Dmitrevsky I.A., (1736-1821), actor

Categories / Art/Music, Theatre/Personalia
DMITREVSKY (according to 18th century orthography, Dmitrevskoy, real name Narykov) Ivan Afanasievich (1736-1821, St. Petersburg), actor, pedagogue, theatre worker, Member of the Russian Academy (1802). In 1751, graduated from the Rostov Theological Seminary. In 1752, he came to St. Petersburg with F.G. Volkov's troupe, in 1752-56 studied at the Infantry Cadet Corps. From 1756 he was a principle actor at the Russian Theatre for Tragedy and Comedy Performances, and headed the Russian Court Troupe from 1763. The leading figure of Russian drama classics, he performed in various repertoires. "A Follower of French School" (S.P. Zhikharev), who mastered both his acting technique and the art of reciting, Dmitrevsky used logic to create his characters. His best-performed roles were Sinav in Sinav and Truvor, Dimitry in Dimitry the Impostor by A. P. Sumarokov, and Alceste in The Misanthrope by J.B. Moliere. In the 1770-80s, Dmitrevsky was influenced by the Sentimentalism and enriched his acting with a great show of emotion. In 1780-83, he was a pedagogue, actor, director, and head of the Petersburg Free Russian Theatre of K.P. Knipper, where he staged The Minor by D.I. Fonvizin for the first time and played the part of Starodum (1782). By the late 18th century, on account of his advanced age and bad health, he stopped performing but continued working as an inspector and director of the Russian Court Troupe. Founder of the Russian Drama School and a lecturer at the Petersburg Theatre School, Dmitrevsky trained several generations of Russian actors. He translated and adapted almost 50 foreign plays, and visited Paris twice to perfect his artistic technique and find actors for the Petersburg Court French Troupe (1765-66 and 1767-68). He also authored the first History of Russian Theatre (1792 and 1804; manuscripts unpreserved). In 1802-14, he worked for the Russian Academy. Buried at Volkovskoe Orthodox Cemetery; in 1939, his remains and tombstone were moved to the Necropolis of Artists.

References: Всеволодский-Гернгросс В. Н. Иван Афанасьевич Дмитревской. М.; Л., 1945; Старикова Л. М. Театр в России XVIII века: Опыт док. исслед. М., 1997.

A. A. Kirillov. Dmitrevsky (real name Narykov) Ivan Afanasievich
Fonvizin Denis Ivanovich
Knipper Karl P.
Moliere Jean-Baptiste
Sumarokov Alexander Petrovich
Volkov Fedor Grigorievich
Zhikharev Stepan Petrovich
Всеволодский-Гернгросс В. Н. Иван Афанасьевич Дмитревской. М.; Л., 1945
Старикова Л. М. Театр в России XVIII века: Опыт док. исслед. М., 1997 Theatre College
Russian Academy
Necropolis of Artists