The first awards ceremony for the most significant and brilliant achievements in theatrical art was held in the distant nineties. Since that time, the venerable jury determines the deserving laureates of the award every year.
History of Creation
In 1995, the history of another theatrical award, the Golden Soffit, began. Competitions in the theatrical world take place every year. This award is intended to recognize and appreciate the merits of every outstanding theatre, director or stage worker in the theatrical field of St. Petersburg.
Initially, the award was awarded based on the results of not one, but two seasons, starting in 1993/1994 and 1994/1995.
The 1995 awards ceremony was held at the Alexandrinsky Theatre. The festival council presented actors, actresses, directors, stage decorators, stage directors, conductors, choreographers, the productions themselves and scripts for awards.
Among the first contenders for this award were Alisa Freindlich and Gennady Bogachev, the best performance in the genre of drama was the production of "Mary Stuart".
Nominations
The organizers of the "Golden Soffit" award are trying to cover all areas of theatrical art. For the convenience of evaluation, the competition was divided into three parts:
- drama theatre;
- music theater;
- puppet theater.
In addition, each year there are special awards that go beyond the three main categories. Honored cultural figures who have devoted their whole lives to the stage or have made an invaluable contribution to the development of the theater become the laureates in them.
There are several nominations in each of these categories. Organizers can expand their number. For example, in the Drama department in 1995, there were nominations for "Best Actress", "Best Actor", "Best Direction", "Best Performance".
In the Musical Actions department, the award was given to the first ballerinas, elite male performers in ballet, male vocalists, female vocalists, ballet and opera productions, conductors, directors, artists, debutants and debutantes.
In the Puppet Art category, awards were given to actresses and actors who voiced the characters of the play, as well as directors.
Later, actors and actresses of the second plan, performances of small and large forms, troupes and so on were added to the nominees.
Today there are much more nominations. The whole theatrical life is evaluated with the help of the “Golden Soffit”. Regardless of what exactly a person creates for the performance, he can be awarded a prize if he does it with great skill and love.
Awardingside
Each of the nominees for the award is selected by the jury. The commission changes from year to year. In the “Golden Soffit” ceremony, the award can be awarded to one person several times. Judges act within the same category and submit their proposals only in closed voting.
The jury of experts must remain absolutely unbiased. That is why the new generation is changing with the more respectable.
Before the ceremony itself, another meeting of the authoritative council takes place. During it, the winners in their categories are determined.
The awards at the ceremony are presented to the laureates by well-known cultural figures. When receiving the Golden Soffit Award, the winners make a solemn speech, which theatergoers then often parse into quotes.
Board Award
Council consists of:
- organizing committee of the "Golden Soffit", it performs the main functions of the ceremony,
- theater council,
- nomination jury,
- The board of the Union of Theater Workers in Russia (St. Petersburg branch), which expresses its authoritative opinion on the candidates for the Golden Soffit, the award finds its winners largely thanks to their common decision.
The Board also determines the number of nominations for the competition each year.
The head of the organizational department of the award has long been the People's Artist of the Russian Federation Nikolai Burov.
Venueceremonies
The Alexandrinsky Theater became the first venue for the award in 1995. Later, it was returned several times for the ceremony: in 1997, 2003 and 2004.
In 1996, the Music Hall was chosen as the venue. The organizers did not use the services of this institution anymore.
One time the award was also held at the Musical Comedy Theater - in 2002.
Nevertheless, it was the Bolshoi Theater named after G. A. Tovstonogov, which has almost become a home for the laureates and guests of the Golden Soffit ceremony. The award has been presented in this institution more than six times.
In recent years, starting from 2012, the solemn presentation of prizes takes place at the Bryantsev Theater for Young Spectators.
Traditionally, the award ceremony takes place in one of the autumn months.
Main goals
The most elite theater award has its own goals and objectives. The organizers of the "Golden Soffit" direct all their efforts to:
- preserve and develop urban theatrical foundations,
- to identify and showcase outstanding talents to the general public,
- determine fashion trends in the theater business,
- support young directors and groups, as was the case, in particular, during the presentation of the “Golden Soffit” - 2014, the nominees for the award are already considered winners.
Ceremony
The Organizing Committee of the "Golden Soffit" chooses the place and time of the eventsolemn event. Each of the laureates is notified in advance of exactly where the ceremony itself will take place.
The main event of the past year took place on November 10th. The guests were waiting for the Youth Theatre. Bryantseva.
During the celebratory meeting at the ceremony, the jury presents the winners with the Golden Soffit figurines. The award also includes diplomas, which list the merits of the awarded actor or organization.
The figurines go into the irrevocable possession of the winners.
Sponsors can add their own to these awards, after agreeing everything with the organization of the competition.
Funding
According to the official statute of the Golden Soffit, the main source of funding for the project is the art center St. Petersburg itself, as well as the Russian Federation.
The public organizations of St. Petersburg, which are interested in supporting and further developing the theater world, also help with funding.
Part of the money comes from generous sponsors as well as charitable donations to the award fund.
The Organizing Committee of the Golden Soffit disposes of all resources at its discretion.
Golden Soffit - 2014
The Golden Soffit Award - 2014 announced its list of nominees in August of the same year. And in November, ceremonial statuettes were presented.
According to the results of the outgoing theatrical season, it was especially difficult to choose the most worthy ones, because the favorite residents of the temple became applicantsMelpomene. They have already come as winners at the “Golden Soffit” ceremony - 2014. The winners of this award are considered masters of their craft, recognized all over the world.
According to the Golden Soffit Committee, the best director of this season is Lev Dodin. His original production of "The Cherry Orchard" has earned universal respect and honor.
"The Garden" was awarded in one more nomination - as the most worthy among the performances of 2013-2014. The show won three awards in total. Unfortunately, the director himself was absent from the country at that time, so he instructed his deputy to receive prizes, as well as express the warmest words of gratitude.
In the category "Drama theaters" the magnificent A. Freindlich was honored as the best among actresses. She was declared the winner thanks to the role of Alice in the play directed by Andrei Moguchiy. For her, this is not the first award from the Golden Soffit. It was Freundlich who won the first prize at the competition in 1995.
The actress gave a very touching speech about the activities of the Golden Soffit Ceremony - 2014. The winners enthusiastically greeted her. She shared her feelings about the future of modern theater and expressed her hope that theatrical art will live forever.
The performance called "Alice" was awarded in the category "Small Stage".
Sergey Peregudov, when he was given the main male role in the production of "We are all wonderful people," he definitely did not expect that he would be awarded the title of "The actor who performed his part most excellently."
Several years in a row awardO. Ryazantsev, who played Petr Sergeevich Trofimov in The Cherry Orchard, receives for a secondary role.
A separate award "For Contribution to Urban Theatrical Art" was given to two great actresses: Tatyana Shchuko and Gabriela Komleva.
The musical performance "Not Only Love", as well as the ballet "Vain Precaution" were recognized as the winners in the "Musical Arts" category. It was they who got the “Golden Soffit”.
The 2014 award, the winners of which were also among non-governmental institutions, made absolutely all the guests very happy. The innovative theater "Beyond the Black River" took the prize for the play "The Tempest" by Ivan Stavisky.
The creative duet of Anna Vartanyan and Sergey Byzgu became the first among the "Best Acting Tandems". The actors played together in the play "Graphomania".
Annette Kurz was named the number one director and Mark Van Denesse, who designed Macbeth, was named the best lighting designer.
