Russian actor and theatrical figure Fyodor Grigoryevich Volkov was born in 1729 in Kostroma. Having lost his father early, Volkov, nevertheless, acquired a kind and attentive parent in the person of his stepfather, the merchant Polushkin. In Moscow, where the boy was sent to study, Volkov was strongly and forever carried away by the theater. He literally caught fire with his new passion and for several years studied the arts and stagecraft. Returning in 1748 to Yaroslavl, where the family lived, Volkov organized a theater troupe and began to give performances in a stone barn. The first performance took place on June 29, 1750, it was the drama Esther. Two years later, Volkov and his comrades, by decree of Empress Elizabeth Petrovna, were summoned to St. Petersburg. And in 1756, the main event of the theatrical life of Russia in the 18th century took place - the establishment of the Russian Theater for the Presentation of Tragedies and Comedies, the first state operating professional theater.
Fyodor Volkov was immediately appointed "the first Russian actor", and Alexander Sumarokov was appointed director of the theater, only after his death, in 1761, Volkov became the director of "his" theater. For the sake of this, Fedor Grigorievich resigned from the post of Cabinet Minister. In total, Fyodor Volkov wrote about 15 plays, none of which has survived to our time, he was also the author of many solemn odes and songs.
Today the Volkovsky Theater is one of the most famous and largest "non-capital" Russian theaters. On its stage, the International Volkov Festival, which has become very famous, is annually held, the winners of which are awarded the Prize of the Government of the Russian Federation named after Fyodor Volkov. Provincial theaters present here their best performances based on the works of Russian classics, scientific conferences of art historians are held here. Scientific conferences, theatrical performances and shows are dedicated to the Russian theater. The festival traditionally gathers a huge number of theater lovers, the city is filled with guests these days, and the hotels of Yaroslavl hospitably open their doors to the modern ministers of Melpomene.
The life of Fedor Grigorievich Volkov was cut short on takeoff. During a masquerade called "Triumphant Minerva" in 1763, he caught a cold, and never managed to recover from his cold - on April 4, 1763, the great Russian actor died. Fedor Volkov was buried in Moscow, at the cemetery of the Androniev Monastery. Despite the fact that Volkov's grave did not survive, a memorial plaque was installed at the cemetery. But the best memory of the actor is the theater named after him - the Russian State Academic Drama Theater named after Fyodor Volkov in Yaroslavl.
Fedor Grigoryevich Volkov (1729-1763) - a universal cultural figure: the creator of the Russian theater, actor, writer. He lived only 34 years, but his talents were multifaceted. His energy, mind, personal abilities went to the organization of the Russian scene in the provinces, and then in the capital. He was portrayed by one of the best painters of that time, A. Losenko. The artist succeeded in portrait resemblance.
Grigoryevich, whose photograph of the portrait is presented here, calmly and clearly looks at the viewer. The spiritual riches of this outstanding person are revealed: dignity, lively intellect, activity.
early adulthood
The family of the Kostroma merchant Grigory Volkov and his wife Matryona Yakovlevna had five sons. The eldest was named Fedor. He was only 7 years old when his father died, and his mother remarried an energetic, enterprising and middle-aged Yaroslavl merchant F.V. Polushkin. He founded factories and was looking for partners. And he made all his stepsons helpers. At this time, Fedor was 14 years old. To manage the factories, Fedor did not have enough education received in Yaroslavl, and his stepfather sent him to Moscow. So, in the merchant writings, Fedor Grigorievich Volkov, whose biography seemed to be very definite, came to study in the ancient capital.
In Moscow
Volkov studied for only three years at the Zaikonospassky Academy, while discovering natural abilities and talents. During this time, he only studied the basics of basic subjects, and besides, he seriously studied music: he played the harp and violin, sang from the notes.
Homecoming
Returning to Yaroslavl, Fedor Grigoryevich Volkov continues his studies with the pastor, who accompanied E. I. Biron in exile, and masters the German language perfectly. At the same time, he himself learns to draw and draw, which later will be very useful to him. But his stepfather, having kept Fedor at home for a couple of years, sends him to St. Petersburg to learn modern methods of commerce.
Introduction to theater
Enrolling in a German trading company and seriously going about his business, Volkov Fedor Grigorievich accidentally gets to the performance of an Italian opera. It was a magnificent spectacle with magnificent scenery, which was often replaced by machines. Then Fedor Grigorievich went to the theater more than once and carefully sketched everything. But the acting was weak. Then, in order to comprehend it, he comes to a private German theater, which came to St. Petersburg. There he watches dramas and comedies and gets acquainted with the leading actors, quickly delving into the theatrical game. This goes on for about two years.
Return to Yaroslavl
When his stepfather died, Volkov Fedor Grigorievich headed the work of factories and trade. He had to conduct litigation and cases on which he visited St. Petersburg. There he attended the performance of the gentry corps. They gave Sumarokov's drama in Russian. And he had the idea to start a theater in Yaroslavl. Together with his brothers and friends at home, he begins rehearsals, looking for a place where he can give a performance. For starters, it's just his stepfather's stone barn. But the performance was successful, and Volkov began to collect money by subscription for the construction of the theater. They go towards him. And already next year he builds a wooden building of the first public theater. Volkov turns out to be one in many faces. He is a director, and director, and painter, and actor. Everything manages to embrace this original talent of a young 22-year-old boy, who was Fedor Grigorievich Volkov. The theater has been successfully operating for more than a year. But an inspector is sent to the provinces from St. Petersburg, who, in order to brighten up the time, attends theater performances. It is he who reports to the Empress about the glorious institution that exists in Yaroslavl. Empress Elizaveta Petrovna calls Volkov together with the troupe to Petersburg.
In a new place
Elizaveta Petrovna loved masquerades, and the new idea pleased her. Before, one might say, she passionately loved opera and ballet, but there was no permanent Russian troupe in the capital, and since the theater has been operating in Yaroslavl for more than a year, then you need to get to know it. And a month later, 12 people arrived in Northern Palmyra in winter. At the end of March 1752, Volkov and his actors gave a performance in front of the empress and her entourage. ordered to teach actors drawing, languages, dances, music in a privileged way. And they study only perfectly well. After two years, everyone decides that they are already sufficiently prepared. In 1756, the Empress issued a decree on the creation of a Russian theater.
public theater
The theater was very poorly supported financially by the authorities. Everything depended on the enthusiasm of director A. Sumarokov and actor F. Volkov. In addition, and this was very important for that time, women were introduced into the composition. Previously, all female roles were played by young men. The Russian Theater did not have its own building and wandered from one room to another, and the salary of the director and actors was not paid for months.
Only true lovers of the dramatic art can endure such a situation. In addition, only nobles were allowed to their performances, who preferred Italian operas and French ballets and looked with contempt at Russian actors. The audience went to the performances not of their own accord, but under the compulsion of the empress. There was no order in the auditorium. Therefore, he was guarded by police squads. In such conditions, the Russian theater began to work.
Fate and masquerade
In 1761, F. Volkov became the director. He remained as before an actor, wrote plays for his offspring, refused high court ranks and orders and did only what his soul was drawn to. In 1762, after the ascension to the throne of Catherine II, he had the right to enter her without a report. It was Volkov who was entrusted in honor of the coronation of the empress in Moscow to arrange a large multi-day masquerade of unprecedented splendor. Volkov set about organizing it with great enthusiasm. Work on the street, for the people - the highest dream of the creator.
This street performance went on for three days, the people poured into the streets and took their places on the roofs. It was magnificent, rich and instructive. And Volkov spent all three winter days outside, in the wind, looking everywhere and doing everything. However, after the end of the masquerade, he felt tired and unwell, and then fell ill and did not get up. On April 4, 1763, Fyodor Grigoryevich Volkov ended his earthly journey. A brief biography of the brilliant man who created the Russian theater is discussed in this article.
The emergence of a public (public) theater. After Elizabeth Petrovna ascended the throne in 1741, the introduction of the European theater continued. Foreign troupes toured at the court - Italian, German, French, among them - drama, opera and ballet, commedia dell'arte. In the same period, the foundations of the national Russian professional theater were laid. , it was during the reign of Elizabeth in Moscow that the future "father of the Russian theater" Fyodor Volkov studied, who took part in Christmas performances and absorbed the experience of touring European troupes.
FEDOR GRIGORIEVICH VOLKOV
In the middle of the 18th century. theaters are organized in educational institutions (1749 - Petersburg gentry corps, 1756 – University of Moscow), Russian theatrical performances are arranged in St. Petersburg (organizer I. Lukin), in Moscow (organizers K. Baikulov, clerks led by Khalkov and Glushkov, "ink master" Ivanov, etc.), in Yaroslavl (organizers N. Serov, F. Volkov). In 1747 another important event takes place: the first poetic tragedy was written - Khorev A. Sumarokov.
All this creates the prerequisites for the emergence of a national public theater. To do this, in 1752 Volkov's troupe was called from Yaroslavl to St. Petersburg. Talented amateur actors are determined to study at gentry corps- A. Popov, I. Dmitrevsky, F. and G. Volkov, G. Emelyanova, P. Ivanova and others. Among them are four women: A. Musina-Pushkina, A. Mikhailova, sisters M. and O. Ananiev.
The first Russian permanent public theater was opened in 1756 in St. Petersburg, in the Golovkinsky House.. A number of actors from the Yaroslavl troupe of F. Volkov were added to the actors trained in the gentry corps, including the comic actor Y. Shumsky. The theater was headed by Sumarokov, whose classicist tragedies formed the basis of the repertoire. The first place in the troupe was occupied by Volkov, who replaced Sumarokov as director, and held this position until his death in 1763. (This theater in 1832 will be named Alexandrinsky - in honor of the wife of Nicholas I.)
The first public performances in Moscow date back to 1756, when students of the university gymnasium, under the guidance of their director, the poet M. Kheraskov, formed a theater troupe within the walls of the university. Representatives of the highest Moscow society were invited to the performances. In 1776, on the basis of the former university troupe, a drama theater was created, which received the name Petrovsky (it is also the Medox Theater). The Bolshoi (opera and ballet) and Maly (dramatic) theaters of Russia lead their genealogies from this theater.
In 1763 Dmitrevsky went to Paris. He wanted to learn from the experience of French actors. Once, Dmitrevsky, Garik, the English tragic poet, and the French actor Leukin met in the same saloon. Those present there made a kind of attraction out of this meeting. The actors were asked to play something in front of the public, and whoever wins this competition will establish the primacy of his theater. Garik read a tragic monologue. Then Loken made everyone laugh. But Dmitrevsky came out and said that the Russian theater cannot claim leadership, because it has existed for less than 10 years. He said this, then turned pale and fell down. Everyone rushed to him, sent for the doctor. And when the doctor bent over him, he jumped up and said, and that's what a Russian actor can do. It wasn't a gimmick, it evoked empathy. This has never happened before in the European theatre.
(52.00) - about how Dmitrevsky violated the previously established traditions of theatrical acting. About his innovation
He died in 1821 and lived a long life. He was the teacher of the first Russian actors, not actors.
The theater as an institution was designed under Catherine II. She assembled a commission, which drew up a code on the theater, which includes the main provisions. Firstly, the theater began to be called imperial. There are two such theaters in Moscow and St. Petersburg. But over time, the buildings became more and more. Suppose in Moscow at first there was only a large one, and in 1824 a small one appeared. And in St. Petersburg there were also 3 buildings ( Alexandrinsky, Mariinsky, Mikhailovsky), but that was already in the 19th century. At first there was only one theater. And the office was one general, in which the director of the imperial theaters sits.
Inside, the theater had detailed regulations, the roles of the actors were determined and they were hired according to their role (the first tragedian, the first comedian, a noble father, a villain ...). The artists were given an annual salary, an apartment, firewood, a benefit performance that could be arranged after 5 years of service. The actor assigned the play and the performers to himself, and the income went to the beneficiary. Prices were inflated. Tickets sometimes brought merchants tickets to their homes and received more. And at the end of the performance, wallets and other things flew onto the stage. It was possible to live comfortably for a year afterwards.
Actresses and actors worked in their own costumes, and sometimes due to the fact that at first no one followed the clothes of the characters, there were cases when the maid was dressed richer than her mistress. Therefore, a position appeared that controlled, along with some other organizational issues, this process as well. But he did not interfere in creativity. While it was not yet a director.
2 weeks were allotted for the study of tragedy, 10 days for the study of comedy, and 3 rehearsals were supposed. At the first rehearsal, they were looking for a common tone, at the second, mise-en-scene, and the third was already a general one. One can imagine the quality of these performances and how durable they were. The repertoire was fluid. The performance was not played more than two or three times. (Exceptions - Mochalov played 12 times in Hamlet!, Krechinsky's wedding took place 15 times)
Meyerhold staged Don Juan and the number 72 was indicated opposite his performance. But it was not his performance that ran 72 times. In the entire history of the imperial theater, the play was shown 72 times. Each performance went on 2-3 times, left the stage, then reappeared after a while. Sometimes a performance abandoned for a long time was treated as a benefit performance.
Theatrical monopoly was introduced. And all private theaters were banned in the capitals. Could be folk, amateur, but not professional. The theatrical monopoly lasted 100 years and was abolished in 1882. Ostrovsky struggled all his life against this monopoly, because he understood that under such conditions the creation of a Russian theater was impossible.
So, only imperial theaters worked in Moscow and St. Petersburg, and only private theaters throughout the periphery. Entrepreneurs during Lent gathered a troupe and agreed with the city government of some city that this troupe would work for them for a season.
The 19th century came without bringing any new solutions. But however, if the 18th century was imitative, then the 19th century, starting from the 2nd quarter, the Russian theater begins to develop in an original way. He begins to adopt methods unusual for the Western theater, and gradually the West begins to imitate the Russian theater.
Russian actor and theatrical figure Fyodor Grigoryevich Volkov was born in 1729 in Kostroma. Having lost his father early, Volkov, nevertheless, acquired a kind and attentive parent in the person of his stepfather, the merchant Polushkin. In Moscow, where the boy was sent to study, Volkov was strongly and forever carried away by the theater. He literally caught fire with his new passion and for several years studied the arts and stagecraft. Returning in 1748 to Yaroslavl, where the family lived, Volkov organized a theater troupe and began to give performances in a stone barn. The first performance took place on June 29, 1750, it was the drama Esther. Two years later, Volkov and his comrades, by decree of Empress Elizabeth Petrovna, were summoned to St. Petersburg. And in 1756, the main event of the theatrical life of Russia in the 18th century took place - the establishment of the Russian Theater for the Presentation of Tragedies and Comedies, the first state operating professional theater.
Fyodor Volkov was immediately appointed "the first Russian actor", and Alexander Sumarokov was appointed director of the theater, only after his death, in 1761, Volkov became the director of "his" theater. For the sake of this, Fedor Grigorievich resigned from the post of Cabinet Minister. In total, Fyodor Volkov wrote about 15 plays, none of which has survived to our time, he was also the author of many solemn odes and songs.
Today the Volkovsky Theater is one of the most famous and largest "non-capital" Russian theaters. On its stage, the International Volkov Festival, which has become very famous, is annually held, the winners of which are awarded the Prize of the Government of the Russian Federation named after Fyodor Volkov. Provincial theaters present here their best performances based on the works of Russian classics, scientific conferences of art historians are held here. Scientific conferences, theatrical performances and shows are dedicated to the Russian theater. The festival traditionally gathers a huge number of theater lovers, the city is filled with guests these days, and the hotels of Yaroslavl hospitably open their doors to the modern servants of Melpomene.
The life of Fedor Grigorievich Volkov was cut short on takeoff. During a masquerade called "Triumphant Minerva" in 1763, he caught a cold, and never managed to recover from his cold - on April 4, 1763, the great Russian actor died. Fedor Volkov was buried in Moscow, at the cemetery of the Androniev Monastery. Despite the fact that Volkov's grave did not survive, a memorial plaque was installed at the cemetery. But the best memory of the actor is the theater named after him - the Russian State Academic Drama Theater named after Fyodor Volkov in Yaroslavl.
FG Volkov was born on February 9, 1729 in Kostroma into a merchant family. After the death of his father, he moved to Yaroslavl, where he was brought up by his stepfather, a Yaroslavl merchant and industrialist. Yaroslavl residents were familiar with different types of theatrical performances. Since childhood, Volkov has seen folk games, amateur performances and performances of school dramas. He was distinguished by various talents, but his main passion was theater. His youth coincided with the heyday of amateur theatrical activity, which was already approaching in its forms the professional theatre.
Volkov approached the creation of his own theater having a large stock of theatrical knowledge, including acquaintance with the tragedies of A.P. Sumarokov. The first performances of the theater organized by him in Yaroslavl date back to around 1750. Having led a troupe of raznochintsy amateurs, he created a theater that met the needs of the public. It was a decisive step towards turning the amateur theater into a public professional theater. The Volkov Theater opened with a performance of Sumarokov's tragedy Khorev and Molière's comedy The Unwitting Doctor. The theater's repertoire was extensive and complex. This is the school drama of Dimitry Rostovsky, and dramatized plays, and Sumarokov's tragedies.
On August 30, 1756, Empress Elizabeth issued an order establishing a "Russian theater for the presentation of tragedy and comedy." Unlike the court theaters, intended for a narrow circle of aristocratic spectators, the Russian Theater was public and gave paid performances for the general public of the city. The main repertoire of the theater consisted of Russian dramatic works, mainly plays by Sumarokov. The core of the troupe was made up of professional actors from among Yaroslavl comedians: F.G. Volkov, I.A. Dmitrevsky, Ya.D. Shumsky and others.
1756-1762 - the flowering of creativity F. Volkov. The actor took part in the political life of Russia. He was one of the initiators of the conspiracy to overthrow Peter III. For many services to the Empress, he was elevated to the nobility. However, he refused the position of Cabinet Minister and the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called offered by Catherine II. Outstanding public figure of the second half of the 18th century. the writer N.I. Novikov wrote: “This husband was of great and penetrating mind, thorough and sound reasoning and rare talents, adorned with many teachings and diligent reading of the best books.”
Contemporaries called Volkov a great actor, but there is no exact information about Volkov's extensive repertoire. It is known that having a colossal acting temperament, excellent external data, Volkov played both comic and tragic roles. For the aesthetics of classicism, which Volkov's theatrical work generally corresponded to, such universalism was surprising. The scope of the roles and the strict division into genres implied the observance of the rules in the distribution of roles to the actors. Violating this unshakable canon for the classicists, Volkov laid the foundation for the originality of the national acting art: almost all outstanding actors of the 18th century. played both tragic and comic roles, which made their performance closer to life patterns.
In early 1763, Volkov acted as director of the Triumphant Minerva masquerade, organized in Moscow in honor of the coronation of Catherine II. The meaning of this magnificent spectacle was to justify the palace coup and the overthrow of Peter III, explaining it as a victory of justice and reason, as well as glorifying the new empress as "the triumphant Minerva" (goddess of wisdom and justice, patroness of art, science and crafts). The purpose of the masquerade was also to ridicule human vices, such as the bribery of judges, the chicanery of officials, lawlessness and arbitrariness. "Triumphant Minerva" promised to eradicate these vices, patronize peaceful labor, and promote the development of science and art. Volkov was passionately fascinated by the opportunity to express in a mass spectacle addressed to the people, the most important thoughts and feelings for him, the dreams of a golden age. Instead of mythological figures, he introduces images and techniques borrowed from folk performances, games and songs. So, one of the parts of the masquerade, "The Perverse Light", was built on folklore motifs. In another scene of the masquerade, the World was glorified, burning the weapons of war. The texts of some satirical songs were attributed to Volkov. All the theatrical forces of Moscow, both amateur and professional, troupes of "eager comedians", artists of foreign theaters took part in the grand spectacle. The magnificent organization of the complex mass spectacle testified to Volkov's exceptional directing abilities.
Sources and literature:
Nosov I. S. Chronicle of the Russian Theater from the beginning of its foundation to the end of the 18th century. Pub. and foreword. E. V. Barsova. Reissue M., 1957.
Odessa M.P. Theater of power and the power of the theater (“Boyars on stage” in the book by J. Reitenfels “On Muscovy”) // Ancient Rus'. Questions of medieval studies. 2001. No. 4. S. 1-12.
Vsevolodsky-Gerngorss V. Russian theater from its origins to the middle of the XVIII century., - M., 1957.
Seminar 10. Theater in Russia in the last third of the 18th century.
