Belarusian Theaters Survive Endless reconstruction
By Anatoly Smolsky
BDG. Delovaya Gazeta
The Belarusian theatre life has been recently characterised with the ‘reconstruction’ notion as the theatre keeps trying to keep in line with the time. Of course, it is a costly business. This year, the reconstruction of the theatre buildings will require about 3 billion Belarusian roubles, whether they will be allocated or not is another subject.
The Ministry of Culture has made up its mind to carry out a very timely research, which resulted in the Program to reconstruct the theatre buildings. A list of 24 theatres was announced as these buildings were used up by more than 50%.
Most of the entries on the list were found in Minsk: the Gorky National Academic Drama Theatre, the Belarusian State Music Theatre, the Young Viewer Republican Theatre, the Yanka Kupala National Academic Theatre, the Republican Belarusian Drama Theatre, the Youth Theatre and others. The biggest project of all was the National Bolshoi Opera and Ballet Theatre, which is to be completed before 2009 all being well.
Admittedly, planning in culture and arts is very uncertain and liable for changes like it was with the renovation of the Belarusian State Philharmonics. Now, it is hard to believe that the large-scale reconstruction of the state theatres will be completed before 2010.
Fortunately, most theatre buildings have entered the final stage in construction works. The Russian Theatre, for instance, has been reported to have almost all the works completed. It’s the Kupala Theatre’s turn now. The works are to begin once the Bolshoi Theatre is completed and when the opera troupe has vacated the Officers’ Central House. The Kupala Theatre was initially going to continue performances but architects and builders did not want to take the unnecessary risk.
The Kupala actors are just as sad now as their fans. How will they survive without the platform where the Belarusian language was spoken every day?!
The theatre buildings are one side of the problem. All the equipment (sometimes described as antique) is to be replaced as well. Deputy Minister of Culture Vladimir Gridyushko said that 155 million rubles would be spent for theatrical equipment. Sounds ridiculous, doesn’t it?
It is hard to believe that the reconstruction timetable will be followed and the funds will meet every need. For instance, the works at the Young Viewer Theatre were to be suspended due to the lack of funding. The work timetable was hardly ever fulfilled. The quality of reconstruction in the end was the reflection of these circumstances.
Chief Producer at the Youth Theatre Modest Abramov said to journalists once: “We were told that the theatre will be shut for half a year as planned. I’m a realist and think that we will stay shut for at least three years.”
One does not need to be a prophet to say that the reconstruction has a beginning but no end.