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Bolshoi Theater, built in 1776, by the
entrepreneur, M Medoks and the Moscow governor Prince P. Urusov. The theater
burned in 1805. In 1824 the new theater was built by architects, O. Bove and A.
Mikhailov, when it got its name 'Bolshoi" because it was larger than
Milan's La Scala. But this theater also burned, on 11 March 1853. The theater
was rebuilt by A. Kavos in 1855-56 according to the original plans but enlarged
and decorated with the eight-column, white-stone portico. And Kavos paid
particular attention to the acoustics. It now seats 2150 people. The theater
was temporarily closed at the February Revolution in 1917, but reopened in
November with performances of "Aida" and "Samson and
Dalila". In 1941 the Germans bombed the theater causing extensive damage,
but repairs were begun immediately. The theater was reopened in September 1943
with a performance of Glinka's opera, "Ivan Susanin".
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