The design of complex organisms open to the public presupposes a critical and multidisciplinary approach that allows functional, distributional, technical and economic questions to be considered, without losing sight of the aesthetic and perceptive qualities. The Musical Comedy Theatre in Baku, opened on 18 April 2013 after its restoration, began as a centre for the production of theatrical works, with very specific requirements regarding the flexibility of the spaces.
In line with the needs of contemporary theatre, the stage equipment was designed to allow the maximum flexibility of the stage, with the possibility of altering its dimensions according to performance needs and with an effective electrical, automated system for moving the heavy scenery, made in the workshop next to the fly tower.
The hall ensures perfect visibility to all users and, with small movements of the stage, is easily adapted to the different shows presented. The creation of a ‘ridotto’ and other spaces for activities – conference hall, foyer, rehearsal room, workshops, dressmaking workshop etc. – was studied to allow the separation of the flow of visitors from the routes used by state dignitaries and by personnel.
At the express wish of the client, the appearance of the theatre is in eighteenth-century style, following in particular French dictates in the use of stuccoes and gilding and Italian canons in the shape of the hall. The presence of symbols and allegorical figures, conceived with particular attention paid to local culture and sensitivities, introduces the studied European style into the decoration of a non-European theatre.