Bolshoi Theatre

The company dates from 1776 and the building from 1856, after two fires; the portico of eight columns with Apollo's chariot above it is the version rebuilt by Alberto Cavos, and it is on the hundred rouble note. Inside is a five-tier auditorium in red and gold under a large chandelier, restored between 2005 and 2011 in a project that cost a great deal and was argued over throughout - acoustics, gilding, the removal of Soviet-era alterations. A new stage was built underground alongside, and a smaller New Stage next door takes part of the repertoire. The ballet company is the reason most visitors come, and its repertoire runs the nineteenth-century classics along with Soviet-era works like Spartacus that are rarely staged elsewhere. Tickets for the main stage sell out months ahead and resale prices are high; the New Stage and matinees are easier.

What you actually see

• The 1856 auditorium - five tiers in red and gold under a large chandelier.
• The portico - eight columns with Apollo's chariot, the face on the hundred rouble note.
• The ballet repertoire - the classics alongside Soviet works staged nowhere else.
• The 2011 restoration - a long and contested rebuild, including a new underground stage.

When to go

The season runs September to June. Book months ahead for the main stage; the New Stage is easier.

Honest expectations

Main stage tickets sell out far in advance and the resale market is expensive. Cheap seats have restricted views and the upper tiers are steep. Dress is smarter than most theatres. Backstage tours run in Russian and in limited numbers.

Nearby

Teatralnaya square, the Maly Theatre and TsUM are adjacent; Red Square is a short walk.