Auditorium

Amphitheater(translated from Greek - “on both sides”) - this is the name of the places that rise behind the stalls with ledges. They are arranged in a semicircle.

Balcony- seats in the auditorium, located in an amphitheater in different tiers (1st tier, 2nd tier...).

Mezzanine(translated from French - “beautiful”, “beautiful”) - first tier auditorium, located in a semicircle above the benoir and amphitheater. In ancient theater buildings, in the center of the mezzanine there was the so-called “royal box”. These are the most comfortable seats in the theater. The performance did not begin until the king arrived, even if he was an hour late. When he appeared, everyone applauded him, at his sign the lights were turned off and the performance began. If the king laughed, then most of the spectators laughed, if he yawned, then boredom attacked the spectators. But the worst thing for the actors was if His Majesty got up and left during the action. This meant complete failure.

Benoir(translated from French as “bath”) - boxes located on both sides of the stalls at stage level and partitioned off from each other. The history of the origin of benoir is quite funny. Once upon a time in France, which was a trendsetter in Europe, the privileged noble audience was on stage during the action, which, of course, greatly disturbed the actors. But in the 18th century this was prohibited. Then, in order to separate aristocratic spectators from the rest of the public, benoir boxes were invented. In those days, these boxes were even covered with special nets, which allowed those inside to remain invisible.

Gallery- the highest balcony of the auditorium, on which there are not very comfortable, but the cheapest seats. Previously, the gallery was called "paradise".

Parterre(translated from French as “on the ground”) - the lower part of the auditorium, located on the plane in front of the stage and closest to it.

Foyer- Part theater building, intended for spectators. In the foyer the audience awaits the start of the performance, and during the intermission they exchange impressions. The foyer is decorated with stands telling the history of the theater, as well as portraits of the actors working there.

Scene

Proscenium- the front part of the stage area between the curtain and the ramp.

Scenery(translated from French - “to decorate”) - decoration scenes that recreate the setting in which the play takes place.

Backdrop- a large piece of fabric or other material that is hung on the part of the stage furthest from the audience and usually represents the general background for the scenery.

Curtain- several connected panels covering the stage from the audience. This is the threshold beyond which a theatrical fairy tale begins.

Grate bars- grating flooring for installing stage mechanisms and hanging scenery. If you, sitting in the hall, see how some decorations “fly up” and disappear and others descend, know that they are all mounted on grates.

Backstage- flat parts theatrical scenery, plain or painted panels, which are located in pairs on the sides of the stage, parallel or at an angle to the ramp.

Tablet(translated from French as “board”) - the floor of the stage. The stage board consists of individual wooden panels made from high quality pine boards, which fit tightly together, but can be removed if necessary. The tablet must be very durable, because there are heavy decorations and a lot of people on it.

Turntable- part of the stage area located in the center and capable of rotating. The rotation of the turntable creates the illusion of continuous stage action. The circle can also be an invoice, smaller in size than the main one. The turntable was invented in Japan in the 18th century; it was used to equip the famous Japanese theater kabuki.

Ramp- a lighting device placed on the proscenium along its front edge. The stage lights illuminate the stage, performers and decorations from the front and bottom. The lighting equipment of the ramp is usually hidden from the public by a low side.

Soffit(translated from Italian as “ceiling”) is theatrical lighting equipment designed to illuminate the stage from the front and from above. Soffits can create the impression of bright sunny morning or twilight, dark dungeon or moonlit night.

Prompter(translated from French - “to blow, to blow”). In the old days, this position was one of the most important in the theater. The prompter suggested the text to the artists from a specially equipped booth that was located on the stage. In those days, plays were produced very quickly, artists from different cities often gathered in one theater, the plays were verbose and the actors did not have time to learn the text. Therefore, performances, as a rule, were performed “under a prompter.”

Scene(translated from Greek as “tent”) is a platform on which a theatrical performance takes place. The very first stage in Europe was in Ancient Greece and was a round platform - it was called “orchestra”. In the 16th century in England, performances were performed in hotel courtyards with internal galleries to which a platform was attached. Gradually, over time, the scene acquired the appearance it has now. There are small scenes where the action takes place in the center and the audience sits around.

Pure change- change or rearrangement of scenery, which is done in front of the audience, usually in complete darkness in a few seconds. requires clear and coordinated actions of all technical personnel.

Excellent - from which point any performance will seem brilliant. We suggest you figure out which seats to choose when buying a theater ticket.

Modern acting often involves an unexpected arrangement of spectators and actors in space. However, most metropolitan venues prefer the traditional hall layout, where it is quite easy to choose right place following simple rules.

The most important thing for any performance, be it a classical opera, Chekhov's comedy or a plastic performance - so that the viewer feels comfortable, he can see and hear everything. In each theater, the layout of the hall is divided into several zones. In the very large hall their number can reach the number five. This includes the stalls, amphitheater, mezzanine, balcony and box.

Parterre

The lower floor of the auditorium is located closest to the stage. When choosing seats in the stalls, you should pay attention that seats in the first row will cost more, but not all theaters will have a better view. In most cases, the audience has to watch the entire action with their heads up. In addition, extraneous backstage noise can be clearly heard from the first row.

If you are going to a classical production, for example, a ballet, give preference to the so-called “director's” - the eighth row. From here you will see an excellent picture, enclosed in a frame, which is commonly called the stage portal. However, please note that each theater has a "sound pit" located approximately between the fifth and tenth rows. Here the sound flies over the viewer.

Photo from the coronatours website. Parterre La Scala

Amphitheater

The area located immediately behind the stalls is called the amphitheater, and, as a rule, rises above the stalls with small ledges. In fact, the first rows of the amphitheater can be considered the most comfortable. Here the viewer gets an excellent overview, audibility and the opportunity to simultaneously see all the action.

Photo from Belcanto website. Opera Garnier in Paris

Mezzanine and balcony

The mezzanine is located one tier above the stalls and the amphitheater. A balcony is everything that is located on the tiers above the mezzanine. Opens from the first rows great view onto the stage, but it will no longer be possible to examine the scene in detail. However, these places are ideal for listening to operas, operettas and musicals.

Photo from the website nrfmir. Hall of the Mariinsky Theater

Lodge

Separate parts of the hall, which are located on tiers on the sides of the stalls, are called boxes. They are an individual room for several people with a separate entrance. Traditionally, representatives high society They were here, not only to watch the performance, but also to show themselves. To this day, these seats remain the most expensive and most inconvenient, since the stage is not completely visible, and for the most part you have to watch the performance half-turned.

Photo from mosmonitor website. Bolshoi Theater boxes

Blackbox

IN modern theaters More often a new hall layout is found - a “blackbox” or a transforming hall. The director, based on his idea, can arrange the chairs in any way he likes. Often the first row is on the same level as the actors and the viewer finds himself in the space of the performance. In order not to lose visibility, take tickets in the center of the hall, for the good old “director’s” row.

Photo from meyerhold website. Blackbox at CIM

Cover: Classic

An educated person needs to understand the location of seats in the theater. The earliest theaters traditionally did not have an indoor performance space. Performances for spectators were held in the open air. We watched the performance while standing. That’s why the parterre is translated from French as “on the ground.” The places here were the most democratic and cheap. Nowadays, tickets to the stalls, on the contrary, are more expensive than others.

We offer you a diagram of the seating arrangement in the theater.

How are the seats located in the theater?

The rows of seats in the stalls are arranged in groups depending on the size of the auditorium. The first group of seats, closer to the stage, has 7 rows. The very last one, closer to the amphitheater - 6 rows. Between them there are groups of seats in 5 rows. In contrast to the stalls, seats on the paradise (by analogy with “paradise” - high), or gallery - this is the part of the audience seats farthest from the stage.

The boxes of the benoir are located on both sides of the stage, but slightly lower. Lodges can be Italian or French type. In Italian, the audience is not visible from the hall, but in French, on the contrary, they allow everyone to demonstrate the toilets and appearance of those present.

Behind the groups of stall seats are the amphitheater seats. This is a group of spectator seats, with smooth ledges going up.

Above the boxes of the benoir there are balconies. They can be located in several tiers. Various theaters have two, three, less often four tiers of balconies. For example, the Mariinsky Theater has 3 tiers of balconies, and the Alexandrinsky Theater has 4.

The most comfortable seats are called the royal box. For the convenience of privileged spectators, the boxes are equipped with a separate entrance. From these places there is excellent visibility and acoustics, but visitors to the royal box can also be seen by everyone.

The scene also has zone names. The front part, closest to the audience, is called the proscenium. The very middle is the stage area, and rear end stage box - rear stage. The rear stage contains scenery, lighting and mechanisms for lifting stage parts.

The orchestra pit is so called because of its location below the stage area and has dimensions exactly the same as the stage, but is located much deeper than it. From the orchestra pit, the conductor directs the artists of the invisible front, creating musical arrangement performances.

A good theatergoer knows what performances to watch, an excellent theatergoer knows from what point any performance will seem brilliant. We suggest you figure out which seats to choose when buying a theater ticket.

Modern acting often involves an unexpected arrangement of spectators and actors in space. However, most metropolitan venues prefer the traditional hall layout, where it is quite easy to choose the right place, following simple rules.

The most important thing for any performance, be it a classical opera, a Chekhov comedy or a plastic performance, is for the viewer to feel comfortable, to be able to see and hear everything. In each theater, the layout of the hall is divided into several zones. In the largest hall their number can reach five. This includes the stalls, amphitheater, mezzanine, balcony and box.

Diagram of the Bolshoi Theater hall

Parterre

The lower floor of the auditorium is located closest to the stage. When choosing seats in the stalls, you should pay attention that seats in the first row will cost more, but not all theaters will have a better view. In most cases, the audience has to watch the entire action with their heads up. In addition, extraneous backstage noise can be clearly heard from the first row.

If you are going to a classical production, for example, a ballet, give preference to the so-called “director's” - the eighth row. From here you will see an excellent picture, enclosed in a frame, which is commonly called the stage portal. However, please note that each theater has a "sound pit" located approximately between the fifth and tenth rows. Here the sound flies over the viewer.

Photo from the coronatours website. Parterre La Scala

Amphitheater

The area located immediately behind the stalls is called the amphitheater, and, as a rule, rises above the stalls with small ledges. In fact, the first rows of the amphitheater can be considered the most comfortable. Here the viewer gets an excellent overview, audibility and the opportunity to simultaneously see all the action.

Photo from Belcanto website. Opera Garnier in Paris

Mezzanine and balcony

The mezzanine is located one tier above the stalls and the amphitheater. A balcony is everything that is located on the tiers above the mezzanine. From the first rows there is an excellent view of the stage, but you won’t be able to see the stage in detail. However, these places are ideal for listening to operas, operettas and musicals.

Photo from the website nrfmir. Hall of the Mariinsky Theater

Lodge

Separate parts of the hall, which are located on tiers on the sides of the stalls, are called boxes. They are an individual room for several people with a separate entrance. Traditionally, representatives of high society were here, not only to watch the performance, but also to show themselves. To this day, these seats remain the most expensive and most inconvenient, since the stage is not completely visible, and for the most part you have to watch the performance half-turned.

Photo from mosmonitor website. Bolshoi Theater boxes

Blackbox

In modern theaters, a new hall layout is more common - a “blackbox” or a transforming hall. The director, based on his idea, can arrange the chairs in any way he likes. Often the first row is on the same level as the actors and the viewer finds himself in the space of the performance. In order not to lose visibility, take tickets in the center of the hall, for the good old “director’s” row.

Photo from meyerhold website. Blackbox at CIM

The rows closest to the stage are the stalls. Following them is the amphitheater, a little higher - the mezzanine (if they are provided for in the design of the building). And then the balcony

The auditorium in the theater is traditionally divided into 4 parts: stalls, amphitheater, mezzanine And balcony.

Parterre this is the lowest part of the auditorium, located directly in front of the stage and orchestra pit, if the theater has one.



Mezzanine called the lower tier of balconies located above the amphitheater.

The spectator seats located above the dress circle are called balcony. Balconies are divided into tiers, 1st, 2nd tier, etc.

Also, many theaters have lodge. Benoir boxes or simply benoir located on both sides of the stalls at stage level or slightly below. There are also boxes on the dress circle, located above the benoir, and boxes on the 1st, 2nd and other tiers.

The topmost row and the farthest row in the theater, where the most low prices, often called galrka. The rows closest to the stage in the theater are the stalls. Next to the stalls is the amphitheater, and above the amphitheater there is a dress circle.

The rows in the theater from the very first to the last are distributed among the four spaces of the theater. These are the stalls, the amphitheater, the mezzanine and the balcony.

On the sides of the stage there are boxes in tiers for the benoir, mezzanine and balcony.

In theaters built in the 19th century, there are multi-tiered balconies.

In provincial theaters, it happens that there is no amphitheater and (or) dress circle. Accordingly, the boxes of the benoir and mezzanine.

Personally, I know well where they are only stalls And balcony. I know from cinemas, in my opinion there is nothing else there except the stalls and the balcony.

Parterre- these are the front seats.

Mezzanine- this is in my opinion rear seats, which are slightly raised by a high step and are thus separated from the stalls.

On the sides there are also small balconies, which were called lodges. Now, on the Internet, I found out that the exact name benoir box.

Balcony is located behind and, as it were, above the mezzanine, on the second floor.

According to the generally accepted classification, the rows in the theater are usually called as follows. The closest to the stage is the stalls. Next comes the amphitheater, even higher - the mezzanine, and of course, the balcony. Top rows It is also often called Galrka.

The closest places to the stage, directly opposite, are called the stalls. Behind him the seats of the amphitheater rise. On the sides of the stalls, slightly rising above it, are the boxes of the benoir. The second floor opposite the stage is a balcony; the side places on the second floor are called mezzanine boxes. Even higher is the gallery, the cheapest places.

If earlier in front of the stalls, in which they did not sit, but stood, there were seats in armchairs (Onegin walks between the chairs along the legs), then today all the seats in the stalls are seated.

Then, for example, in the Mariinsky Theater there are benoir boxes, then the mezzanine boxes, and only then the tiers, there are three of them in the Mariinsky Theater, and in Alexandrinsky Theater, for example, there are 4 tiers, there is no benoir in this theater.

In the middle of the tier there may be places called balcony; by the way, these are the most best places to watch ballet performances. When I buy tickets to the ballet, first of all I look to see if there are seats in the middle of the balcony on the 2nd tier. Excellent visibility and reasonable prices.

The upper tier used to be called a gallery or a district. Today, the 3rd tier (of course, preferably the middle) has the most affordable prices and is usually occupied by students. My school years passed exactly on the 3rd tier. But once I listened to the Masquerade Ball from the Royal Box.

I often go to the theater, if tickets for a performance are inexpensive, then I buy them in the stalls - these are the seats that go straight from the stage or orchestra pit to the opposite wall, the back rows of the stalls are called an amphitheater, they are separated by a passage. If it’s a little expensive, I buy it for the balcony. The balcony has several tiers: the lower tier is called the mezzanine, followed by the balcony of the first and second tiers.

There are also separate places that are located directly above the stage to the left and to the right - the box.

The names of the seats in the theater migrated from street farce performances with stages. Spectators then simply stood on the street, on the ground, hence the name stalls. One could also watch the performance from the balconies of neighboring houses; this is how the seats in the indoor theaters that appeared later began to be called.

It’s just that different balconies got their own names - mezzanine, amphitheater, gallera.

• Row names in the theater:

  Immediately behind the stage they go in order ground floor, amphitheater, mezzanine and balcony. Approximate distribution rows like this:

  

  This diagram of the large auditorium KTZ Palace on Yauza, on which you can see not only the location, but also the names of all rows.

Previous speakers have already repeatedly said that the rows of seats from the orchestra seats to the opposite wall are called stalls. Why are they called that? Precisely because not on the balcony, but on the ground - in French, parterre, on the ground. If we take into account that the farthest cheap ones - the upper balcony rows, the gallery - are called the district, and in English also the gods (gods) and paradise (paradise), including among the French themselves - paradis, then the antithesis of heaven and earth becomes clear in the structure of the theatrical universe.



In this photo of Odessa opera house The stalls are clearly visible - in the very center of the photo.