Tovstonogov Bolshoy Drama Theatre

Categories / Art/Music, Theatre/Theaters, Concert Organizations
TOVSTONOGOV BOLSHOY DRAMA THEATRE (BDT), academic theater located at 65 Fontanka Embankment, founded in 1919 by the joint effort of A.A. Blok (director), M. Gorky (in 1932-92 bore his name) and M.F. Andreeva, serving as a theatre for classic repertoire, staging mainly plays by W. Shakespeare and F. Schiller. Initially it was housed on the premises of the Grand Hall of Petrograd Conservatory, and in 1920 it was relocated to the present building. The first important BDT personnel included actors Y.M. Yuryev, N.F. Monakhov, V.V. Maximov, and V.Y. Sofronov, directors A.N. Lavrentyev, N.V. Petrov, and B.M. Sushkevich, set designers V.A. Shchuko, M.V. Dobuzhinsky, and A.N. Benois, and composers B.V. Asafyev and Y.A. Shaporin. Early productions exhibited both the eclecticism of the BDT's repertoire and its adherence to form of heroic performance. In the early 1920s, the BDT turned to modern drama, passing through a phase of dramatic expressionism (exemplified by Gas by G. Keiser, 1922, The Revolt of the Machines by A.N. Tolstoy, 1924, director K.P. Khokhlov, artist Y.P. Annenkov), enthusiasm for the "cinemafication" of the theatre (like Man with the Briefcase by A.M. Faiko, 1928, director K.K. Tverskoy, set designer M.Z. Levin; and Enemies by B.A. Lavrenev, 1929, director Lavrentyev, set designer N.P. Akimov), and other formal experiments. Tverskoy, the BDT's main director in 1929-35, finally reoriented the theatre towards the staging of straightforward modern drama (The Conspiracy of Feelings by Y.K. Olesha, The Town of Winds by V.M. Kirshon, 1929; Sonata Pathetique by M. Kulish, 1931; Egor Bulychov and others by Gorky, My Friend by N.F. Pogodin, 1932). Some of the people working at the BDT in the 1930s included directors V.V. Lutze, A.D. Diky (main director in 1936-37), and B.A. Babochkin (main director in 1938-40), and actors O.G. Kaziko, K.V. Skorobogatov, V.P. Politseimako, E.M. Granovskaya. In 1941-43, the theatre was evacuated to Kirov (Vyatka). In the 1940-50s, despite a crisis in direction, G.M. Kozintsev, V.P. Kozhich, N.S. Rashevskaya (main director in 1946-50) and K.P. Khokhlov (main director in 1954-56) managed to stage plays at the BDT. The BDT's golden age came during the period of G.A. Tovstonogov's direction (1956-89), who harmoniously presented topical interpretations of classics and universalized modern drama and prose. The most significant of Tovstonogov's productions are The Idiot, based on F.M. Dostoevsky's novel (1957), Five Evenings (1959) and My Elder Sister (1961) by A.M. Volodin, Woe from Wit by A.S. Griboedov (1962), Three Sisters by A.P. Chekhov (1965), Henry IV by Shakespeare (1969), A History of a Horse based on L.N. Tolstoy's Kholstomer (1975), Barbarians (1959), Petit-Bourgeois (1966), Dachniki (1976), The Lower Depths (1987) by Gorky. Tovstonogov developed a brilliant ensemble of outstanding actors including E.Z. Kopelyan, E.A. Lebedev, I.M. Smoktunovsky, T.V. Doronina, P.B. Luspekaev, S.Y. Yursky, O.I. Borisov, N.N. Trofimov, O.V. Basilashvili, Z.M. Sharko, K.Y. Lavrov, O.V. Volkova, L.I. Makarova, E.A. Popova, V.I. Strzhelchik, A.B. Freindlikh, L.I. Malevannaya, Y.V. Tolubeev, G.P. Bogachev, and V.M. Ivchenko, all united by a common psychological artistic method. In 1964 the BDT was granted the status of an Academic theatre. E.S. Kochergin, the theatre's main designer since 1972, became Tovstonogov's co-creator for many of the latter's productions. A special page of the BDT history is devoted to the productions of Polish director E. Axer, whom Tovstonogov invited to work at the theatre (The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui by B. Brecht, 1962; Two Theatres by E. Szaniawski, 1969; Our Town by T. Wilder, 1979). In 1992, the BDT was named after G.A. Tovstonogov (memorial plaque installed), who was followed by K.Y. Lavrov. Director T.N. Chkheidze has worked at the BDT since 1991, and the theatre continued to regularly invite young directors such as G.M. Kozlov, G.I. Dityatkovsky. The theatre building, which boasts elements of Baroque and Renaissance styles, was built by Count A.S. Apraksin (1878, architect L.F. Fontana) and leased to the Imperial Theatres Board as the second stage for performances from the Alexandrinsky Theatre, holding the name Maly Theatre, Imperial Maly Theatre, Apraksinsky Theatre). In the 1880-90s, the theatre was rented by various impresarios for dramas and operettas, mainly guest performances. E.N. Goreva, M.T. Ivanov-Kozelsky, E. Rossi, E. Duse, S. Bernhardt, J. Mounet-Sully and other actors gave performances on its stage. In 1895-1917 the building housed the theatre of the Literary Artistic Society, in 1918-20 the Jewish Chamber Theatre-Studio, and in 1919-20 the Maly Drama Theatre. Its main hall seats 1,114 people, its small hall 123.

References: БДТ им. М. Горького: Вехи истории: Сб. науч. тр. СПб., 1992; Премьеры Товстоногова / Сост. Е. Горфункель. М., 1994.

A. A. Kirillov. Akimov Nikolay Pavlovich
Andreeva (real name Yurkovskaya) Maria Fedorovna
Annenkov Yury Pavlovich
Apraksin Anton Stepanovich, Count
Asafyev Boris Vladimirovich
Axer Erwin
Babochkin Boris Andreevich
Basilashvili Oleg Valerianovich
Benois Alexander Nikolaevich
Bernhardt Sarah
Blok G.P.
Bogachev Gennady Petrovich
Borisov Oleg Ivanovich
Brecht Bertolt
Chekhov Anton Pavlovich
Chkheidze Temur Nodarovich
Diky Alexsey Denisovich
Dityatkovsky Grigory Isaakovich
Dobuzhinsky Mstislav Valerianovich
Doronina Tatyana Vasilievna
Dostoevsky Fedor Mikhailovich
Duse Eleonora
Faiko Alexsey Mikhailovich
Fontana Ludwig Frantsevich
Freindlikh Alisa Brunovna
Goreva Elizaveta Nikolaevna
Gorky Maxim (Alexey Maximovich Peshkov)
Granovskaya Elena Mavrikievna
Griboedov Alexander Sergeevich
Ivanov-Kozelsky Lev Ivanovich
Ivchenko Valery Mikhailovich
Kaziko Olga Georgievna
Keiser Georg
Khokhlov Konstantin Pavlovich
Kirshon Vladimir Mikhailovich
Kopelyan Efim Zakharovich
Kozhich Vladimir Platonovich
Kozintsev Grigory Mikhailovich
Kozlov Ivan Ivanovich
Kulish Mikola (Nikolay Gurievich)
Lavrenev Boris Andreevich
Lavrentyev Andrey Nikolaevich
Lavrov Kirill Yurievich
Lebedev Evgeny Alexeevich
Levin Moisey Zeligovich
Luspekaev Pavel Borisovich
Lutze Vera Vladimirovna
Makarova Lyudmila Iosifovna
Malevannaya Larisa Ivanovna
Maximov (Samus) Vladimir Vasilievich
Monakhov Nikolay Fedorovich
Mounet-Sully Jean
Olesha Yury Karlovich
Petrov Nikolay Vasilievich
Pogodin (real name Stukalov) Nikolay Fedorovich
Politseymako Vitaly Pavlovich
Popova Emilia Anatolievna
Rashevskaya Natalia Sergeevna
Rossi Ernesto
Shakespeare William
Shaporin Yury Alexandrovich
Sharko Zinaida Maximovna
Shchuko Vladimir Alexeevich
Skorobogatov Konstantin Vasilievich
Smoktunovsky (real name Smoktunovich) Innokenty Mikhailovich
Sofronov Vasily Yakovlevich
Strzhelchik Vladislav Ignatievich
Sushkevich Boris Mikhailovich
Szaniawski Jerzy
Tolstoy Alexey Nikolaevich
Tolstoy Lev Nikolaevich, Count
Tolubeev Yury Vladimirovich
Tovstonogov Georgy Alexandrovich
Trofimov Nikolay Nikolaevich
Tverskoy (real name Kuzmin-Karavaev) Konstantin Konstantinovich
Volkova Olga Vladimirovna
Volodin Alexander Moiseevich
Wilder Thornton
Yursky Sergey Yurievich
Yuryev Yury Mikhailovich
Fontanka River Embankment/Saint Petersburg, city, house 65
БДТ им. М. Горького: Вехи истории: Сб. науч. тр. СПб., 1992
Премьеры Товстоногова / Сост. Е. Горфункель. М., 1994 Rimsky-Korsakov Conservatory
Imperial Theatres Board
Alexandrinsky Theatre
Literary and Artistic Society Theatre
Literary and Artistic Society Theatre
Maly Drama Theatre - Theatre of Europe
1879
1919