In the very center of Moscow, on Stary Arbat Street, is the famous theater named after Vakhtangov. One of the capital's most visited cultural centers is located in a three-story mansion built at the end of the 19th century. The founder of the theater, Yevgeny Bagrationovich Vakhtangov, a loyal follower and student of Stanislavsky, long hatched the idea of creating a creative workshop for actors without special education. He believed that only an unprofessional actor can play a role truly deeply and with full dedication.
The troupe of amateur actors organized in 1913, and soon the first performance of the amateur theater was shown on stage. However, the performance failed successfully, sophisticated Moscow theatergoers did not accept the production due to the low level of acting.
"Third Studio"
Vakhtangov did not bother the failure of the performance, and after some time he founded a theater studio, which became part of the Moscow Art Theater. The structure was called "The Third Studio", and it was the beginning of the birth of the temple of dramatic art, which today is known as the theater. Vakhtangov.
Under the roof of the Third Studio, talented actors and actresses began to gather, thinking progressively and full of desire to realize their abilities on stage. Around Yevgeny Vakhtangov, a creative team was formed, ready to stage performances at a professional level.
Thirties
The theater world of the capital came to life with the advent of Vakhtangov. Muscovites were bribed by the sincere desire of the actors to convey to the public the whole deep meaning of the play, to play with all possible reliability. And since in those years it was customary to stage performances on revolutionary topics, the actors of the Vakhtangov theater every time proved that they could handle any work-peasant plots.
Sometimes the performances of the Vakhtangov Theater were knocked out of generally accepted revolutionary themes, and then some classical production, such as Princess Turandot, based on the tale of Carlo Gozzi, was on stage. The premiere took place in the spring of 1922 and made a splash.
New time
May 29, 1922 theatrical Moscow was in mourning - the director Vakhtangov died. The talented director and organizer left a worthy legacy. His work was continued by the students, The Third Studio received official recognition and became known as the Vakhtangov Theater.
The beginning of the NEP, political and economic conditions - all this required theatrical performances in the spirit of the new era. And the Vakhtangovs began to look for opportunities to update the repertoire. So, the theater. Vakhtangov began to collaborate with then-fashionable writer Mikhail Afanasevich Bulgakov.
The first play was called "Zoykina Apartment", it was in tune with the mood of the society of that time and was enthusiastically received by the theater audience. However, there were some excesses, since the performance, although it seemed like a carefree comedy, it contained a social satire. The authorities did not like this and caused fierce criticism. The reason for the conflict with officials was other performances. Hamlet, presented to the theater audience in the style of a buffoonery, was closed, and director Akimov was accused of being politicized.
Repression
Soon, performances devoted to the NEP came to naught, and Leniniana began in Moscow theaters - an endless series of performances to the glory of the workers and peasants. The dominance of communist patterns became apparent; ideology supplanted creativity. Stalinist repressions were already approaching, from which the actors of the Vakhtangov Theater later suffered.
Theater today
Currently, the Vakhtangov Academic Theater is one of the most popular and visited in Moscow. Rimas Tuminas, the current artistic director, continues the tradition of his predecessors. The theater follows the canons laid down at the beginning of the last century by Stanislavsky Konstantin Sergeyevich. For more than ninety years of existence, the troupe, in which more than one generation has changed, has never departed from the foundations bequeathed by a brilliant master.
An unforgettable trace in the history of the Vakhtangov Theater was left by Mikhail Ulyanov, who died in the spring of 2007. He has been a permanent artistic director for many years. Theater Moscow will never forget the recently departed Yuri Yakovlev.
The Vakhtangans are now living: the theater stage patriarch Vladimir Etush, the legendary Vasily Lanovoi and Kupchenko Irina, Evgeny Knyazev and Vyacheslav Shalevich, young representatives of the dynasty - Viktor Sukhorukov and Nonna Grishaeva. There is no worship of worship in the troupe - everyone is equal. Artists of the Vakhtangov Theater are a creative team that has developed over the years.
Repertoire
In March-April 2015, thirty performances will be played on the stage:
“Notes of a madman,” “Jealous of herself”, “Scream of lobsters”, “Shore of women”, “Medea”, “Uncle's dream”, “Mademoiselle Nitush”, “People as people”, “My quiet Motherland”, “Marina , Dedication to Eve, The Last Moons, Cyrano de Bergerac, Farewell Tours, Demons, Matrenin Yard, Miss None of Alabama, Smile to Us, Lord, Wind Blows in poplars "," Crazy Day, or The Marriage of Figaro "," Games of the Lonely "," Uncle Vanya "," Pelias and Melisandra "," Eugene Onegin "," Birds "," Masquerade "," Anna Karenina "," Othello ", “Okay days”, “Marriage”, “Running”.
The Vakhtangov Theater, whose repertoire is regularly updated, has long been the best stage for thousands of Muscovites and guests of the capital.
Hall
Recently renovated rooms, new rows of armchairs, benoire lodges in an academic style - all this is a matter of pride for the Vakhtangans, who finally got a real "Melpomene Temple" for their undivided use. The stage of the Vakhtangov Theater is equipped with the latest technology.
Spectators are placed in three tiers: a stall with an amphitheater and a benoir on the periphery, a mezzanine with lodges and on the balcony, also with lodges.
Performance Reviews
It is important for the Moscow theater public to have the opportunity to share their impressions after the performance. It has become a tradition to stop in the middle of the street, since the traffic on the Old Arbat is forbidden, and discuss the production. Therefore, people leaving the theater are in no hurry to take the subway or other means of transport. The Vakhtangov Theater, reviews of the performances of which are born spontaneously, during a confidential conversation right on the street, is an example of the unlimited love of Muscovites.
Tickets
New theatrical performances are announced long before the premiere. Viewers have the opportunity to worry in advance about the purchase of tickets, which are usually bought a month before the solemn day. Those who want to see their favorite actors can have no doubt that this will happen if they contact the ticket sales service. The coveted pass can be bought using a cashless payment system without leaving your home. There are several payment methods: WebMoney, wire transfer, bank card. The buyer who paid for the order receives a file to be printed. This is the ticket on which a special bar code is indicated. With this ticket you can go to the theater, take your place and watch the play.
You can buy a ticket in the old manner - at the box office. But since demand is large, you will have to withstand a lively turn. In order to somehow simplify the task, you can sign up by phone and get the number of the queue participant. In any case, a ticket, the cost of which varies from 1200 to 1800 rubles, will be purchased.