Ground: what is it? Meaning of the word and history

According to most inexperienced fans, the best places in the auditorium of the theater are located on the ground floor. In fact, everything depends on what exactly led the admirer of art to the theater today. In addition, to get to the most expensive places, it is not necessary to buy tickets to the ground floor. What it is and why it is popular now will help to understand history. Despite the fact that the halls in theaters can differ significantly in their size and, correspondingly, in the number of zones, these places are always available for spectators.

Ground floor. What it is?

This is part of the hall in the theater, in which the location of the seats for spectators starts from the stage (or orchestra pit) and ends with the opposite wall, or the amphitheater (if there is one). Traditionally, the stalls are below the level of the stage by approximately one meter and at the same distance above the level of the orchestra pit. As already mentioned, many amateurs believe that the first rows of the stalls are expensive and good places. In fact, this does not always correspond to the truth, because at all times the tickets were the most expensive in a box. And the convenience of the first places in the stalls is not always justified. If the audience has come to listen to a classical concert, it is not necessary for him to see in detail all that is happening on the stage. Another thing is the play. The seats in the first rows of the ground will provide the viewer with a sense of belonging to the action that unfolds on the stage.

The prototype of the modern parterre

The idea of the location of spectators on the principle of modern parterre appeared in Ancient Rome. It was there that there were benches for the senators who were stationed in the theater.

During the Middle Ages, theatrical productions were known to have been banned, so new theaters were not built. The only thing that the spectators could count on was the church performances that were played out inside the churches. Over time, the spectators became more and more, so from the 12th century the performances began to be given at the porch. The scenic stage itself was quite long, and the audience could be located along it.

In the 16th century, the Moralite and the Mysteries were forced to move to the street. For this purpose, at the time of presentation, some of its part was fenced. Wealthy citizens had the opportunity to watch the view from the windows and balconies of houses that were located on the same street. Poor citizens and people of the lower class had to find a place on the earth. Most likely, it is from here that the word "partner" comes. From the French "par terre" literally translated "to the ground."

The second birth of the art of building theaters

Theaters began to build anew in Italy only in the era of the early Renaissance. When developing their projects, places were taken into account. The scheme of construction suggested that people near the stage will be occupied by people of lower class. Therefore, in the stalls did not provide an armchair.

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

The first stationary seats appeared in the stalls of the Boston theater. This idea was realized by the architect K. Lida after the French Revolution, which brought democratic ideas to the broad masses. The idea of equality was that the spectators who watched the play in the stalls had the same conveniences as the noblemen in the box.

Theaters in Russia. What did the orchestra mean in Pushkin's time?

In the Russian theaters in the 18th century, too, there were no expensive seats in the stalls. In addition, the places themselves were few - only two rows. In order to use them, they had to prematurely subscribe. This could be done mostly by high-ranking officials. The ground was called empty space, which was fenced off from the seats by a cord.

The seats in the stalls were relatively inexpensive, and they could be afforded by creative people. They were artists, poets, students, who were ready to wait for the presentation for several hours. The fact is that for a performance that was popular, more than a thousand spectators gathered in the orchestra. What it is, a modern fan of theaters is even hard to imagine, because to get comfortable places, the young people came three hours before the show. Cheaper places in the stalls were only those that were on the balcony.

In Russia, as, indeed, in Europe, viewers occupied those places that corresponded to them according to their status.

Contemporary stalls. Reviews and viewers viewers

The situation has changed a little in our time. Still very popular with fans of the theater is the stalls. What is it in a modern theater?

Placing seats in the orchestra is parallel to the orchestra's barrier. For the convenience of the viewers, they are separated by walkways that lead to the exits from the hall. Better visibility is provided by raising the level of the floor from the first rows to the last. According to most viewers, the best in the stalls are the central seats of the seventh row. They provide a maximum review of the performance and better acoustics, which allows you to perceive the idea more holistically.