Oktyabrskiy Big Concert Hall

Grand Concert Hall Oktyabrsky
Russian: Большой Концертный Зал "Октябрьский"
Address 6, Ligovsky Prospekt
Location Saint Petersburg, Russia
Type Concert hall
Seating type Reserved seating
Capacity 3,727 (including a balcony 1,043)
Construction
Built 1961–1967
Opened 7 November 1967
Renovated Summer 2009
Website
http://www.bkz.sp.ru (In Russian)

Grand Concert Hall Oktyabrsky (BKZ) is one of several concert venues in the centre of Saint Petersburg. It hosts variety actors, rock musicians, and also dance and ballet collectives.[1]

The director of the hall, since 1988, has been Emma Lavrinovich.[2]

History

Until 1961, in the place now occupied by the "Oktyabrsky", there was a Greek church (1861, architect Roman Kuzmin), the Greek Square and Greek Prospekt. The circumstances surrounding the pulling down of the church are described in Joseph Brodsky Ostanovka v pustyne's poem.

The new building was constructed between 1961 and 1967 by a group headed by Alexander Zhuk. The project invovlved architects Alexander Zhuk, Valentin Kamensky, Jean Verzhbitsky, and the engineers Galkin and Maksimov. The building silhouette is strictly geometrical, the facade is decorated with a huge stained-glass window. Over the front entrance there is a bronze frieze by sculptor Mikhail Anikushin. By the steps into the building stands the sculpture "October" by sculptor Alexander Matveev (It was cast in bronze in 1968 after his death in 1960, underneath is the original of 1927).

The hall was opened for the fiftieth anniversary of the October revolution, its capacity is 3727 (including a balcony of 1,043). According to the administration, about one million spectators visit the hall each year.

In 2009 the concert hall underwent necessary repairs. The works covered all systems of the building, taking place from July until October 2009.[3]

  • "Official Website" (in Russian). Retrieved 11 August 2009.
  • Media related to Oktyabrsky Big Concert Hall at Wikimedia Commons

References

  1. ↑ Афиша. Playbill (in Russian). Official Website. Retrieved 11 August 2009.
  2. ↑ История зала [History of Hall] (in Russian). Official Website. Retrieved 11 August 2009.
  3. ↑ Свой 40 день рождения БКЗ "Октябрьский" встретит обновлённым [40 birthday BKZ "Octyabrsky" will meet the updated] (in Russian). Fontanka.Ru information agency. 12 July 2009. Retrieved 11 August 2009.

Coordinates: 59°56′08″N 30°21′55″E / 59.93556°N 30.36528°E / 59.93556; 30.36528

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