Title of the article:

DEMYAN BEDNY AND A. Y. TAIROV WORKING ON THE PERFORMANCE OF “BOGATYRI” AT KAMERNY THEATER

Author(s):

Мaksim L. Fedorov

Information about the author/authors

Maksim L. Fedorov — PhD in Philology, Senior Researcher, A. M. Gorky Institute of World Literature of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Povarskaya 25 a, 121069 Moscow, Russia. ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6540-1767. E-mail: maksimfyodorov@yandex.ru

Section

History of Arts

Year

2020

Volume

Vol. 56

Pages

pp. 213–225

Received

December 08, 2019

Date of publication

June 28, 2020

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.37816/2073-9567-2020-56-213-225

Index UDK

7.036 + 821.161.1

Index BBK

85.333(2) + 83.3(2Рос=Руc)

Abstract

In 1936, the play “Bogatyri” was staged at Kamerny Theater, the text of which was written by Demyan Bedny with A.Y. Tairov as the director. Basing on the material of previously unknown archival documents and periodicals the paper restores the details of creative process preceding the production. Tairov, in view of the anniversary of A.P. Borodin, turns to the forgotten opera of the composer and asks Demyan Bedny to change the libretto. On the basis of director's notes and rehearsal diary the author reconstructs the chronicle of the Kamerny Theatre`s work on the production and reveals the performance`s super-task. Drawing on archival documents, the study is to show what purpose the proletarian poet had in mind while changing the forgotten libretto. This production was destined to become one of the brightest episodes of the campaign against formalism unfolded in the country at that time. Upon the performance`s closing the authorities initiated a wide discussion about patriotism and historicity on the Soviet stage. 

Keywords

Demyan Bedny, Tairov, Kamerny Theater, struggle against formalism, archive, theater history, Soviet drama.

References

1 A. V. Rabotniki iskusstv obsuzhdaiut postanovlenie o p'ese “Bogatyri” [Art workers discuss the decree on the play “Heroes”]. Izvestiia, 1936, no 266, p. 4. (In Russian)

2 Bednyi Dem'ian. Gde tsel' zhizni? (Otvet Pole Rybakovoi) [Where is the purpose of life? (Answer to Polya Rybakova) ]. In: Bednyi Dem'ian. Polnoe sobranie sochinenii [Complete works]. Moscow, Leningrad, Gosudarstvennoe izdatel'stvo Publ., 1929. Vol. XIII. 350 p. (In Russian)

3 “Bogatyr'” — A. Borodina [“Bogatyr” — A. Borodina]. In: Pravda, 1934, no 275, p. 6. (In Russian)

4 “Bogatyri” v Kamernom teatre [“Heroes” in the Chamber theater]. Sovetskoe iskusstvo, 1935, no 42, p. 4. (In Russian)

5 “Bogatyri” v Kamernom teatre [“Heroes” in the Chamber theater]. Literaturnaia gazeta, 1936, no 60, p. 5. (In Russian)

6 Golovashenko Iu. A. Rezhisserskoe iskusstvo Tairova [Tairov's directorial art]. Moscow, Iskusstvo Publ., 1970. 352 p. (In Russian)

7 Istoriia na stsene [History on stage]. Teatral'naia dekada, 1936, no 33, p. 2. (In Russian)

8 Lamm P. A. Neizvestnaia operetta Borodina. Novaia postanovka Kamernogo teatra [Unknown operetta by Borodin. New production of the Chamber theater]. In: Vecherniaia Moskva, 1933, no 220, p. 3. (In Russian)

9 Lamm P. A., Popov S. A. “Bogatyri” [“Bogatyrs”]. Sovetskaia muzyka, 1934, no 1, pp. 87–94. (In Russian)

10 Meierkhol'd V. E. Stat'i, pis'ma, rechi, besedy: v 2 ch. [Articles, letters, speeches, interviews: in 2 parts]. Moscow, Iskusstvo Publ., 1968. Part 2 (1917–1939). 643 p. (In Russian)

11 O khudozhnikakh-pachkunakh [About the artists-pachkuny]. In: Pravda, 1936, no 60, p. 3. (In Russian)

12 Tairov A. Ia. Pered razvernutym sezonom [Before the expanded season]. Izvestiia, 1933, no 231, p. 4. (In Russian)

13 Tairov A. Ia. “Bogatyri” v Kamernom teatre [“Heroes” in the Chamber theater]. In: Izvestiia, 1936, no 249, p. 4. (In Russian)

14 Tairov A. Ia. V poiskakh stilia [In search of style]. Teatr i dramaturgiia, 1936, no 4, pp. 201–204. (In Russian)

15 Tairov A. Ia. Zapiski rezhissera [Director's notes]. Moscow, VTO Publ., 1970. 603 p. (In Russian)

16 Khmel'nitskii Iu. O. Iz zapisok aktera tairovskogo teatra [From the notes of an actor of the Tairov`s theater]. Moscow, Izdatel'stvo GITIS Publ., 2004. 211 р. (In Russian)

17 Eventov I. S. Na perekrestke traditsii [At the crossroads of traditions]. Zvezda, 1983, no 4, pp. 174–183. (In Russian)

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