Volkov Russian State Academic Theatre (Russian: Российский театр драмы имени Ф. Волкова) is the oldest drama theatre in Russia.

Venue: Volkov Russian State Academic Theatre
Town: Yaroslavl, RU

Volkov Russian State Academic Theatre (Russian: Российский театр драмы имени Ф. Волкова) is the oldest drama theatre in Russia. It was founded in 1756. The building is located in the centre of Yaroslavl at 1 Volkov Square. The history of the Volkov Theatre goes back to a tannery, where, according to legend, two and a half centuries ago the young son of a Kostroma merchant, Fyodor Grigoryevich Volkov, began to stage theatrical performances in Yaroslavl with his brothers and friends. The first of these took place on July 10, 1750, in the tannery of Fyodor's stepfather, the merchant Polushkin - it was Jean Racine's Esther, translated by Fyodor Volkov. A special theatre building ("theatrical chamber") opened on Nikolskaya Street on January 7, 1751, with A. P. Sumarokov's tragedy Khorev, costumes and scenery were made; a permanent repertoire was formed. Word of the young Yaroslavl people reached Empress Elizabeth Petrovna, who in January 1752 summoned them to Saint Petersburg by a special decree. Since then, the founder of the theatre never returned to Yaroslavl. After Volkov left for Saint Petersburg in 1752, the Yaroslavl Theatre he had founded continued its activities. The theatre was managed by Fyodor's brothers, Alexei and Gavriil, but apparently financial reasons and the lack of organizational talent did not allow the brothers to consolidate the work started by Fyodor. Since 1756, the theatre ceased to exist. The theatre building has not survived, apparently becoming a victim of a large city fire. In 1909, a competition was announced for the best design for a new theater building; the competition was won by architect Nikolai Spirin (with a design entitled "Dancing in a Circle" in imitation of the Gilardi Pavilion in Kuzminki). The building was constructed in 1911, and the Volkov Theater is still located there today. That same year, the theater was named after Volkov. In October 1918, the theater was municipalized. During the Soviet era, the Volkov Theater also gain