Lenin square, 1

The building of the regional drama theater,
Gomel, Lenin Square, 1

Rectangular in plan, the building has a symmetrical three-dimensional composition. The main facade is designed as a six-column portico on a high porch. The tympanum of the pediment is decorated with a bas-relief with a view of the Moscow Kremlin on a cartouche surrounded by musical and floral elements, ribbons. As the central acroterium is the figure of Melpomene (the muse of theatrical art), the cornucopias are the cornucopias. The main facade is enriched with panels with bas-reliefs of floral ornaments. The capitals of the pilasters around the perimeter of the building are supplemented with musical attributes. A rich cornice crowns the facade.

On the main axis of the building there is a central entrance, a lobby group, an auditorium of the parterre-tiered type for 800 seats, a developed stage box. Various elements of classicism are widely used in the interior design of the main rooms of historical and artistic value: niches, caissons, pilasters, rosettes, etc.

The theater project was developed back in 1940 – 1941 by the All–Union trust «Teatrproektmontazh» («Giprotheater» – since 1951) under the direction of architect A. V. Tarasenko (consultant academician, architect I.V. Zholtovsky). After the war, the territory of the former shopping mall complex was allocated for construction. The construction drawings date from 1949-52, the whole complex of works was carried out at the same time. The specialists of the above–mentioned organization – Chertkova, Vakhromeeva, Shashkovskaya, arch - took part in the design of the interiors. Napreenko. In 1954, the Gomel Regional Russian Drama Theater was opened. A Theater square was laid out next to the building.

In the mid-1970s, the architectural design workshop of the Council of Architects of the BSSR (chief architect – V.P. Ivlichev) carried out a project for the reconstruction of the theater in accordance with the new requirements of the time. Repair work mostly ended in the first half of the 1980s. In 2004 – 2010, work was carried out on the restoration of facades and repair of the roof.

In 1999, the theater was awarded the title of «Honored Collective of the Republic of Belarus». People's Artists of Belarus: Nina Korneeva, Lyudmila Korkhova, Yuri Shefer, Honored Artists of the Republic of Belarus: Fedor Ivanov, Yuri Feigin, etc. have appeared on his stage in different years.

image001.jpgLenin square. The building of the regional drama theater. Photography of the 1960s.

image002.jpgLenin square. The building of the regional drama theater. A postcard from the 1960s.

image003.jpgLenin square. The building of the regional drama theater. Postcard 1979.

image004.jpg   image005.jpgThe building of the regional drama theater. The design of the auditorium. Photo 2011.

image006.jpgThe building of the regional drama theater. Decoration of the balcony. Photo of the 2020s.

image007.jpgKorneeva Nina (1920 – 2007), actress. Honored Artist of the BSSR (1967). People's Artist of the USSR (1990).

image008.jpgLyudmila Korkhova (born 1946), actress. Honored Artist of the BSSR (1990), People's Artist of Belarus (1999).

image009.jpgYuri Schaefer (1922-2013), actor. Honored Artist of the BSSR (1980), People's Artist of the BSSR (1989).

image010.jpgFyodor Ivanov (1928-2021) actor Honored Artist of the BSSR (1968).

image011.jpgFeygin Yuri (born 1947), actor. Honored Artist of the Republic of Belarus (2002).