Volkov F.G., (1729-1763), actor

Categories / Art/Music, Theatre/Personalia
VOLKOV Fedor Grigorievich (1729-1763), actor, theatre worker. In 1754-56, studied at the Infantry Cadet Corps. In the 1740s, he established the first private theatre in Yaroslavl, which in 1750 became the resident public theatre. A portion of that troupe came to Saint Petersburg in 1752 following the decree of Elizaveta Petrovna and formed the basis of the first Russian professional public theatre (see: Russian Theatre for Comedy and Tragedy Performances). In St. Petersburg, he appeared mainly in plays by A.P. Sumarokov as the main tragic actor, playing American/ Indian in The Refuge of Virtue, Oskold in Semir, and Mars in the prologue from New Laurels; he is also likely to have played Khorev in Khorev, Truvor in Sinava and Truvor, Yaropolk in Yaropolk and Dimiz, Hamlet and other parts. He performed brilliantly in comedies. Contemporaries characterised Volkov's acting as having a "violent" temperament, and an inspired tone for verse poetry. Volkov's gift was enriched by Classicist aesthetic elements adopted during his Petersburg period. From 1761, after Sumarokov's resignation, he headed the Russian Court Troupe. He composed verse, painted and created sculpture, played many musical instruments, and knew several foreign languages. Took part in Emperor Peter III's dethronement, for which he was granted the title of nobility in 1762. For Empress Catherine II's coronation in Moscow (1763), he prepared a 3-day long street carnival, Triumphant Minerva, during which he caught a cold from which shortly he died.

References: Ф. Г. Волков и русский театр его времени: Сб. материалов. М., 1953; Старикова Л. М. Театр в России XVIII века: Опыт док. исслед. М., 1997.

A. A. Kirillov. Catherine II, Empress
Elizaveta Petrovna, Empress
Peter III, Emperor
Sumarokov Alexander Petrovich
Volkov Fedor Grigorievich
Ф. Г. Волков и русский театр его времени: Сб. материалов. М., 1953
Старикова Л. М. Театр в России XVIII века: Опыт док. исслед. М., 1997 Russian Theatre for Tragedy and Comedy
1752