Sound design in theater art: history and nowadays

In this article the main stages of emergence and development of sound design in theater since ancient times to the present are considered. The sound as the physical phenomenon is considered not only as one of the most important sources of information, but also from the point of view of its psychological and semantic importance in a context of theatrical and scenic performance. The author analyzes emotional and aesthetic value of means of artistic expression in sound design of theatrical performances within historical genesis of the theater art. The article explicates the prerequisites of the establishment of sound engineering as a special type of professional activity in a creative space of the theater, identifies the fundamental aspects for creation of holistic audiovisual performance image. The content of organization and the basic principles of sound designer's activity in conditions of modern theatrical practice are elucidated.