By order of Catherine the Great in the 18th century, the first small Hermitage Theatre was established on the grounds of the Winter Palace. Originally, it was intended for performances exclusively for the Empress herself and the members of the court.
The architect Giacomo Quarenghi designed the theatre in a classical style, with every detail carefully considered. Its excellent acoustics and the ability to see the stage clearly from any seat without binoculars made it one of the most sought-after theatres of its time.
The theatre’s intimate scale (with a total capacity of just 230 seats), the proportions of the hall, and the arrangement of the audience rows all reflect its original purpose. It was built as a court theatre for the imperial family and selected members of the palace nobility. The auditorium itself—the main space of the theatre—is distinguished by its elegance and the magnificence of its decoration and interior design.
The deep amphitheatre of the auditorium, conceived according to classical principles, harmoniously aligns with rows of marble half-columns framing the semicircular hall. In front of the stage is an open orchestra pit, separated from the hall by a balustrade. The geometric proportions of the auditorium and the depth of the stage are unparalleled. Every detail of the performance is clearly visible from any seat.
The first performance, at the end of the 1770s, was the opera The Miller, the Sorcerer, the Cheat, and the Matchmaker, with music by M. Sokolovsky and a libretto by A. Ablesimov. The theatre became a home and creative space for many masters of theatrical art, who were recognized as the best of their time.