Georgy Aleksandrovich Tovstonogov (russian: Георгий Александрович Товстоногов, – 23 May 1989) was a Russian-
Georgian
Georgian may refer to:
Common meanings
* Anything related to, or originating from Georgia (country)
** Georgians, an indigenous Caucasian ethnic group
** Georgian language, a Kartvelian language spoken by Georgians
**Georgian scripts, three scrip ...
theatre director.
He was the leader of the
Gorky Bolshoi Drama Theater which was renamed after him in 1992.
Biography
Georgy Tovstonogov was born in
Tbilisi
Tbilisi ( ; ka, თბილისი ), in some languages still known by its pre-1936 name Tiflis ( ), is the Capital city, capital and the List of cities and towns in Georgia (country), largest city of Georgia (country), Georgia, lying on the ...
(now
Georgia
Georgia most commonly refers to:
* Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia
* Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States
Georgia may also refer to:
Places
Historical states and entities
* Related to the ...
), or in
St. Petersburg
Saint Petersburg ( rus, links=no, Санкт-Петербург, a=Ru-Sankt Peterburg Leningrad Petrograd Piter.ogg, r=Sankt-Peterburg, p=ˈsankt pʲɪtʲɪrˈburk), formerly known as Petrograd (1914–1924) and later Leningrad (1924–1991), i ...
on 28 September 1915, to a Russian noble and a Georgian classical singer Tamara Papitashvili.
In 1938 he graduated from the
State Institute of Theatrical Art
State may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Literature
* ''State Magazine'', a monthly magazine published by the U.S. Department of State
* ''The State'' (newspaper), a daily newspaper in Columbia, South Carolina, United States
* ''Our S ...
in
Moscow
Moscow ( , US chiefly ; rus, links=no, Москва, r=Moskva, p=mɐskˈva, a=Москва.ogg) is the capital and largest city of Russia. The city stands on the Moskva River in Central Russia, with a population estimated at 13.0 million ...
. From 1938 to 1946, he worked as a director in the Tbilisi Griboedov Theater, from 1946 to 1949 in the Central Children's Theater in Moscow, from 1950 to 1956 in the
Leningrad
Saint Petersburg ( rus, links=no, Санкт-Петербург, a=Ru-Sankt Peterburg Leningrad Petrograd Piter.ogg, r=Sankt-Peterburg, p=ˈsankt pʲɪtʲɪrˈburk), formerly known as Petrograd (1914–1924) and later Leningrad (1924–1991), i ...
Leninsky Komsomol Theater, and from 1956 until his death in 1989 in the Bolshoi Academic Gorky Theater. He was a professor at the
since 1960. In 1957 he became a
People's Artist of the USSR
People's Artist of the USSR ( rus, Народный артист СССР, Narodny artist SSSR), also sometimes translated as National Artist of the USSR, was an honorary title granted to artists of the Soviet Union.
Nomenclature and significan ...
. He won the
Stalin Prize Stalin Prize may refer to:
* The State Stalin Prize in science and engineering and in arts, awarded 1941 to 1954, later known as the USSR State Prize
The USSR State Prize (russian: links=no, Государственная премия СССР, ...
thrice (1950, 1952, 1956), and got two
Orders of Lenin
The Order of Lenin (russian: Орден Ленина, Orden Lenina, ), named after the leader of the Russian October Revolution, was established by the Central Executive Committee on April 6, 1930. The order was the highest civilian decoration b ...
and many other Soviet awards. In 1972, he produced the book ''The Profession of the Stage-Director'', which is the best example of his directing style, and in which he shares his honest opinions on
Lee Strasberg
Lee Strasberg (born Israel Strassberg; November 17, 1901 – February 17, 1982) was an American theatre director, actor and acting teacher. He co-founded, with theatre directors Harold Clurman and Cheryl Crawford, the Group Theatre in 1931 ...
and
Konstantin Stanislavsky
Konstantin Sergeyevich Stanislavski ( Alekseyev; russian: Константин Сергеевич Станиславский, p=kənstɐnʲˈtʲin sʲɪrˈgʲejɪvʲɪtɕ stənʲɪˈslafskʲɪj; 7 August 1938) was a seminal Russian Soviet Fe ...
. On 1985 the International Theatre Institute invited Tovstonogov to teach Stanislavski Method for international actors, Juan Furest from Spain and José Antonio Rodríguez from Cuba. On May 23, 1989, Tovstonogov died of
heart attack
A myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when blood flow decreases or stops to the coronary artery of the heart, causing damage to the heart muscle. The most common symptom is chest pain or discomfort which may tr ...
in his car returning home after general rehearsal of his new production ''
The Visit'' by
Friedrich Dürrenmatt
Friedrich Dürrenmatt (; 5 January 1921 – 14 December 1990) was a Swiss author and dramatist. He was a proponent of epic theatre whose plays reflected the recent experiences of World War II. The politically active author's work included avant-g ...
.
Main works
Tovstonogov was the first who returned
Fyodor Dostoevsky
Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky (, ; rus, Фёдор Михайлович Достоевский, Fyódor Mikháylovich Dostoyévskiy, p=ˈfʲɵdər mʲɪˈxajləvʲɪdʑ dəstɐˈjefskʲɪj, a=ru-Dostoevsky.ogg, links=yes; 11 November 18219 ...
into Soviet theater, by his productions of ''
The Insulted and Humiliated
''Humiliated and Insulted'' (russian: Униженные и оскорблённые, ''Unizhennye i oskorblyonnye'') — also known in English as ''The Insulted and Humiliated'', ''The Insulted and the Injured'' or ''Injury and Insult'' — is ...
'' (1956 in Leningrad Leninsky Komsomol Theater) and ''
The Idiot
''The Idiot'' ( pre-reform Russian: ; post-reform rus, Идиот, Idiót) is a novel by the 19th-century Russian author Fyodor Dostoevsky. It was first published serially in the journal ''The Russian Messenger'' in 1868–69.
The title is an ...
'' (1957 in Gorky Theater).
Among other famous performances are:
* ''
The Three Sisters'' (1965) and ''
Uncle Vanya
''Uncle Vanya'' ( rus, Дя́дя Ва́ня, r=Dyádya Ványa, p=ˈdʲædʲə ˈvanʲə) is a play by the Russian playwright Anton Chekhov. It was first published in 1898, and was first produced in 1899 by the Moscow Art Theatre under the direct ...
'' (1982) by
Anton Chekhov
Anton Pavlovich Chekhov (; 29 January 1860 Old Style date 17 January. – 15 July 1904 Old Style date 2 July.) was a Russian playwright and short-story writer who is considered to be one of the greatest writers of all time. His career ...
* ''Five evenings'' (1958) and ''My big sister'' (1961) by
Alexander Volodin
Aleksandr Moiseyevich Volodin (russian: link=no, Александр Моисеевич Володин; 1919–2001), born Lifschitz, was a Soviet and Russian playwright, screenwriter and poet. His first play was ''The Factory Girl'' (1956). His mo ...
* ''Irkusk Story'' by
Aleksey Arbuzov
Aleksei Nikolayevich Arbuzov (russian: Алексей Николаевич Арбузов) (April 20, 1986) was a Soviet Union, Soviet and Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic, Russian playwright.
Biography
Arbuzov was born in Moscow, b ...
(1960)
* ''
Wit Works Woe
''Woe from Wit'' (, also translated as "The Woes of Wit", "Wit Works Woe", ''Wit's End'', and so forth) is Alexander Griboyedov's comedy in verse, satirizing the society of post-Napoleonic Moscow, or, as a high official in the play styled it, "a ...
'' (1962) by
Alexander Griboedov
Alexander Sergeyevich Griboyedov (russian: Александр Сергеевич Грибоедов, ''Aleksandr Sergeevich Griboedov'' or ''Sergeevich Griboyedov''; 15 January 179511 February 1829), formerly romanized as Alexander Sergueevich Gr ...
* ''Barbarians'' (1959) and ''Meschane'' (1966) by
Maxim Gorky
Alexei Maximovich Peshkov (russian: link=no, Алексе́й Макси́мович Пешко́в; – 18 June 1936), popularly known as Maxim Gorky (russian: Макси́м Го́рький, link=no), was a Russian writer and social ...
* ''Once again about Love'' (1964) by
Edvard Radzinsky
Edvard Stanislavovich Radzinsky (russian: Э́двард Станисла́вович Радзи́нский) (born September 23, 1936) is a Russian playwright, television personality, screenwriter, and the author of more than forty popular history ...
* ''
Henry IV, Part 1
''Henry IV, Part 1'' (often written as ''1 Henry IV'') is a history play by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written no later than 1597. The play dramatises part of the reign of King Henry IV of England, beginning with the battle at ...
'' (1969) by
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...
* ''
Revisor
''The Government Inspector'', also known as ''The Inspector General'' ( rus, links=no, Ревизор, Revizor, literally: "Inspector"), is a satirical play by Russian dramatist and novelist, Nikolai Gogol. Originally published in 1836, the pl ...
'' by
Nikolay Gogol
Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol; uk, link=no, Мико́ла Васи́льович Го́голь, translit=Mykola Vasyliovych Hohol; (russian: Яновский; uk, Яновський, translit=Yanovskyi) ( – ) was a Russian novelist, ...
(1972)
* ''Last summer in Chulimsk'' by
Alexander Vampilov
Alexander Valentinovich Vampilov (russian: Александр Валентинович Вампилов) (19 August 1937 – 17 August 1972) was a Soviet playwright. His play ''The Elder Son'' was first performed in 1969, and became a national succ ...
(1974)
* ''Energetic people'' by
Vasily Shukshin
Vasily Makarovich Shukshin (russian: Василий Макарович Шукшин; 25 July 1929 – 2 October 1974) was a Soviet Russian writer, actor, screenwriter and film director from the Altai region who specialized in rural themes. A ...
(1974)
* ''History of a Horse'' after
Leo Tolstoy
Count Lev Nikolayevich TolstoyTolstoy pronounced his first name as , which corresponds to the romanization ''Lyov''. () (; russian: link=no, Лев Николаевич Толстой,In Tolstoy's day, his name was written as in pre-refor ...
's ''
Kholstomer
"Kholstomer" ( rus, Холстомер, p=xəlstɐˈmʲer), also translated as "Strider", is a work by Leo Tolstoy that has been referred to as “one of the most striking stories in Russian literature”. It was started in 1863 and left unfinis ...
'' (1975)
He was also responsible for producing mass
spectacle
In general, spectacle refers to an event that is memorable for the appearance it creates. Derived in Middle English from c. 1340 as "specially prepared or arranged display" it was borrowed from Old French ''spectacle'', itself a reflection of the ...
s.
During his prime Tovstonogov was considered one of the best theatre directors of Europe. The prominent members of his troupe include
Alice Freindlich
Alisa Brunovna Freindlich (russian: Алиса Бруновна Фрейндлих, born 8 December 1934 in Saint Petersburg, Leningrad, Soviet Union) is a Soviet Union, Soviet and Russian actress. People's Artist of the USSR (1981). Since 1983, ...
,
Zinaida Sharko
Zinaida Maximovna Sharko (russian: Зинаида Максимовна Шарко; 14 May 1929 – 4 August 2016) was a Russian actress of theatre and film. She was a member of Bolshoi Drama Theatre, and was awarded People's Artist of the RSFSR i ...
,
Lyudmila Makarova
Lyudmila Iosifovna Makarova (russian: Людмила Иосифовна Макарова; 20 October 1921 – 30 May 2014) was a Russian stage actress from Saint Petersburg. From 1938 to 1941, she studied at the Greater Drama Theatre, becomi ...
,
Tatiana Doronina
Tatiana (Tatyana) Vasilyevna Doronina (russian: Татьяна Васильевна Доронина; born 12 September 1933) is a popular Soviet/Russian actress who has performed in movies and the theater. She is generally regarded as one of the ...
,
Svetlana Kryuchkova,
Kirill Lavrov
Kirill Yuryevich Lavrov (russian: link=no, Кирилл Юрьевич Лавров; 15 September 1925 – 27 April 2007) was a Soviet and Russian film and theater actor and director.
Biography
Childhood
Kirill Yuryevich Lavrov was born on 15 ...
,
Innokenty Smoktunovsky
Innokenty Mikhailovich Smoktunovsky (russian: Иннокентий Михайлович Смоктуновский; born ''Smoktunovich'', 28 March 19253 August 1994) was a Soviet and Russian stage and film actor. He was named a People's Artist ...
,
Pavel Luspekaev
Pavel Borisovich Luspekayev (russian: Па́вел Бори́сович Луспека́ев) (20 April 1927, Luhansk — 17 April 1970, Moscow) was a Soviet actor who is best known for his role of Vereschagin in the classic Russian movie ''White ...
,
Yefim Kopelyan
Yefim Zakharovich Kopelyan (russian: Ефим Захарович Копелян; 12 April 1912 – 6 March 1975) was a Soviet Union, Soviet actor of theatre and cinema, one of the legendary masters of the Bolshoi Theatre of Drama (BDT) in Leni ...
,
Sergey Yursky
Sergei Yurievich Yursky (russian: Серге́й Ю́рьевич Ю́рский, 16 March 1935 – 8 February 2019) was a Soviet and Russian stage and film actor, theatre director and screenwriter. His best known film role is Ostap Bender in '' T ...
,
Vladislav Strzhelchik
Vladislav Ignatievich Strzhelchik (russian: Владисла́в Игна́тьевич Стрже́льчик) (1921–1995) was a Soviet and Russian actor. People's Artist of the USSR (1974).
Biography
Vladislav Strzhelchik born in Petrograd ( ...
,
Yevgeni Lebedev
Yevgeni Alekseyevich Lebedev ( rus, Евгeний Алeксeeвич Лeбeдeв, , ɪ̯ɪvˈɡʲenʲɪɪ̯ ɐlʲɪˈkseɪvʲɪt͡ɕ ˈlʲebʲɪdʲɪf; January 15, 1917, Balakovo – June 9, 1997, Saint Petersburg) was a Soviet and Russian actor a ...
, and
Oleg Basilashvili
Oleg Valerianovich Basilashvili (russian: Оле́г Валериа́нович Басилашви́ли; ka, ოლეგ ბასილაშვილი, ; born 26 September 1934) is a Soviet and Russian stage and film actor. People's Artist ...
. His contribution to the Russian tradition of theatre education is important, especially where it comes to education of theatre directors. His theories continue to have large influence, especially in Russian and Scandinavian theatre education.
In film
*''Demiurge'' (2008),
documentary film
A documentary film or documentary is a non-fictional film, motion-picture intended to "document reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction, education or maintaining a Recorded history, historical record". Bill Nichols (film critic), Bil ...
directed by Tigran Mutafyan, featuring Tatiana Doronina, Aleksey German, Zinaida Sharko, Kama Ginkas, Genrietta Yanovskaya, Eduard Kochergin, Gennady Trostianenckiy, and Natella Tovstonogova
Legacy
*
A minor planet was named after Tovstonogov.
References
External links
Biography
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tovstonogov, Georgy
1915 births
1989 deaths
Theatre people from Tbilisi
People from Tiflis Governorate
Soviet theatre directors
Russian Academy of Theatre Arts alumni
People's Artists of the USSR
Russian people of Georgian descent
Recipients of the Order of Lenin
People's Artists of the RSFSR
Lenin Prize winners
Recipients of the USSR State Prize
Stalin Prize winners
Burials at Tikhvin Cemetery