Press releases

MINSK, 25 March (BelTA) – The Yanka Kupala National Academic Theater is set to reopen this week following a significant renovation project, BelTA learnt from First Deputy Culture Minister of Belarus Vladimir Karachevsky.

“The theater will open its doors at the end of the month, preliminary on 29 March. In April the theater will resume its business,” the official added.

The house will reopen with a visiting card of the Belarusian dramaturgy, a performance of Pavlinka. The production will display renewed costumes, sceneries and the cast. The new production will see young actors Yekaterina Oleinikova and Marta Golubeva.

The stage was made four meter deeper and got side stages for scenery preparation. The amount of seats was reduced to the fire safety requirements from 500 to 360. Besides, theater goers will now enjoy wide aisles between the rows. The interior has been refurbished in historical blue and turquoise colors. The theater also got three rehearsal rooms, with one of which designed as the main stage.

The Kupala Theater was closed for renovation in 2010. The theatre’s three-year overhaul that involved nearly 1,000 constructors included the replacement of all support frameworks, floors as well as back and side additions, shoring of foundation and walls. Reconstruction returned the building its original historical luster, now with all modern equipment fitted in.

The theater was built in 1890 under the project of Polish architect Karol Kozlowski. He also designed the theater house in Lyuban, the Warsaw conservatory and others. In 1949 the theater received a revamp under Georgy Zaborsky’s project. In 1958 the theater’s front faзade was reconstructed following the idea of architect Abram Dukhan.