Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1860-05-11
rhe italian Opera in Russin--The Lyric
Theater af SC. Petersburg. mr b

The st. Petersburg correspondent Of the
New York Herald writes in recent letter.
The great square, in the midst of which the
theater is located, is filing rapidly with
sleighs and carriages. The mounted police,
With shining helmets aud clanking swords,
are on duty, regulating the arrival and de-
porture of vehicles, and all goes on in order
The approachest the theater are well lighted
and the capacious entrances are all in active
demand. We pass in and along a corridor,
deposit our cloaks, &C., with an attendant
receive ticket and pay twenty hopels. In
the theaters here You are not allowed TO take
your overcoat OF shoes in the boxes OF upon
the floor of the theater; ante-rooms and at
tendants are provided for their safety. The
theaters are all warmed to comfortable de-
gree, and summer reigns within, though win
ter shows without. The operas are well at
tended, and as general rule If you do not
procure your ticket day or two in advance
you may have to take a very high seat or re-
turn to your lodgings. Ours had been taken
the day before, arm-chairs in the parquette
for which two rubles were paid---one dollar
and half The crowd is pushing Us on oil
sides while we are depositing our coats and
therefore let us escape from the jam as soon
as possible. We enter by anarrow side door,
which Is out of all reasonable proportion with
the grandeur of the house. m 'H9 f se
The scene is very brilliant; upon red
ground (the psrquette) rise five tiers of boxes,
without pillar, column or support to break
the circle or obstruct the view. The panel
ings, chaste and simple, with gold and ma
room; one vast circular chandelier in the CEN
ter of the dome gives light to the whole
house, though there are small chandeliers
along the foot boards of the boxes which are
lighted on great occasions more for show
than of necessity. The Emperor's box occu-
pies the center Of the first row Of boxes, and
is richly draped with damasks--it was unoc-
cupied. The form of the house is as that Of
an egg laying upon its side, with the little
end cut off next the stage. 1t has very
pleasing effect the view of the stage being
good from all parts-with one exception-the
parquette is too fiat, and short man Is at the
mercy of his tall neighbor in front; the seats,
though, are good spring cushioned arm chairs
of good size, though little close between
the ranks of rows. The utmost decorum pre-
walls, every body is well dressed, there is no
loud talking to disturb the effect of the music,
and for propriety and good breeding one
would have to go much further North, and
immeasurably further South to find its peer.
No cat-calls, whistling or boisterous noises
are allowed and upon the least improperly
the culprit is quickly walked out AT the
| top of the center aisle, immediately below the
Emperor's box, stands helmeted guard
| the box walters and placemen are in livery
while two soldiers, armed and equipped, keeI
| guard at the entrance Of the Emperor's box
| The floor of the house is not carpeted, and
have yet to observe the first person to hawk
ana spit in st. Petersburg Theater. Tobacco
is not chewed or eaten in Russia, and smoking
is only allowed in the coffee-rooms. The
| Bolshoy Theater will seat probably fifteen
| hundred or two thousand; l believe II is
against the rule to allow persons to stand in
| the passages or lobbies-in fact, properly
speaking there are no lobbies. The par
quette is closed, except very small entrance
| doors, while the boxes open upon the cor
riders, each having a door. These arekept
closed by the attendants, and preclude stand,
ing room. Again, no tickets are demanded
| at the entrance, and you may go in and pass
along the corridors and into the saloons
without entering the house But again, thesc
are Imperial institutions, and are not prob
ably built on the plan best adapted to thu
| largest receipts. I-A.". ~ ..'.- .'7' -- ''