An agreement to this effect was concluded at Tsarskoye Selo on the sidelines of the XI St. Petersburg International United Cultures Forum by the Gazprom Cultural Initiatives Support Foundation and the Tsarskoye Selo State Museum Reserve. The document was signed in the presence of Alexey Miller, Chairman of the Management Committee of PJSC Gazprom, and the Russian Minister of Culture Olga Lyubimova.
The Chinese Theater, also known in the time of Catherine II as the Stone Opera, was built to a design by architect Antonio Rinaldi from 1777 to 1779. Its large stage made it possible to stage complex ballets and operas, and the auditorium, decorated in a Chinese style, seated more than 350 spectators. At the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, after shelling, the theater burned down and has not been restored since.
The agreement provides for the start of work to restore the Chinese Theater and adapt it for contemporary use.
In addition, in the presence of Alexey Miller and Olga Lyubimova, the Gazprom Cultural Initiatives Support Foundation and the Union of Museums of Russia signed an agreement to create a new cultural and tourist route titled Imperial Ring. It will link renowned imperial residences with modern suburban tourist infrastructure.
Alexey Miller:
"Gazprom and Tsarskoye Selo are connected by many large joint projects. These are unique restoration efforts that revive our historical and cultural heritage and shape new tourist routes.
We now face another ambitious task: restoring the Chinese Theater at Tsarskoye Selo. With this new chapter in our cooperation we continue to heal the famous museum reserve from the wounds of the Great Patriotic War. I am confident that thanks to the expertise of St. Petersburg restorers the project will be carried out at the highest level.
Continuing the company's support for cultural tourism, Gazprom and the Union of Museums of Russia today signed an agreement to create and promote a new cultural and tourist route called the Imperial Ring. The route will unite the history of St Petersburg with its present and future and create new opportunities for the city, its guests and residents."
Olga Lyubimova
"Thanks to the tremendous support of our colleagues at Gazprom, together we have restored the historical appearance of ten halls of the Catherine Palace at Tsarskoye Selo. Our comprehensive cooperation promotes the preservation and development of a unique museum that is part of the country's cultural heritage."