Vladimir Mikhaylovich Volkenstein (Владимир Михайлович Волькенштейн, born 15 October 1883, died 30 November 1974), was a Russian Empire and Soviet playwright, theatre and literary critic, poet and reader in drama. A

Saint Petersburg University Saint Petersburg State University (SPBU; russian: Санкт-Петербургский государственный университет) is a public research university in Saint Petersburg, Russia. Founded in 1724 by a decree of Peter the G ...

's Law faculty graduate, Volkenstein started out as a poet. He debuted as a playwright in 1907, when fragments of his play ''Ivan Doctors'' appeared in the ''Shipovnik'' (Wild Roses) almanac. In 1911

Stanislavski Konstantin Sergeyevich Stanislavski ( Alekseyev; russian: Константин Сергеевич Станиславский, p=kənstɐnʲˈtʲin sʲɪrˈgʲejɪvʲɪtɕ stənʲɪˈslafskʲɪj; 7 August 1938) was a seminal Soviet Russian th ...

invited him to

Moscow Art Theatre The Moscow Art Theatre (or MAT; russian: Московский Художественный академический театр (МХАТ), ''Moskovskiy Hudojestvenny Akademicheskiy Teatr'' (МHАТ)) was a theatre company in Moscow. It was f ...

, where he worked until 1921, first as a secretary, later a literary consultant. Volkenstein's first major success came with the play ''Kaliki perekhozhiye'' (Wanderers). It was produced by the MAT's First Studio and earned him the

Griboyedov Prize The Griboyedov Prize (russian: Грибоедовская премия) was a Russian literary award established in 1878 by the Society of Russian Dramatists and Opera Composers to honor Alexander Griboyedov. The opening ceremony was held on 11 F ...

in 1914. It was followed by ''Herod and Marianna'' (1916), ''Paganini'' (1920), ''The Experience of Mr. Webb'' (Опыт мистера Вебба, produced by the Moscow Korsh Theatre, 1918-1922), ''Spartak'' ( Moscow Revolution Theatre, 1926), and ''Houssars and Doves'' (

Maly Theatre The Maly Theatre, or Mali Theatre, may refer to one of several different theatres: * The Maly Theatre (Moscow), also known as The State Academic Maly Theatre of Russia, in Moscow (founded in 1756 and given its own building in 1824) * The Maly Thea ...

, 1928). In 1930—1948 (with a break during the

War War is an intense armed conflict between states, governments, societies, or paramilitary groups such as mercenaries, insurgents, and militias. It is generally characterized by extreme violence, destruction, and mortality, using regular o ...

) Vokenstein read the esthetics and film drama at the

Gerasimov Institute of Cinematography The Gerasimov Institute of Cinematography (russian: Всероссийский государственный институт кинематографии имени С. А. Герасимова, meaning ''All-Russian State Institute of Cinemat ...

. He wrote a script for the film ''Miklouho-Maclay'', shot in 1947 by

Aleksandr Razumny Aleksandr Yefimovich Razumny (russian: Александр Ефимович Разумный, 1 May 1891 – 16 November 1972) was a Russian and Soviet film director and screenwriter. He was a graduate of the Grekov Odessa Art school in 1914. ...

. Among Volkenstein's theretical works the most important are considered to be a monograph on Stanislavski and the textbook ''Drama'', centering around the technical aspects of the classical epic drama of the past. Volkenstein was married three times. His first wife was the poet and feminist

Sophia Parnok Sophia Yakovlevna Parnok (russian: София Яковлевна Парнок, yi, סאָפיאַ פארנוכ; 30 July 1885 O.S./11 August 1885 (N. S.) – 26 August 1933) was a Russian poet, journalist and translator. From the age of six, ...

(1907-1909). Mikhail Volkenshtein, his son from the second marriage, became a well-known

biophysicist Biophysics is an interdisciplinary science that applies approaches and methods traditionally used in physics to study Biology, biological phenomena. Biophysics covers all scales of biological organization, from Molecule, molecular to organismic ...

. His third wife was Maria Gambaryan, a notable Soviet, Armenian classical pianist.The Russian Drama Theatre Encyclopedia // Русский драматический театр: Энциклопедия / Под общ. ред. М. И. Андреева, Н. Э. Звенигородской, А. В. Мартыновой и др. — М.: Большая Российская энциклопедия, 2001. — 568 с. — .

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Volkenstein, Vladimir Dramatists and playwrights from the Russian Empire Theatre critics from the Russian Empire Writers from Saint Petersburg 1883 births 1974 deaths Soviet dramatists and playwrights Soviet theatre critics