G. A. Tovstonogov Bolshoi Drama Theater (St. Petersburg): history, repertoire. Actors BDT Tovstonogov

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

BDT Tovstonogov opened in February 1919. His repertoire today includes mainly classical works. Most of them are productions with a unique reading.

History

The theater's first performance was F. Schiller's tragedy Don Carlos.

Initially, the BDT was located in the building of the conservatory. In 1920 he received a new building, where he is still. A photo of BDT Tovstonogov is presented in this article.

The first name of the theater is "Special Drama Troupe". The formation of the troupe was carried out by the famous actor N. F. monks. The first artistic director of the BDT was A. A. Block. The ideological inspirer was M. Gorky. The repertoire of that time included works by V. Hugo, F. Schiller, W. Shakespeare, etc.

The twenties of the 20th century were difficult for the theatre. The era has changed. M. Gorky left the country. A. A. died. Block. The theater was left by the chief director A. N. Lavrentiev and artist A. N. Benoit. New people came to take their place, but did not stay long.

A great contribution to the development of the BDT was made by director K. K. Tverskoy - a student of V. E. Meyerhold. He served in the theater of G. Tovstonogov until 1934. Thanks to him, performances based on the plays of contemporary playwrights at that time appeared in the repertoire of the Bolshoi Theater.

Georgy Alexandrovich Tovstonogov came to the theater in 1956. He was already the eleventh leader in a row. With his arrival, a new era began. It was he who created the theater, which has been among the leaders for many decades. Georgy Alexandrovich assembled a unique troupe, which became the best in the country. It included such actors as T. V. Doronina, O. V. Basilashvili, S. Yu. Yursky, L. I. Malevannaya, A. B. Freindlikh, I. M. Smoktunovsky, Z. M. Sharko, V. I. Strzhelchik, L. I. Makarova, O. I. Borisov, E. Z. Kopelyan, P. B. Luspekaev, N. N. Usatova and others. Many of these artists still serve in Tovstonogov's BDT.

In 1964 the theater received the title of Academic.

In 1989, Georgy Aleksandrovich Tovstonogov died. This tragic event was a shock for the theater artists. Almost immediately after the death of the genius, Kirill Lavrov, People's Artist of the USSR, took his place. He was chosen by a collective vote. Kirill Yuryevich put all his will, soul, authority and energy into preserving what was laid down by G. A. Tovstonogov. He invited talented directors to cooperate. The first production, created after the death of Georgy Alexandrovich, was the play "Treachery and Love" by F. Schiller.

In 1992, the BDT was named after G. A. Tovstonogov.

In 2007 T. N. Chkheidze.

Since 2013, the artistic director is A. A. Mighty.

Performances

BDT Tovstonogov repertoire offers its viewers the following:

• "Man" (notes by a psychologist who survived the concentration camp);
• "War and Peace of Tolstoy";
• Gronholm method;
• Uncle's Dream;
• "Christened with Crosses";
• "Inside theatre" (interactive production);
• "Measure for measure";
• "Mary Stuart";
• "Soldier and the Devil" (musical drama);
• "What to do?";
• "Three texts about the war";
• "Cripple of Inishmaan";
• "Quartet";
• "From the life of puppets";
• "Lingering";
• "When I'm small again";
• "Summer of one year";
• "Innkeeper";
• "Player";
• Women's Time;
• "Zholdak dreams: Sense Thieves";
• Bernard Alba House;
• "Vassa Zheleznova";
• "Lady with a dog";
• "Alice";
• "The visible side of life";
• Erendira;
• "Drunk".

2015-2016 season premieres

BDT Tovstonogov has prepared several premieres this theatrical season. These are "War and Peace of Tolstoy", "Baptized with Crosses" and "Player". All three productions are unique and original in their reading.

"Tolstoy's War and Peace" is not an ordinary stage version of the work. The play is a guide to the novel. This is a kind of excursion through some chapters. The performance gives the audiencean opportunity to take a fresh look at the novel and get away from the perception that developed in school years. The director and actors will try to break the stereotypes. The role of the guide is played by Alisa Freindlich.

The play “The Gambler” is a free interpretation of the novel by F. M. Dostoevsky. It's a director's fantasy. Several roles in this performance are played by actress Svetlana Kryuchkova. The production is full of choreographic and musical numbers. The artistic temperament of Svetlana Kryuchkova is very close in spirit to the novel, which is why it was decided to entrust her with several roles at once.

"Christened with Crosses" - that's what the prisoners of the prison-crosses called themselves. They were completely different people. Thieves in law, political prisoners and their children who were in children's prisons or in reception centers. The performance was staged based on the book by Eduard Kochergin, the BDT artist. This is an autobiographical work. Eduard Stepanovich talks about his childhood. He was the son of "enemies of the people" and spent several years in the children's reception center of the NKVD.

Troup

The actors of the BDT im. Tovstonogov. List of artists:

• N. Usatova;
• G. Bogachev;
• D. Vorobyov;
• A. Freundlich;
• E. Yarema;
• Oh. Basilashvili;
• G. Calm;
• S. Kryuchkov;
• N. Alexandrova;
• T. Bedova;
• L. Nevedomskiy;
• B. Reutov;
• I. Botwin;
• M. Ignatov;
• Z. Charcot;
• M. Sandler;
• A. Petrovskaya;
• E. Shvareva;
• B. Tar;
• M. Adashevskaya;
• R. Drums;
• M. Old;
• I. Patrakov;
• S. Stukalov;
• A. Schwartz;
• L. Sapozhnikova;
• S. Mendelssohn;
• K. Razumovskaya;
• I. Vengali and many others.

Nina Usatova

Many actors BDT them. Tovstonogov are known to a wide audience for their numerous film roles. One of these actresses is the magnificent Nina Nikolaevna Usatova. She graduated from the legendary Shchukin Theater School. She came to work in BDT in 1989. Nina Nikolaevna is a laureate of various theatrical awards, she was awarded medals, including "For Services to the Fatherland", and was awarded the title of People's Artist of Russia.

N. Usatova starred in the following films and series:

• "Feat of Odessa";
• "Window to Paris";
• "Fire Shooter";
• "Muslim";
• Next;
• "The Ballad of the Bomber";
• "The cold summer of 1953…";
• "See Paris and die";
• "The Dead Soul Case";
• "Quadrille (dance with exchange of partners)";
• Next 2;
• "Poor Nastya";
• "The Master and Margarita";
• Next 3;
• "Peculiarities of National Policy";
• “Daughters-Mothers”;
• Widow's Steamboat;
• "Legend No. 17";
• "Furtseva. The Legend of Catherine.”

And many other films came out with her participation.

Artistic Director

The post of artistic director of the BDT Tovstonogov in 2013 was taken by Andrey Moguchiy. He was born in Leningrad on November 23, 1961. In 1984 he graduated from the Faculty of Radio Engineering of the Leningrad Institute of Aviation Instrumentation. After another 5 years, there was a faculty of acting and directing at the Institute of Culture. In 1990 Andrey founded his own independent troupe called Formal Theatre, which won Grand Prix at festivals in Edinburgh and Belgrade. From 2003 to 2014, A. Moguchy was the director of the Alexandrinsky Theater.

Where is it and how to get there

In the center of the historical part of St. Petersburg, the main building of Tovstonogov's BDT is located. Its address is the embankment of the Fontanka River, No. 65. The easiest way to get to the theater is by metro. The nearest stations are Sadovaya and Spasskaya.