Karl Knipper Theatre


Knipper Theatre, Kniper Theatre or Knieper Theatre was the venue of a German theatrical troupe led by Karl Knipper which performed in Saint Petersburg beginning in 1775, and ending in 1797.

History

The theatre building was converted from a manège, located on the Tsaritsa Meadow near the present-day Tripartite Bridge. From 1770 to 1777 it was occupied by English comedians, until they were replaced with Karl Knipper's German troupe.
In 1779 Knipper signed a contract with the Foundling Home that established the Volny Rossiysky Teatre. As part of this contract the board of trustees of the Saint Petersburg chapter of the Foundling Home sent Knipper 50 of its pupils to instruct and eventually incorporate into spectacles. The composer Vasily Pashkevich was the pupils' music instructor. From 1782 to 1783 the director of the theatre was the well-known Russian actor Ivan Dmitrevsky, who performed at his benefice the famous comedy Nedorosl by Denis Fonvizin. Choreographer Gasparo Angiolini and ballet dancer Francesco Rosetti were briefly dance instructors.
On 12 July 1783 the Imperial Theaters acquired the building and later Knipper's German troupe as well, but the Free Russian Theatre was dissolved. The building was renamed the Gorodskoy Derevyanny Theatre or Maly Theatre. This existed until 1797, when it was dismantled at the demand of Paul I of Russia, because it was obstructing troop manoeuvring during parades.

Repertoire

The repertoire of Knipper's German Theatre included:
The repertoire of the Free Russian Theatre included the following operas: