An evening at the Bolshoi is still one of Moscow’s most romantic and entertaining options for a night on the town. The glittering six-tier auditorium has an electric atmosphere, evoking over 240 years of premier music and dance. Both the ballet and opera companies perform a range of Russian and foreign works here.
After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Bolshoi was marred by politics, scandal and frequent turnover. Nevertheless, it has been churning out splendid and daringly experimental performances at an astonishing pace. In the last decade, it also underwent a thorough renovation and almost doubled its audience capacity with the New Stage (Novaya Stsena) added in an adjacent building. The latter can't boast the same magnificent setting, but if you're focused on the performance, then your experience will be just as great while tickets are easier to come by. Tickets are best purchased on the website, well in advance.