2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25
The famous Russian director, writer, playwright and TV presenter Mikhail Levitin recently turned 70 years old. It's hard to believe, as he is still full of strength, energy and new creative plans.
Mikhail Levitin: biography
The future director and writer was born in 1945 in Odessa. At the age of 16, with a little, he came to the capital with the aim of enrolling in a cinematic university, which he managed to do on the first try.
In 1969, Mikhail Levitin graduated from the directing department of GITIS, where he studied at the course of Yuri Zavadsky. He staged his graduation performance at the Taganka Theatre. At the same time, Levitin immediately declared himself as a director who had something to say to the audience, and quickly gained fame among theatergoers. In the next 10 years, he worked actively and fruitfully and managed to stage more than a dozen performances in the capital, Leningrad, Riga and other cities of the former USSR.
In addition, he created the Buffoonery Studio at the Kurchatov Institute and another one that did not have a permanent "residence permit", which included then young artists Leah Akhedzhakova, Svetlana Bragarnik, Vsevolod Abdulov, Olga Ostroumova, Ivan Dykhovichny,Albert Filozov, Mikhail Yanushkevich and Olga Shirokova.
Work in the theater of miniatures
1978 was a turning point for Levitin. He was invited to work in the Moscow Theater of Miniatures. It became Levitin's second home for many years to come. The arrival of a young director dramatically changed the status and direction of this temple of Melpomene, where they began to stage such unusual authors for that time as Yuri Olesha, Isaac Babel, Mikhail Zhvanetsky, Kurt Vonnegut, Gabriel Marquez and others. The audience especially remembered such innovative productions for those times, like Chekhonte in the Hermitage and Kharms! Charms! Shardam! or Clown School.”
As a director, Mikhail Levitin also distinguished himself by being the first to transfer the poetic works and prose of the Oberiuts Alexander Vvedensky, Daniil Kharms and Nikolai Oleinikov to the stage. In 1990, he also initiated the First International Festival and scientific conference dedicated to their work.
In 1987, Levitin became the chief director of the Theater of Miniatures, which was soon renamed the Hermitage and became incredibly popular
Writing activity
In the late 70s, Mikhail Levitin (see photo below) made his debut as a prose writer. His first work, presented to the readers, was a story called "Italian happiness", which was published in the newspaper "Nedelya" in 1979. Currently, Mikhail Levitin is the author of 16 books and a member of such authoritative organizations as the Writers' Union of Russia and the Russian PEN Club. Herepeatedly published in the magazines "Neva", "Youth", "October", "Theatre", "Znamya" and "Questions of the Theatre". Over the years, he was nominated for the Booker Russian Literary Prize for the novels Total Obscenity (1994), Plutodrama and Murderers - You are Fools (1995), Brother and Benefactor (2005).
Mikhail Levitin is also known as a talented playwright, and his plays “I'm shooting Pied Piper”, “Psycho and Small Things” and others are included in the repertoire of the Hermitage Theater.
Television work
In the period from 2011 to 2013, Levitin's author's programs were broadcast on the Kultura channel under the titles "… And Others", "Happy Generation", "Under the Sky of the Theatre", etc. They were dedicated to the life and work of famous actors, playwrights and directors past and present, as well as the fate of their most significant works.
Mikhail Levitin: personal life
In one of his interviews, the director admitted that even as a child he was outraged by the whims of his mother and her unfair reproaches against his beloved father. In his opinion, this left a serious imprint on his relationship with the opposite sex. At the same time, Mikhail Levitin, whose personal life has always been the subject of gossip, has been considered a real Don Juan since his early youth to this day, and he is credited with novels with at least a dozen actresses. He does not hide the fact that he is in love, but does not tolerate the invasion of his personal space. Nevertheless, Mikhail Levitin was married three times. His marriage to the famous actress and one of the most beautiful women of the Soviet Union - Olga Ostroumova- lasted 17 years. Moreover, they signed only after 6 years of a serious relationship. Ostroumova bore him a son, Mikhail, and a daughter, Olga. They bear the surname of their father and gave him three grandchildren - Zakhara, Polina and Faina.
In addition to children from Ostroumova, who herself asked him for a divorce due to frequent betrayals, Levitin has another child.
The director claims that with age he understood the absurdity of such a phenomenon as marriage, and today he values \u200b\u200bpersonal freedom above all else.
Mikhail Levitin Awards
In 1991, the director was awarded the honorary title of Honored Artist of the RSFSR, and three years later - People's Artist of Russia. In addition, Mikhail Levitin was awarded the Order of Honor in 2006.
Now you know some details of the biography of Mikhail Levitin, who, despite his age, promises to surprise the viewer with interesting productions, prose and dramatic works for more than one year.
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