rows

theater, the actors put on large painted masks that covered not only
face, but also head. When looking at the actors, it became clear who they were.
depict. Old people have white hair, thin sunken cheeks. If the hero
younger, hair and beard became half gray, young men were portrayed
beardless. The slave could be recognized immediately - his features betray a non-Greek
origin. Usually, each performance was attended by no more than three
actors. There could have been many in the play actors and then every actor
played several roles.
Tragedies and comedies in the ancient Greek theater.
In ancient Greece, there were two main types of performances - tragedy and comedy.
Plays with serious content were called tragedies. In tragedies, usually
the heroes of myths acted, their exploits, suffering and often death were portrayed.
Tragedy in Greek means "song of the goats." From the Greek tragedians to the world
three luminaries gained fame antique drama: Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides.
Funny plays or songs of cheerful villagers were called comedies.
The characters of comedies - funny and derisive performances -
along with the heroes of myths there were contemporaries of the audience. In democratic
Athens, with its highly developed political life, is rich in material for
I gave comedies myself political life... Consummate master
political comedy was considered Aristophanes (450-388 BC), a native of Athens,
the only political comedy writer whose 11 plays survived to
our days. Distinctive properties works of Aristophanes are:
artistic beauty of form, inexhaustible wit, combination
dramatic, comic and lyrical moods. In their comedies

Aristophanes expresses the interests of the Attic peasantry and the middle strata

urban democracy.

Theatrical performances along with Olympic Games were loved
spectacles of the Hellenes.

Sophocles (b. C. 497-d. 406 BC) - the great ancient Greek playwright. Created
in the era of the highest flowering of the Athenian slave democracy and its
culture. Together with Pericles, Sophocles was elected strategist (440-439 BC), i.e.
military leaders. Along with Aeschylus and Euripides, Sophocles created and developed
classic ancient attic tragedy; he increased the number of
actors from 2 to 3, reduced the choral parts in comparison with dialogue and action,
introduced decorations, improved masks. Of the more than 120 written by Sophocles
plays survived 7 tragedies and more than 90 excerpts, among them - a fragment
satire drama "Pathfinders". Popularity of Sophocles in Athens
confirmed by the fact that in drama competitions he received the first
reward and neverdid not take third place. The theme of the tragedies of Sophocles, closely
associated with mythological plots. The dramas of Sophocles are characterized by
compositional harmony, proportionality of parts, strict subordination of private
general - artistic idea... Sophocles reveals psychologically truthfully
the inner world of their heroes. The work of Sophocles had a great influence on
world literature since the Renaissance.
Conclusion.
The most important stage in the development of the theater was theater culture antiquity,
In ancient Greece, a theater was created based on folk traditions and new
humanistic ideology. Theater played an important role in public life
ancient Greek democratic city - states. Its development was
inextricably linked with the flowering of the Greek drama. Greek theater performances,
being part of public celebrations organized by the state,
reflected critical issues public life.