Rare finely bound souvenir program of the performances in the Imperial Bolshoi Theatre on the occasion of the Holy Coronation, 1896, including presentations of “A Life for the Tsar,” opera (Act 1 and Epilogue), music by Mikhail Glinka, words by Egor Rozen; and “The Pearl,” ballet in one act, libretto and choreography by Marius Petipa with music by Riccardo Drigo. The program features extraordinary chromolithograph illustrations by Andrei Ryabushkin, Elena Samokish-Sudkovskaya, Ivan Petrov-Ropet, Aleksandr Von Gogen and Konstantin Pervukhin and was printed by the Aleksandr Levenson Association and in the Imperial Moscow Theatre printing-house. Such an elaborately produced souvenir program in a such a fine binding would surely only have been presented to the most important guests honored to attend the gala concert at the Bolshoi Theatre.

Upright folio, 42 x 32 cm.  Illustration in blue by Elena Petrovna Samokish-Suskovskaya opposite half title ("Program Of the Solemn Presentation" (vb); Title with date in elaborate framing device (vb); Program (vb); Limitation page (#73 of an unspecified edition) (vb); Program of A Life for the Tsar (6 pp including 5 chromolithographs); Program of The Pearl (8 pp. including 6 chromolithographs and final page listing performers, including the violinist Leopold Auer). In a fine leather binding with raised insignia in black, red, blue and gilt to the front depicting the twin imperial eagles, central shield with the arms of Moscow (St. George slaying the dragon), surrounded by the chain of the order of St. Andrew (patron saint of Russia), each wing with four armorial shields representing formerly independent kingdoms.  Inner front and rear boards with extraordinary gilt decorations, inclunding the monogram with the cyphers of Tsar Nicholas II (NII) and his wife Tsarina Alexandra Feodorvna (A); blue marbled endpages. Binding signed at foot of rear board, "Ashnele Bumorskaya 28 SLE." Scattered light foxing, mostly to the early pages; binding worn and rubbed with small losses to corners and spine extremities, one with a tape repair, else fine.