Director's Box at the Mariinsky Theatre?

[claudialc]

I'm trying to decide which box at the Mariinsky Theatre (old stage) could be permanently allocated to an extremely respected and famous retired ballet dancer, who comes (usually by himself) to watch performances most nights. He's elderly, so something close to the stage where he can see better would be ideal. I don't want to give him the Tsar's box

Comments

[ext_3948950]

Here is the theater plan: https://www.afisha.ru/spb/theatre/hallplan/15878156/. Scene is at the bottom. But the dress circle boxes above the orchestra are not on that plan; the reason is that they are not selling tickets to those; they are reserved to special guests. The box on the right is called "the director's box" (meaning, director of the theater), the one on the left is the one royal family usually occupied (NOT the Tsar's box, surprisingly: from that box one can hear better what's going on on stage, which is crucial for the opera). I'm not sure how it's called - something like "Grand Prince's box" perhaps. Those names are not commonly used, I think.
Not sure if it's relevant to your story, but there is a secret door in the Grand Prince's box that leads behind the curtains. Legend says members of royal family used it to secretly visit their favorite actors (read: lovers). I haven't seen this door, only read about it.
Here is the typical view: http://lamcdn.net/the-village.ru/post_image-image/yl2jjT057xwhljyjkMgx_g.jpg
You are right, dress circle boxes right above the orchestra are of double height. Not sure about the number of seats, but 6 seems to be a reasonable guess.
I doubt that the theater would just give the whole box to one person; however, they can probably give that retired dancer permanent seat in one of those boxes and most of the time he would be there alone. If he sits on the far side from the stage, he would have a nice view without being very noticeable.
Stall circle (you're right, Russians call it "benoire") are, I think, just the regular boxes; you can buy a ticket to that box.

[claudialc]

Thank-you for your great response! Exactly what I needed :)

If anyone else is interested in my question, I found this http://www.ballet-dance.com/200502/articles/Kirov20050129.html which has some more details on the fancy boxes by the stage.

I imagine anyone distinguished enough for these boxes could eat in one of those anterooms during the interval?

[ext_3948950]

Hmm, I vaguely remember entrance to the director's box being from the same corridor as to the other dress circle boxes, not from "orchestra level". If memory serves, there is a separate room behind it, so it's like this:

+----------------+----------+
| | |
Orchestra | director's box room |
| | |
----------+----------------+---- ----+
| | |
| regular box corridor |
| | |
+----------------+ +

But I'm not sure; it's been a while since I've been in that box (and I don't even remember how I got there).

[ext_3948950]

If I remember correctly, that room was completely empty, without even a chair.

[ext_3948950]

It can be that I mistake Mariinsky with some other theater.

[claudialc]

Either way, it's useful, so thank-you :)
It needs to be plausible, rather than perfect!