Soviet Golden Age
Soviet Golden Age of Theatre
Took place during the better part of the 1920's in the last years of Lenin's life and ending at the start of Stalin's reign when a lot of incredible art came out of the Soviet Union. This was the time when the New Economic Policy was in place.
Alexandra Exter
Well known costume and set designer who worked with Tairov at Kamerny, designed constructivist sets including the famous set for Salome. With Tairov wanted to create "synthetic theatre" which fused text, design, music, etc.
Solomon Mikhoels
Leading Yiddish actor at GOSET. Played Lear in their most well-known production. He was a supporter of Stalin for most of his life but Stalin was antisemitic so he staged a car accident and had him killed. Studied law before becoming an actor.
Yuri Karlovich Olyesha
Novelist and playwright who wrote the plays Three Fat Men, Conspiracy of Feelings and A List of Assets. His novel, Envy, brought him international fame. His writing was banned during his lifetime. He spoke at the All Union Congress of Writers urging artistic freedom. A collection of his works was published during the thaw.
Alexander Dovzhenko
Used nature, provincial life, and visual poetry to uniquely develop his films; films show such unrealistic things as a horse talking or a painting rolling its eyes; director of Arsenal, Zvenigora, Earth, and Shchors.
New Economic Policy (NEP)
Lenin allowed less restrictions in order to boost the economy which led to great freedom for artists. Established a People's Commissariat for Enlightenment and appointed Lunacharsky. He oversaw the arts and pressed for realism. Wanted to do away with subtext to prevent underlying messages
Vakhtangov
1. One of the big Golden Age directors. Known for his style of fantastical realism 2. Studied under Stanislavsky and was his brightest pupil 3. Was given his own Studio at MXAT 4. Stanislavsky sent him to be the AD of the Habimah Theatre when they approached him looking for someone to direct 5. His most well-known directed plays are The Dybbuk and Princess Turandot 6. He died of cancer on opening night of Princess T and never got to see it with an audience
Alexander Tischler
Known for his "fairground booth" sets depicting a play within a play. Designed formalist costumes. Designed GOSET's King Lear.
Kaetaev
Wrote Squaring the Circle (need help filling in the gaps with this one)
Nikolai Okhlopkov
1. Last of the great Golden Age directors. Acted and directed for stage and film. 2. Born in Irkutsk and staged masked spectacles there 3. Acted under Meyerhold 4. His Realistic Theatre was merged with Tairvo's Kamerny and he acted as his watchdog 5. When Stalin died, directed the great "Iron Curtain Hamlet" 6. Became a People's Artist in the USSR which was a great honor
NEP Satire or NEPmen Comeides
Comedies that satirized opportunists. Examples include The Suicide by Erdmann, The Bedbug by Mayakovsky, and Squaring the Circle by Kataev.
The Habimah Theatre
One of the great Jewish theatres during the Golden Age. They produced plays in Hebrew. Vakhtangov was the AD and directed their most popular play, The Dybbuk, which had expressionist makeup but realistic acting. They moved the theatre to Palestine in the mid 20's and escaped the Soviets.
Marc Chagall
Great artist who designed sets and painted drops for GOSET
Les Kurbas
Ukrainian actor, playwright, director and translator. 2. Born into family of actors 3. Opened The Youth Theatre and the Berezil Theatre (avant-garde theatre) 4. At Berezil he worked with designer Meller who designed Nardoni Mulakhii 5. He was removed from Berezil for formalism and arrested and sent to a labor camp 6. He was executed on Stalin's birthday when Stalin demanded the execution of 1,111 prisoners
Joseph Stalin
Succeeded Lenin as leader of the USSR. Launched the 5 Year Plan which included policies on collective farming, heavy industry and imposed standards of art. Fired Lunacharsky for being too progressive. Wanted Socialist Realism in art.
Tairov
1. One of the big Golden Age directors. 2. Acted at Vera Komissarzhevskaya's theatre and was directed there by Meyerhold. 3. Opened Kamerny Theatre in Moscow 4. Used musical rhythms and constructivist sets in his shows. 5. Worked with lots of well known designers including Alexandra Exter 6. Published Notes of a Director 7. He was attacked for formalism and his theatre was forced to merge with the Realistic Theatre and Okhlopkov was ordered to be his watchdog
Nathan Altman
Nathan AltmanI have no notes on this person please help.
Mikhail Bulgakov
1. Great novelist and playwright known for plays Flight, Bliss, and novel The Master and Margarita. 2. Originally studied medicine and served as a doctor for the White Army 3. Wrote propaganda in Moscow to pay his rent 4. Wrote the play Days of the Turbans based on his novel The White Guard and it was produced at MXAT but condemned by the Soviets 5. He was criticized for being what they considered a pre-Bolshevik and any bourgeois style acting was coined "Bulgakovisms" 6. His work was banned from publication and production during his lifetime 7. He wrote Stalin a letter asking to emigrate and Stalin called him back and sent him to work at MXAT as a translator and dramaturg
Sergei Eisenstein
Greatest silent filmmaker of the Golden Age. Also directed plays and designed costumes. Most well-known film - Potemkin (about the mutiny on the Potemkin battleship)
Isaac Babel
Short story writer and playwright. Most famous play was Maya - the title character was the opideme of Bolshevik standards and yet you never see her on stage. Gorky helped to get his work published. He could not conform his writing to Soviet standards. He was arrested and executed.
Alice Koonen
Tairov's wife who acted at the Kamerny Theatre and who used movement and dance in her acting
Moscow Jewish State Theatre (GOSET)
One of the great Jewish theatres of the Golden Age and produced plays in Yiddish. Founded by Granovsky. Solomon Mikhoels was one of their leading actors. Chagall designed sets and painted drops and Tischler designed sets. Most well-known play was King Lear with Mikhoels in title role. The theatre was shut down by Stalin in the late 40's and the staff was executed.
Nikolai Erdmann
Staged the cabaret Moscow from a Point of View and got noticed by Mayakovsky 2. Wrote the play The Mandate and hailed as the new Gogol 3. Wrote The Suicide and Meyerhold rehearsed it for 18 months but it was banned before it could open 4. Arrested because the Soviet's thought The Suicide betrayed their cause 5. Was in a labor camp for 10 years 6. His image was rehabilitated during his lifetime and he went on to write screenplays
Vsevelod Pudovkin
Second best filmmaker of the Golden Age behind Eisenstein. His masterpiece was The End of St. Petersburg
Union of Soviet Writers
Established by the Soviets to influence art. Created the definition of Socialist Realism and declared it as the only approach to art and art criticism.