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Boris RavenskihSoviet theatre director and teacher
Date of Birth: 27.06.1914
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Content:
- Early Life and Education
- Artistic Development
- Formal Training
- Influences from Meyerhold
- Career in the Theater
- Collaboration with Stanislavsky
- Innovations in Musical Theater
- Directing at the Maly Theater
- Leadership at the Pushkin Theater
- Return to the Maly Theater
- Later Career and Legacy
- Teaching and Influence
- Death and Recognition
- Personal Life
Early Life and Education
Birth and FamilyBoris Ivanovich Ravenskikh was born in Saint Petersburg, Russia, into a family of five siblings. His father, Ivan Vasilievich Rovenskih, was a choir singer, while his mother, Alexandra Epifanovna Solovieva, came from a noble background.
Artistic Development
In the wake of the Russian Civil War, the family relocated to Boris's father's hometown in the village of Yushkovo. Despite the lack of a formal school, Boris showed an early aptitude for the arts, participating in theatrical performances organized by his father's choir. He also expressed a preference for directing and stagecraft over acting.
Formal Training
After graduating from secondary school in 1929, Boris returned to Leningrad and pursued a career in theater. He was initially admitted to the Leningrad Institute of the Performing Arts as an actor but was later relegated to assisting courses due to his limited general education. There, he honed his skills under the guidance of Mikhail Sokolsky and gained experience at the Leningrad Theater of Working Youth.
Influences from Meyerhold
In 1934, as a student near graduation, Boris caught the attention of renowned theater director Vsevolod Meyerhold. He was handpicked by Meyerhold to work on "The Queen of Spades" at the Maly Opera Theater (MALEGOT). This opportunity deepened Boris's understanding of Meyerhold's techniques, emphasizing the primacy of music in dramatic presentations.
Career in the Theater
Early ProductionsIn 1935, Boris was recruited to Meyerhold's State Theater. After Meyerhold's arrest and the theater's closure in 1938, Boris's career was briefly interrupted. He directed his first autonomous production, "Galina" by Isidor Shtok, at Moscow's "Sovremenny Theater."
Collaboration with Stanislavsky
Seeking refuge from political scrutiny, Boris worked with Vladimir Nemirovich-Danchenko at the Moscow Art Theater (MKhAT) from 1940 to 1941. Subsequently, he served as a director at the Stanislavsky Opera and Drama Studio until 1950, continuing to champion Meyerhold's principles of musicality in his productions.
Innovations in Musical Theater
Boris's 1949 production of "The Wedding with a Dowry" at the Moscow Satire Theater marked a groundbreaking moment in Soviet theater. It was one of the first Soviet musicals and became a runaway success, playing to packed houses and eventually being adapted for film. In his subsequent works, Boris sought to convey the inner emotional states of his characters primarily through music, displacing dialogue as the central mode of expression.
Directing at the Maly Theater
From 1951 to 1960, Boris served as a director at the Maly Theater. His most significant work during this period was "The Power of Darkness" (1956), in which he deviated from the traditional interpretation, portraying the play as a high tragedy.
Leadership at the Pushkin Theater
From 1960 to 1970, Boris held the position of chief director at the Moscow Pushkin Drama Theater, overseeing a series of acclaimed productions. Among these were Viktor Kurochkin's "The Girl's Heart Grew Misty" (1959) and the musical epic "Raised Ground" (1964).
Return to the Maly Theater
In 1970, Boris became the chief director of the Maly Theater once more. He brought with him a group of talented actors who shared his artistic vision. His masterpiece during this tenure was "Tsar Fyodor Ioannovich" (1973), which ran for over 30 years and achieved more than 800 performances.
Later Career and Legacy
Exploration of Grand OperaIn 1978, Boris left the Maly Theater to pursue his ambition of merging musical and dramatic elements at the Bolshoi Theater. He directed the opera "The Snow Maiden" that year.
Teaching and Influence
Boris taught at the Russian Institute of Theater Arts (GITIS) as a professor of drama directing. He mentored a generation of talented artists, including Valery Belyakovich, Yury Ioffe, and Nadezhda Arakcheeva.
Death and Recognition
On January 10, 1980, Boris Ravenskikh passed away suddenly in Moscow. He was laid to rest at the Novodevichy Cemetery. Boris's legacy as a visionary theater director remains intact, with his emphasis on musicality and emotional expression continuing to inspire contemporary productions.
Personal Life
Marriages and FamilyBoris was married three times. His second wife was actress Lilya Grichenko, while his third wife was actress Galina Kirushina. He had two daughters, Alexandra and Galina, and several grandchildren.
