Moscow theater "Sovremennik". Yesterday and today

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

Moscow theater "Sovremennik" is famous from the first days of its creation. This is a unique school of life for actors and spectators. Only topical psychological issues are solved in theater performances. By visiting Sovremennik, connoisseurs of theatrical art will be able to see the classical school of acting on the stage. From the very first performance, the theater lives up to its name. The basis of the repertoire is the productions of contemporary authors.

History of the Sovremennik Theater

The Moscow Sovremennik Theater was founded in 1956. It was a difficult time in the country's history. In the post-war years, after the Stalin cult was exposed, it became the first theater that managed to succeed as an artistic group that united like-minded actors.

The first actors of the theater "Sovremennik" - graduates of the school-studioMoscow Art Theater Oleg Efremov, Igor Kvasha, Galina Volchek, Evgeny Evstigneev, Oleg Tabakov. The debut performance was staged based on Viktor Rozov's play "Forever Alive". The audience and critics immediately noted an unusually strong cast. For the first time, life's problems, hopes and sorrows began to be discussed on stage. The feelings they played and lived through in the performances were clear to every person in the auditorium.

Oleg Nikolaevich Efremov became the first artistic director of the theatre. The talented actor graduated from the Moscow Art Theater in 1949. His teachers were Kedrov and Toporkov, students of the great K. S. Stanislavsky. Oleg Efremov possessed all leadership qualities and was a good leader who listened to the opinions of colleagues, welcomed independent work and motivated actors to direct.

By the end of the 60s, the theater was famous for its talented team and rich repertoire. The troupe toured a lot around the country, and in every city that "Sovremennik" came to, the auditoriums were packed.

Crisis in the theater

In 1970, a crisis suddenly hit the theater. This was due to the departure of artistic director Oleg Efremov. He was invited to head the Moscow Art Theater, and some of the leading actors left the theater with him. A split happened. The Moscow theater "Sovremennik" was left without a leader and main artists. Many critics predicted an early end for him.

In 1972, the troupe was headed by Galina Volchek. Despite all the difficulties, the theater survived and did not close. Reestablishthe repertoire was difficult, but new talented actors came to the troupe, such as Marina Neelova, Liya Akhedzhakova and others, who became part of the main cast. In order to revive the theater, Galina Volchek puts on new performances, discovers unknown names, invites talented authors and directors to cooperate. She also draws attention to foreign literature. In new productions, the theater remains true to its principles - it continues to speak to the public in modern language.

The cast of the theater

From the beginning of the founding of Sovremennik, the troupe consisted of young and talented actors. Many of them combined work in the theater and acted in films. Today's team consists of wonderful artists of several generations. Their names are known not only in Russia, but also in other countries, since the theater tours a lot around the world.

The older generation of actors is represented by Valentin Gaft, Leah Akhedzhakova, Marina Neelova. The next generation is represented by Elena Yakovleva, Sergey Garmash, Mikhail Zhigalov. Talented youth - Chulpan Khamatova, Olga Drozdova and other actors known to the modern audience - also please the audience and remain faithful to Sovremennik. The main symbol and pearl of the theater is the incomparable Galina Volchek, who was able to raise the theater in difficult times and gather within its walls not just wonderful actors, but a team of like-minded colleagues. All actors of the Sovremennik Theater are devoted to their work and to the audience.

Theater performances"Contemporary"

The basis of the theater repertoire has always been and remains the work of contemporary authors. A feature of "Contemporary" is the ability to make world classics relevant. Galina Volchek managed to stage new versions of performances by A. Chekhov, L. Andreev, N. Gogol, F. Dostoevsky, W. Shakespeare, G. Ibsen. The repertoire of the Sovremennik Theater has never been divided into domestic and foreign performances. The directors paid a lot of attention to foreign authors such as Hemingway, Remarque, Tennessee Williams and many others.

The Moscow Sovremennik Theater is a favorite place for young people and intellectuals. For more than 50 years, the talented troupe has been delighting the audience with excellent acting skills and magnificent productions.