K. Stanislavsky Russian Drama Theater and the Moscow Cinema

Before us is the Stanislavsky Russian Drama Theater. The theater was opened on November 15, 1937 with the production of a play called Confrontation. The building itself was built in 1929-30 as a Builders’ Club and, believe it or not, the construction was funded by builders themselves: every month they contributed part of their pay for the purposes of Club construction. In 1933 the Builders’ Club came under the control of the Theater of Opera and Ballet. Then a Russian drama theater began to work in the building. In 1938 following Stanislavsky’s death, the idea was born to name the theater after Stanislavsky, Russia’s greatest theater director. Since then the theater has been officially known as the Yerevan Stanislavsky State Russian Drama Theater. On its stage you can see productions in the Russian and Armenian languages.
On the opposite side of the street is the Moscow Cinema – a favorite meeting place for several generations of Yerevanians. The cinema building was built in 1936. The semicircular hall in its central part is joined by two rectangular wings perpendicular to each other which also have viewing halls. There is also a summer hall which is however currently out of operation. In front of the cinema is a square named after Charles Aznavour, France’s great singer of Armenian origin. The square is also where the House of Artists of Armenia and the Signs of Zodiac fountain are located.
In the early 20th century, three temples of worship stood side by side together in this place – the Armenian St. Paul and Peter Church, a Russian Orthodox Church and a mosque. You can safely say that this area personified friendship of the peoples. The Armenian church was built in the fifth or sixth century. In the 16th century, a major earthquake almost totally destroyed the church but it was rebuilt in the 17th century. However, under the Soviet rule all three temples of worship were demolished. Now the Moscow Cinema stands where the Armenian church used to be, the Stanislavsky Theater occupies the place where the Russian church was and the Union of Artists building is located in the place formerly occupied by the mosque.
For several years now an enormous bull and a giant spider have been staying in front of the Moscow Cinema, in Charles Aznavour square. They are made of metal parts found… at a junkyard. In spite of their menacing look, both creatures are very popular with local people and visitors to the city.