Martynov A.E., (1816-1860), actor

Categories / Art/Music, Theatre/Personalia
MARTYNOV Alexander Evstafievich (1816, St. Petersburg - 1860), actor. Graduated from the Petersburg Drama School in 1835 (studied ballet under Ch. Didelot, scenic designer under А. Canoppi, drama under P.A. Karatygin). In 1835-36, he was a lived at the school. In 1836-60, he was a principal actor at the Alexandrinsky Theatre. Acted mainly in vaudevilles, proving himself as a virtuoso of dramatic identity, introducing a new standard of authenticity and simplicity on the Russian stage. A.I. Herzen characterised him as "the first non-theatrical actor in theatre." Founder of dramatic comic acting, his work tended to justify the "small man." Psychological profoundness of interpretation and the complicated nature of Martynov's acting contributed to an expanded spectrum of genre-characters, from vaudeville and satirical characters to thoroughly dramatic roles. Martynov's best-performed roles include Sinichkin (Lev Gurych Sinichkin by D.T. Lensky, 1840), Ikharev (The Gamblers, 1843), Podkolesin (The Marriage, 1842), Khlestakov (1843), Osip (1851) in The Inspector General by N.V. Gogol, Mitrofan in The Miner (1836), Councillor in The Brigadier (1859) by D.I. Fonvizin, Rasplyuev (The Marriage of Krechinsky by A.V. Sukhovo-Kobylin, 1856), and Mikhailo (Ill-Gotten Gains Never Prosper by A.A. Potekhin, 1855). From the foreign repertoire, he preferred to act in plays by J.B. Moliere. The final period of his creative life concentrated on dramas by I.S. Turgenev and A.N. Ostrovsky: Moshkin (The Bachelor, 1859), Korshunov (Poverty is no Crime, 1854), Balzaminov (The Holiday Dream Before Dinner, 1857), Tikhon (The Storm, 1859), and others. He died in Kharkov on his way to St. Petersburg, was buried at Smolenskoe Cemetery, and in 1936 his remains were transferred to the Necropolis of the Maters of Arts with a new monument placed on his grave.

Reference: Золотницкая Т. Д. Александр Евстафьевич Мартынов. Л., 1988.

A. A. Kirillov. Canoppi Antonio
Didelot Charles Louis Frederic
Fonvizin Denis Ivanovich
Gogol Nikolay Vasilievich
Herzen Alexander Ivanovich
Karatygin Peter Andreevich
Lensky (born Vorobyev) Dmitry Timofeevich
Martynov Alexander Evstafievich
Moliere Jean-Baptiste
Ostrovsky Alexander Nikolaevich
Potekhin Alexander Antipovich
Sukhovo-Kobylin Alexander Vasilievich
Turgenev Ivan Sergeevich
Золотницкая Т. Д. Александр Евстафьевич Мартынов. Л., 1988 Theatre College
Alexandrinsky Theatre
Necropolis of Artists