Actor’s House 
1. Amvrosiy Buchma 2. Karaite Kenesa of 1900’s 3. Karaite Kenesa in Kiev, draftsman – Vladislav Gorodetskiy
Address: 7, Yaroslaviv Val Str., Kiev
Phone: +38044 235-82-47, 235-20-81
Website: http://www.actorhall.com.ua/
From the historical and architectural side “Actor’s House” is one of the most interesting concert halls of the capital. It is situated in the building of former Karaite Kenesa – synagogue for Karaite people. Kenesa was constructed by great Kiev architect V.Gorodetskiy, it is one of the remarkable monuments of architecture and artwork in Kiev.
This building is easy to notice – unusual architecture attracts at least for a moment the looks of everybody, even of those who hurries on by capital street Yaroslaviv Val for many years. Karaite synagogue was constructed on funds of “tobacco kings” of South-Western land (the name of Ukraine during tsarist times) Solomon and Moisei Kogen in 1990.
V. Gorodetskiy decided to use in this building Mauritanian motives. Here’s an extract from the last prerevolutionary Kiev guide of 1917:“Karaite synagogue is refined, but a little bit sombre, decorated on the outside with sculptural fantastic patterns and characters in Mauritanian style. Its doors and windows are rounded resembling horseshoe”. The interior design of Kenesa was created by partner of Gorodetskiy, sculptor Elio Sala, who showed again his consummate mastery.
Bolsheviks handed over the Kenesa to educational institutions, that’s what saved its unique interiors. During the German occupation it has become, unexpectedly, a place for Roman Catholic services. In a post-war period the Puppet Theatre functioned there and afterwards – cinema. Unfortunately, during Soviet regime a part of architectural details of the building was lost – in the first place, cupola, which was giving it a unique “Eastern aura”. The outward design of the building is slowly ruining because of time and exhaust gases. Under the influence of gas-laden atmosphere and repeated painting its color changed to dark, though in the first few decades it had much more brighter tint. One can see that on the side wall of the building.
The “Actor’s House” was founded in 1948 as a cultural institution of Ukrainian Theatrical Community, the predecessor of the Union of theatrical workers of Ukraine. It has “settled” in Kenesa in 1981.
Now the former prayer house is a comfortable concert hall for 200 spectators with perfect acoustics, chamber concert stage, draw curtain and all the necessary sound and lighting facilities.
In “Actor’s House” you can often see the performances and concerts, the presentations of magazines and books, the recitals, the anniversary holidays and benefit performances, the scientific conferences and art exhibitions.
There’s a baby grand “Steinway” on the stage and the piano in the foyer.
The “Actor’s House” is a base for Central Theatrical Library, numbering around 22 thousands examples of the fund.
4. Nataliya Uzhviy 5. Olga Kusenko 6. Patorzhinskiy Ivan Sergeevich
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