What is Next to the Opera Theatre in Odessa, Ukraine?
There are many fascinating places to explore next to the opera theater in Odessa Ukraine. After all, a visit to Odessa should include not just a visit to the grand opera house. The surrounding territory offers much that is of interest during a visit to one of the famous Ukraine cities.
Did you know that Pyotr Illich Tchaikovsky spent time at the Odessa opera? And, that the Odessa theatre is located on Tchaikovsky Street? Would you like to explore an Odessa hotel where you can enjoy a view of the opera house or the Odessa promenade? Have you heard of the Odessa Steps?
Once you have purchased your opera house tickets, you will most definitely want to delve into and explore what is next to the opera house theatre and learn all about opera from an Odessa viewpoint.
There is a Fountain Next to the Opera Theatre in Odessa
Next to the Opera Theatre in Odessa there is a large water fountain. This fountain has become a major tourist attraction – particularly during the summer months.
But, it wasn’t always so. Up to 1970 (and this is 160 years after the initial City Theatre was constructed on the site where today we have a grand opera house), there was a small trickling fountain. The fountain rarely had water in it.
And so, changes were made:
1970 – construction on a grand fountain began
1990 – the fountain was shut down
2007 – the fountain next to the Opera Theatre was completely reconstructed.
2017 – lights were added so the fountain could be viewed at night (a new window will open).
Fountain Next to the Odessa Opera Theatre
Today, the fountain next to the Opera Theatre in Odessa draws crowds. And yet, ironically, the fountain has no name.
There are Hotels Next to the Opera Theatre in Odessa
Next to the Opera Theatre in Odessa, there are a number of small and medium sized hotels in various price ranges. Two hotels that are next to the Opera Theatre in Odessa are worth a special mention – the London Hotel and the Mozart Hotel. Interestingly, both hotels were not built as hotels and only became hotels in time.
The London Hotel is more commonly known in Odessa by its Russian language rendition of Hotel Londonskaya (in Ukrainian = Лондонська; in Russian = Лондонская; English transliteration = Londonskaya).
The London Hotel was:
1826 – designed by Sardinian born architect Francesco Boffo (1796-1867)
1828 – constructed as a two-story private residence for the Lopukhin Family
1846, April – opened as a hotel under the ownership and tutellage of French chef and confectionery Jean-Baptiste Caruta (a.k.a. Karuta) (1810-1892)
1851 – redesigned by Francesco Boffo, who added an additional third story
1854, May 15 – official opened as a remodelled 3-story hotel
1899 – redesigned and remodelled into a modern hotel by the Odessa born Ukrainian architect Yuriy Dmytrenko (1858-1918) and Odessa born Jewish-Ukrainian architect Fedir (Fajfel) Troupjanskyj (1874-1949)
1870s – taken over by banker Bartolomeo Anatra of the Sicilian-born export-import Anatra brothers (a new window will open).
1929 – beame state-owned under Soviet occupation
1933 – became part of Intourist, the official Soviet tourist agency that catered to foreigners and dignitaries
1988 – renovated to its present appearance
Today, the London Hotel has an intimate courtyard that serves excellent coffee and is a place to relax while experiencing the various Odessa sites next to the opera theatre.
Coffee Next to the Opera Tehatre at the London Hotel
Are there any other musical venues next to the Opera Theatre in Odessa?
The Odessa Philharmonia is Near – Next to the Opera Theatre
The Odessa Philharmonia is ot really next to the opera theatre. However, the Odessa Philharmonia is an important musical venue. The building that currently houses the Odessa Philharmonic Orchestra was originally built in 1899 as a Trade and Stock Exchange House.
Even if you don’t get to visit, you can listen to a live recording of a concert at the Odessa Philharmonia.
In the live music clip about the Odessa Philharmonic Orchestra performs at the Odessa Philharmonia in April, 2014. The music is the 2nd movement (Capriccio notturno ed Arioso: Vivace) from Concerto for Orchestra by Witold Roman Lutosławski (1913-1994). Myron Yusypovych conducts.
What about the Odessa Steps? Are they next to the Opera Theatre?
The Odessa Steps are Almost Next to the Opera House Theatre
The Odessa Steps – also known as:
the Potemkin Staircase
the Boulevard Steps
the Giant or Grand Staircase
the Richelieu Steps
are very near and almost next to the Opera House Theatre in Odessa, Ukraine.
The Odessa Steps were designed and created Francesco Boffo (1796-1867) – the architect, who also designed the original building of today’s London Hotel. There are claims that Francesco Boffo based his design on that of the Spanish Steps in Rome, which were constructed more than 100 years earlier. If so, Boffo certainly adapted the characteristics of the construction to fit the Odessa port landscape.
The Odessa Steps Scene in Battleship Potemkin (1925) by S.Eisenstein
The Odessa Steps became famous after the release of the award winning film Battleship Potemkin (1925) by Sergei Eisenstein (1898-1948). The black and white, silent film is set in 1905 and relates the events of the 1905 Russian Revolution as seen through the eyes of the battleship crew and the people of Odessa.
The battleship Potemkin was built for the Russian Imperial Navy's Black Sea Fleet and the mutinee on the ship is a historical fact. What is in dispute is the massacre in the Odessa Steps sequence (a new window will open) that has been labelled a «classic».
…there was, in fact, no czarist massacre on the Odessa Steps… The czar`s troops shot innocent civilians elsewhere in Odessa, and Eisenstein, in concentrating those killings and finding the perfect setting for them, was doing his job as a director. It is ironic that he did it so well that today, the bloodshed on the Odessa Steps (a new window will open) is often referred to as if it really happened. Roger Ebert (1942-2013)
Many silent films were accompanied by live music performances. For the film Battleship Potemkin, the music has changed over the years. The fact that no one piece of music is associated with the movie, was proposed by Eisenstein himself. Eisenstein envisioned that the music would change as events changed. The DVD and Internet format that is widely distributed and available today uses the music of Dmitri Shostakovich (1906-1975).
Historical Photo of the Potemkin (Odessa) Stairs
Today, the Odessa Steps are officially called by their original name – the Prymorski Steps (Ukrainian – Приморські), since they begin at the Prymorski Boulevard and end at Prymorska Street – prymorska meaning «near the sea» or «by the sea». On the other hand, many people continue to refer to the steps as the Potemkin Steps or the Odessa Steps. And, yes, although not directly next to the Opera Theatre, they are walking distance from the Odessa Opera House.
And, of course, at the top of the Odessa Steps there is a statue of the Duc de Richelieu (1766-1822) – much beloved by the people of Odessa, Ukraine.
A Governor is Buried Almost Next to the Opera Theatre in Odessa
Louis Alexandre Andrault de Langeron (1763-1831), Governor of Odessa (1816-1820) is buried a small distance from the not Opera Theatre in Odessa. However, since it si walking distance, we can safely claim that Langeron is buried next to the opera theatre.
The Odessa Opera House stands on Langeron Street. On the other hand, officially Langeron Street is next to the opera theatre. Why? Because the official address of the Opera Theatre in Odessa is 1 Tchaikovsky Lane.
The Cathedral which house Langeron’s official burial place is walking distance from the Odessa Opera House – down Richelieu Street, with a right-hand turn on Bunina Street and another left onto Katerynska Street. The Cathedral is a few steps away at 23 Katerynska Street.
Interestingly, according to some sources, Langeron died in St.Petersburg during a cholera epidemic. According to other sources, he died in Odessa, where he is buried.
And then, not only is Langeron’s place of death disputed, it seems that not much is know about how he came to be buried in the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Cathedral in Odessa. The point is that Langeron passed away in 1831, while plans to erect the Cathedral only began in 1847.
The Burial Site of Lous de Langeron, Governor of Odessa
Such are the places of interest next to the Opera Theatre in Odessa, Ukraine.
