Moscow Theater "Contemporary". Yesterday and today

Moscow theater "Contemporary" is famous from the first days of creation. This is a unique school of life for actors and spectators. In the theater's performances only topical psychological questions are solved. Visiting the "Contemporary", connoisseurs of theatrical art will be able to see on the stage a classical school of acting. From the very first performance the theater corresponds to its name. The basis of the repertoire is the production of contemporary authors.

History of the theater "Contemporary"

Moscow Theater "Sovremennik" was founded in 1956. It was a difficult time in the history of the country. In the post-war years, after exposing the cult of Stalin, it became the first theater that managed to take place as an artistic team that united the like-minded actors. The first actors of the Sovremennik Theater are graduates of the Moscow Art Theater School Oleg Efremov, Igor Kvasha, Galina Volchek, Yevgeny Evstigneev, Oleg Tabakov. The debut performance was staged on the play by Victor Rozov "Forever Alive". Spectators and critics immediately noticed an unusually strong cast. For the first time on the stage, life problems, hopes and sorrows began to be discussed. Feelings, played and lived by them in performances, were clear to every person in the auditorium.

The first art director of the theater was Oleg Nikolayevich Efremov. A talented actor graduated from the Moscow Art Theater in 1949. His teachers were Kedrov and Toporkov, disciples of the great KS. Stanislavsky. Oleg Efremov possessed all leadership qualities and was a good leader who listened to the opinion of his colleagues, welcomed independent work and motivated actors to do directing.

By the end of the 60s the theater was famous for its talented collective and rich repertoire. The troupe has toured the country a lot, and every city visited by Sovremennik, the auditoriums were crowded.

The crisis in the theater

In 1970, unexpectedly, a crisis broke out in the theater. This was due to the departure of art director Oleg Efremov. He was invited to lead the Moscow Art Theater, and together with him the theater left part of the leading actors. There was a split. Moscow theater "Contemporary" was left without a leader and main artists. Many critics predicted an imminent end. In 1972 the troupe was headed by Galina Volchek. Despite all the difficulties, the theater stood and did not close. It was difficult to restore the repertoire, but new talented actors, such as Marina Neelova, Liya Akhedzhakova and others, who joined the cast, came to the troupe. To revive the theater, Galina Volchek puts new plays, reveals unknown names to anyone, invites talented authors and directors for cooperation. She also draws attention to foreign literature. In new productions, the theater remains true to its principles - it continues to speak with the public in modern language.

The cast of the theater

Since the foundation of "Contemporary" the troupe consisted of young and talented actors. Many of them combined work in the theater and acted in films. Today's collective consists of remarkable artists of several generations. Their names are known not only in Russia, but also in other countries, as the theater tours around the world. The older generation of actors is represented by Valentin Gaft, Liya Akhedzhakova, Marina Neelova. The next generation is represented by Elena Yakovleva, Sergei Garmash, Mikhail Zhigalov. The talented youth - Chulpan Khamatova, Olga Drozdova and other actors, known to the modern spectator, also rejoices the audience and remains faithful to Sovremennik. The main symbol and pearl of the theater is the incomparable Galina Volchek, who was able to raise the theater in difficult times and gather in its walls not just wonderful actors, but a collective of like-minded colleagues. All the actors of the Sovremennik Theater are devoted to their work and to the audience.

Performances of the Sovremennik Theater

At the heart of the repertoire of the theater there have always been and still are works by contemporary authors. A feature of "Contemporary" is the ability to make the world classics relevant. Galina Volchek managed to deliver new versions of the plays by A. Chekhov, L. Andreev, N. Gogol, F. Dostoyevsky, W. Shakespeare, G. Ibsen. The repertoire of the Sovremennik Theater has never been divided into domestic and foreign performances. Directors paid much attention to foreign authors, such as Hemingway, Remark, Tennessee Williams and many others.

Moscow's Sovremennik Theater is a favorite place for young people and intellectuals. For more than 50 years, the talented troupe has delighted the audience with excellent acting skills and great productions.