I will never forget my first visit to the Bolshoy Theatre. It was ages ago, but this stands out in my memory quite vividly. My mother bought two advance tickets for a matinee performance of the ballet "Sleeping Beauty" by Tchaikovsky. We came to the theatre long before the performance began. A sign at the entrance of the theatre said "full house". Many people were standing at the entrance of the theatre asking if we had an extra ticket. We left our coats in the cloakroom and bought a programme from the usher to see what the cast was. I remember we were glad to see that Ulanova was dancing the main part. When we came into the hall the orchestra were tuning in their instruments. We found our seats which were in the stalls and went exploring the theatre. My mother showed me the boxes, the pit, the dress-circle and balconies. At 12 sharp the lights went down. The conductor appeared and the overture began. After the overture the curtain went up. I was in raptures over what I saw on the stage. I had never seen anything more wonderful. The scenery and the dancing were superb. The ballet seemed to me a fairy tale. When the last curtain fell, the house burst into applause. I applauded so much, that my hands ached. The cries for encore sounded all over the theatre. The dancers got many curtain calls and were given many flowers. The performance was a great success with the public. It was one of my brightest memories.
