 |
Akaki VasadzeSoviet actor and director, People's Artist of the USSR
Date of Birth: 06.08.1899
|
Content:
- Akaki Khorava
- Early Career and Education
- Military Service and Return to Acting
- Directorship and Theater Administration
- Pedagogy and Public Recognition
- Political Involvement and Legacy
- Awards and Honors
- - People's Artist of the Georgian SSR (1934)
- - Stalin Prize (third degree, 1951) for directing "Sunken Stones"
- - Two Orders of Lenin (1946, 1950)
Akaki Khorava
Akaki Khorava, a renowned Soviet actor and theater director, was born on August 6, 1899, in Kutaisi, Georgia. He received his primary education at the Kutaisi Noblemen's Gymnasium from 1909 to 1918. During that period, he also pursued his passion for art, working as a set designer at the Kutaisi Theater and making his debut on stage.
Early Career and Education
From 1918 to 1920, Khorava studied at the Tbilisi Drama Studio under the tutelage of G. Jabadari while simultaneously attending the history department of Tbilisi University. His acting career flourished as he joined the Tbilisi State Drama troupe in 1920.
Military Service and Return to Acting
In 1921, Khorava temporarily suspended his artistic pursuits to serve in the Aspindzi Battalion in Batumi. After a brief period, he resumed his acting career with the Batumi City Theater. In 1921, he joined the Georgian Theater named after Shota Rustaveli in Tbilisi, where he remained as a member until 1958.
Directorship and Theater Administration
Beyond his acting prowess, Khorava's multifaceted career also included theater administration and direction. From 1935 to 1942, he served as the artistic director of the Georgian Theater named after Shota Rustaveli. He held the position of its director from 1938 to 1942 and became its chief director from 1948 to 1955.
Pedagogy and Public Recognition
Khorava's dedication extended beyond the stage as he actively engaged in pedagogy. From 1924 to 1939, he directed the Drama Studio of the Tbilisi Theater named after Shota Rustaveli. He also taught at the Tbilisi Theater Institute named after Shota Rustaveli from 1939 to 1948, becoming a professor of acting in 1947.
Political Involvement and Legacy
Khorava actively participated in the political arena, becoming a member of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union in 1939. He served as a deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the Georgian SSR from its first to fourth convocations. Khorava's passing on April 3, 1978, in Tbilisi marked the end of a remarkable career. He was laid to rest at the Didube Pantheon, a cemetery dedicated to the burial of notable artists, writers, and intellectuals.
Awards and Honors
Throughout his illustrious career, Akaki Khorava garnered numerous accolades and distinctions:
- People's Artist of the Georgian SSR (1934)
- People's Artist of the USSR (1936)- Stalin Prize (second degree, 1942) for his portrayal of the title role in "Commissar Kikvidze"
- Stalin Prize (first degree, 1946) for his performance as Vasily Shuisky in "The Great Tsar"
- Stalin Prize (third degree, 1951) for directing "Sunken Stones"
- Shota Rustaveli State Prize of the Georgian SSR (1975) for his theatrical achievements
- Two Orders of Lenin (1946, 1950)
- Two Orders of the Red Banner of Labor (1936, 1958)- Medal "For the Defense of the Caucasus" (1946)
- Medal "For Valorous Labor in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945" (1946)
