УДК: 821.161.1-2+792.2(497

DOI: 10.35852/2588-0144-2024-1-59-69

EDN: FCJPWB

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Viktor I. Kosik

Dr. Sc. in History, Leading Researcher, Department of the History of Slavic Peoples in Southeastern Europe in Modern Times
Institute of Slavic Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences
Moscow, Russia
E-mail: kosikviktor@mai.ru

Alexander Ostrovsky on the Balkan Stage

Abstract

The text highlights Ostrovsky's dramaturgy on the Balkan stages in the twentieth century performed by Russian actors: from the first Russian troupes that played in pre-revolutionary Russia to the plays staged in the second half of the century. Information is consistently provided about Ostrovsky's plays in Bulgaria, the role and significance of Nikolay Osipovich Massalitinov, director and actor in the world of Ostrovsky's dramas. The line of Bulgarian criticism of Ostrovsky's plays is outlined. Its biased opinion is concentrated on the lack of sociality. It is emphasized that for the Russian audience Ostrovsky's plays were required by the exiles themselves. Theatre for them became not only an entertainment, a departure into the past, but also a kind of exciter of thoughts and feelings. The Russian theatre was perceived with all its “shortcomings” as a kind of magical window that allowed anyone to find himself back to the Homeland. At the same time, the text contains notes about Massalitinov, difficulties in relationships with the authorities of the new Bulgaria and the USSR. The article deals with the relation to Ostrovsky's play in the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, primarily in Serbia, on various stages — from the main theatre of the country in Belgrade to the Russian stages in various cities and centers of the Kingdom. It helps to understand the importance of the Russian playwright’s texts in the emigrant environment, as well as their influence on the process of forming a special attitude towards Russian literature in these countries. The characteristics is given to the Russian actors (A. Khrapovitskaya, V. Grech, P. Pavlov) and the work of directors (Yu. Rakitin, A. Cherepov, I. Chernyavsky). There is also marked the importance of those art representatives who made a lot for staging Ostrovsky’s plays along with the tendentious criticism of V. Grech and P. Pavlov performances. The phenomenon of the prevalence of Ostrovsky's plays is shown basing on their stage productions in Slovenia.

Keywords

A.N. Ostrovsky, Balkan theatre, Massalitinov, Rakitin.

For citation

Kosik V.I. Alexander Ostrovsky on the Balkan Stage. Theatre. Fine Arts. Cinema. Music. 2024, no. 1, pp. 59–69.

DOI: 10.35852/2588-0144-2024-1-59-69

EDN FCJPWB

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Received: 10.12.2023

Revised: 29.01.2024

Accepted: 15.02.2024