Parterre: what is it. Word meaning and history

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

According to most inexperienced amateurs, the best seats in the auditorium of the theater are located in the stalls. In fact, it all depends on what exactly brought the art lover to the theater today. In addition, in order to get to the most expensive places, it is not necessary to buy tickets to the stalls. What it is and why it is popular now, history will help to understand. Despite the fact that halls in theaters can vary significantly in size and, accordingly, in the number of zones, these places for spectators are always there.

Parterre. What is it?

This is the part of the hall in the theatre, in which the seating arrangement starts from the stage (or orchestra pit) and ends with the opposite wall, or the amphitheater (if there is one). Traditionally, the stalls are approximately one meter below the level of the stage and the same distance above the level of the orchestra pit. As already mentioned, many amateurs believe that the first rows of stalls are expensive and good places. In fact, this is not always true, because at all times the tickets to the box were the most expensive. And the convenience of the first places in the stalls is not always justified. If a spectator has come to listen to a classical concert, he does not have toto see in detail everything that happens on the stage. Another thing is the performance. Seats in the front rows of the stalls will provide the viewer with a sense of involvement in the action that unfolds on stage.

The prototype of the modern parterre

The idea of arranging spectators according to the principle of a modern stalls appeared in ancient Rome. It was there that the benches for the senators were located, which were located in the theater.

During the Middle Ages, theatrical performances, as you know, were banned, so new theater buildings were not built. The only thing that the audience could count on was church performances that were played inside the temples. Over time, the audience became more and more, so from the 12th century, performances began to be given on the porch. The stage itself was quite long, and the audience could be located along it.

In the 16th century, performances of morality and mysteries were forced to move to the street. To do this, at the time of the performance, some of its part was fenced off. We althy citizens had the opportunity to watch the performance from the windows and balconies of houses located on the same street. Poor citizens and people of the lower class had to find a place for themselves on earth. Most likely, this is where the word parterre comes from. From the French "par terre" literally translates to "to the ground".

Rebirth of the art of theater building

Theaters were rebuilt in Italy only in the early Renaissance. When developing their projectsseats on the stalls were also taken into account. The construction scheme assumed that the places near the stage would be occupied by people of the lower class. Therefore, there were no chairs in the stalls.

Since the 17th century, seating in the stalls began to appear in England. However, only people of noble birth could use them. In addition, these places were not permanent. Armchairs were substituted and removed if necessary.

The first stationary chairs appeared in the stalls of the theater in Boston. This idea was brought to life by the architect K. Lidu after the French Revolution, which brought democratic ideas to the masses. The idea of equality was that the spectators who watch the performance in the stalls have the same amenities as the noble people in the box.

Theatres in Russia. What did the stalls mean in the time of Pushkin?

In Russian theaters in the 18th century there were also no expensive seats in the stalls. In addition, there were few seats themselves - only two rows. In order to use them, they had to be subscribed prematurely. This could afford mainly high-ranking officials. The parterre was an empty space, which was fenced off from the seats with a cord.

Seats in the stalls were relatively cheap, and creative people could afford them. These were artists, poets, students who were ready to wait for a performance for several hours. The fact is that for a performance that was popular, more than a thousand spectators gathered in the stalls. It is even difficult for a modern theater fan to imagine what it is, because in order to takecomfortable seats, young people came three hours before the start of the performance. Cheaper seats in the stalls were only those that were on the balcony.

In Russia, as well as in Europe, the audience took the places that corresponded to their status.

Modern stalls. Reviews and opinions of viewers

The situation has changed a little in our time. The stalls are still very popular among theater fans. What is it in modern theater?

Placing seats in the stalls parallel to the barrier of the orchestra. For greater convenience of the audience, they are separated by passages that lead to the exits from the hall. Better visibility is provided by raising the floor level from the first rows to the last. According to the majority of spectators, the central seats of the seventh row are the best in the stalls. They provide maximum view of the performance and better acoustics, allowing for a more cohesive experience.