Moscow Art Theater
Moscow Art Theater,
Russian repertory company founded in 1897 by Constantin StanislavskyStanislavsky, Constantin, 1863–1938, Russian theatrical director, teacher, and actor, whose original name was Constantin Sergeyevich Alekseyev. He was cofounder with Vladimir Nemirovich-Danchenko of the Moscow Art Theater in 1898, which he would remain associated with for
..... Click the link for more information. and Vladimir Nemirovich-DanchenkoNemirovich-Danchenko, Vladimir
, 1859–1943, Russian stage director, cofounder and director of the Moscow Art Theater. Prior to his historical meeting with Constantin Stanislavsky in 1897, he was an actor, war correspondent, novelist, music and drama critic, and playwright.
..... Click the link for more information. . Its work created new concepts of theatrical production and marked the beginning of modern theater. Rebelling against the highly stylized theater of the 19th cent., the founders set out to create instead a true ensemble theater based on a realistic method of acting and production. Their productions of ChekhovChekhov, Anton Pavlovich
, 1860–1904, Russian short-story writer, dramatist, and physician, b. Taganrog. The son of a grocer and grandson of a serf, Chekhov earned enduring international acclaim for his stories and plays.
..... Click the link for more information. 's plays, especially suitable to the company's subtle and intense style, brought fame to both Chekhov and the theater. Other memorable productions were Tolstoy's Czar Fyodor Ivanovitch, Dostoyevsky's Brothers Karamazov, and Gorky's Lower Depths. The company made several successful tours of the United States. It has continued its classic repertoire while reflecting in new productions the political changes within Russia over the years.
Bibliography
See N. M. Gorchakov, Stanislavksy Directs (1954); N. Houghton, Moscow Rehearsals (1962) and Return Engagement (1962); O. M. Sayler, Inside the Moscow Art Theatre (1925, repr. 1970); P. A. Markov, The Soviet Theatre (1978).