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Video: 6 masterpieces of the BDT that captivated audiences and critics
2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55
More than a hundred years ago, the Bolshoi Drama Theater opened its doors. The initiator of its creation was Maxim Gorky, the first chairman was Alexander Blok, but the heyday of the theater began with the arrival of Georgy Tovstonogov at the BDT. On the renowned stage, many performances were staged, in which the best actors were involved. However, some productions can be called truly masterpieces of theatrical art, and it is about them that will be discussed in our today's review.
Five evenings
On March 6, 1959, the BDT premiered the play "Five Evenings" based on the play by Alexander Volodin, where Zinaida Sharko, Efim Kopelyan, Kirill Lavrov and Lyudmila Makarova played. Theater critic and theater historian Anatoly Smelyansky wrote that it was this production that elevated the BDT to the rank of the first stage of the Soviet Union, and after the premiere, Georgy Tovstonogov was called one of the best directors.
A simple, in general, story about the meeting of two old acquaintances and the feelings that flared up between them in the interpretation of Georgy Tovstonogov acquired a historical sound, filled with a special meaning and became a symbol of the Khrushchev thaw. Residents of the capital specially went to Leningrad to watch "Five Evenings".
After the first reading of the play, Georgy Tovstonogov promised Alexander Volodin "to stage magic" and kept his word. After the BDT "Five Evenings" was staged in many theaters of the country, but it is Tovstonogov's production that remains the standard of historical accuracy, timeliness and poetry.
Horse Story
In November 1975, the BDT premiered a play based on the story "Kholstomer" by Leo Tolstoy, staged by Mark Rozovsky with Yevgeny Lebedev in the title role. Georgy Tovstonogov managed to show the power of the author's thought, as well as the inconsistency of human nature, the very essence of the nature of people, the desire for goodness and compassion as opposed to the laws of the herd. Undoubtedly, an outstanding role in the creation of the masterpiece was played not only by the director Georgy Tovstonogov, but also by Evgeny Lebedev as Kholstomer.
Barbarians
This performance appeared in the repertoire of the BDT in 1959 after criticism of the theater, which at that time was named after Maxim Gorky, but at the same time did not stage a play by the Soviet writer and initiator of the BDT. Georgy Tovstonogov staged the play "The Barbarians" on the occasion of the fortieth anniversary of the BDT.
Pavel Luspekaev and Tatiana Doronina, Zinaida Sharko and Evgeny Lebedev, Elena Nemchenko, Vladislav Strzhelchik and other famous actors played in "Barbarians". The performance caused controversial reviews and even controversy among critics and spectators, nevertheless becoming one of the best in the history of the BDT.
Moron
The play based on the novel by Fyodor Dostoevsky was staged at the BDT in two versions: in 1957 and in 1966. In both cases, Prince Myshkin was played by Innokenty Smoktunovsky, although initially Georgy Tovstonogov appointed Panteleimon Krymov to this role. The actor allowed himself to be late for the very first rehearsal and was fired, since this was far from the first case of indiscipline.
The well-known work of Dostoevsky, as read by Georgy Tovstonogov, received a new sound, since he turned not to the problem of the power of money, but to the human qualities of Prince Myshkin,which, with its purity, can make the people around them change for the better. For many, Georgy Tovstonogov's production was a real shock, and Innokenty Smoktunovsky was elevated to the rank of genius.
Khanuma
The premiere of the play "Khanuma" based on the play by Avksentiy Tsagareli took place on December 30, 1972. And from that moment on, over the years, the play went on with constant success and was shown on the stage of the BDT more than 300 times. The text of the play, written back in 1882, was revised by Georgy Tovstonogov by inviting the most famous comedians of that time Vladimir Konstantinov and Boris Ratser. At the same time, Tovstonogov not only took an active part in creating a new version of the text of the play, but also read the poems of Grigory Orbeliani in the play.
Georgian flavor, amazing music, talented acting - all this made "Khanuma" one of the most popular BDT performances in its entire history. Unfortunately, the production left the stage due to the fact that it was simply impossible to replace the actors who played in the performance.
Uncle's Dream
On May 10, 2008, the premiere of the play "Uncle's Dream" staged by Temur Chkheidze took place at the BDT. Already in 2009, Oleg Basilashvili received the Golden Mask award for the role of Prince K. In the interpretation of Temur Chkheidze, the performance turned out to be both comic and tragic, and the brilliant play of the performers of the main roles Oleg Basilashvili and Alisa Freindlich elevates the production to the rank of a real masterpiece.
Well-known actors of the Soviet era began working in the theater in the last century, but today they remain vigorous and creative. Even if now they do not appear on the theatrical stage as often as in their youth, this only makes every performance with their participation more valuable. In what theaters and performances can you see the idols of the past today?
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