Theater of Greece

The Turkish yoke impeded the development of modern Greek theater for 15-18 centuries. The germ of theatrical art arose only in the territories free from the Turkish conquest: in the beginning of the 17th century - on the island of Crete , in the late 18th century - on the island of Zakynthos . The formation of theatrical art in the early 19th century was associated with the national liberation struggle of the Greek people . Under the influence of the activities of the secret revolutionary society Filiki Eteria, the first amateur theater troupes were created in Odessa and Bucharest in 1817-1821 , where numerous figures of the Greek national liberation movement lived. These troupes staged tyrannical in their plot the tragedies of Voltaire and Alfieri , as well as the patriotic plays of the new Greek authors G. Lassanis - “Hellas and a Foreigner”, “Harmodia and Aristogiton”, I. Zambelios - “Timoleon”, etc.

After the declaration of state independence in 1830, the formation of the national theater began. This process was associated with overcoming serious difficulties (lack of assistance from the state, competition of foreign troupes). In Athens, the first performances were staged in 1836 , but permanent professional troupes arose only in the early 60s. A large place in the repertoire of these troupes was occupied by the historical dramas of modern Greek writers. The plays of Moliere , Goldoni , Schiller , Hugo , Shakespeare (mainly in alterations) were also staged. The acting version was dominated by pompous recitation, artificial pathos . Among the great actors of Greece in the middle of the 19th century, P. Sutsas, D. Tavoularis, D. Alexiadis, P. Vonaser and others. At the end of the 19th century, actresses E. Paraskevopoulou, E. Verone and romantic actor, performer of Shakespearean roles were recognized N. Lekacas. In the 90s, light comedies and lyrical dramas with the songs "comillillion" were especially successful. In this genre comedian E. Pandopoulos became famous, the game of which was distinguished by features of nationality and realism .

At the beginning of the 20th century, K. Hristomanos organized the Nea Skini Theater (New Stage, 1901 ), where he staged the performances: Ibsen 's Wild Duck, Turgenev’s Freeloader, The Power of Darkness, Innkeeper (Hotel Mistress) ) and others, as well as realistic plays by modern Greek playwrights G. Xenopoulos (“The Secret of Countess Valeria”), J. Kambisis (“Kurds”), M. Ageris (“Before People”). Christomanos strove to create an ensemble of actors, demanded that the actors carefully work on the roles, realistic interpretation of the images. But in the work of Christomanos, naturalistic tendencies also affected. Subsequently, the Nea Skini Theater staged unprincipled entertaining plays. Soon the theater came to a creative crisis and in 1906 ceased to exist.

In 1901, the State Royal Theater in Athens appeared , in which one of the first Greek directors F. Economa worked , who made a great contribution to the development of acting and production culture. At the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, plays on the themes of modern life, written by Greek authors G. Xenopoulos, P. Nirvanas, D. Tangopoulos, P. Horn, D. Bogris and others, became widespread. The works of Western European and Russian classical drama were staged. In acting, realistic tendencies intensified, which were most clearly manifested in the works of E. Veakis, M. Cotopouli .

In 1910 - 1920, Greek theater showed signs of decline. Theaters become commercial enterprises, they mainly include low-grade boulevard plays. Certain artistic achievements during this period were associated with the work of actresses Kotopuli and Kivel, who led the corpses, with the activities of the director Ekonoma in the Theater of the Conservatory (1917-21), and others. Attempts to overcome the theater crisis characterize the work of the director Fotos Politis , who staged in the Society in 1925 Greek Theater (founded in 1919 ) performances "Oedipus King" by Sophocles (with E. Weakis in the title role), "The Examiner", "The Brothers Karamazov" by Dostoevsky. In 1927 - 1929 Politis at the Tearu Vocational School staged performances marked by high artistic merit - Vasilikos by Matesis et al.

In 1930, a progressive theater figure and playwright Vasilis Rotas created the People's Theater, which lasted until 1934 . Attempts to organize permanent theater groups were made by S. Melas (Theater of Art, 1925 , Free Stage, 1929 - 1930 ). Significant performances existed in 1934 in the theater “Folk Scene” directed by K. Kuhn (“Al-Kest” Euripides , “Erofilo” Hortakis and others). A significant event in the Greek theater life of the 30s was the performances of the Athens National Theater , founded in 1932 , in which the directors Fotos Politis and Dimitris Rontiris worked . Significant productions were created in 1932 - 1934 by a theatrical collective, in which actresses M. Cotopouli and Kivel ("Mary Stuart" and others) worked. Since 1934, the Kotopuli Theater brought together such talented actors as P. Gavrilidis, V. Logofetidis , D. Mirat, G. Pappas, A. Yannidis, and contemporary realistic plays were staged here. In the theater, led by V. Argiropoulos (since 1924 ) there were light comedies and farces. In 1934 , the theater began operating under the direction of K. Musuris, in 1936 - the theater under the direction of Catherine Andreadi.

The fascist dictatorship (1936–41) and foreign occupation (1941–44) impeded the development of progressive trends in theatrical art of Greece. In 1936, fascist censorship banned the performances "Long Road" by Arbuzov (Catherine Andreadi Theater), "St. John" by Bernard Shaw ( Costas Musuris Theater ). It was forbidden to stage plays by progressive authors, including historical drama “Riga Velestinlis” by Vasilis Rotas and others.

The national liberation struggle of 1941-1944 and the struggle for democracy in the years after World War II posed new tasks for the theater, and theatrical artists sought to reflect in the performances the interests of the broad masses fighting for the independence of the motherland. This desire was most fully reflected in the work of the theater of “United Artists” (founded 1945 ), in which such actors performed: E. Veakis, A. Yannidis, G. Glinos, Miranda Teohari ; the directors Y. Sarandidis, T. Mouzenidis, G. Sevastikoglu and others worked. Along with the works of Theodore by Fotiadis, Awakening by Kojias, The Summer We Will Reap by A. Damianos, Whoever Works, Eats by N. Tsekuras, the theater for the first time in Greece staged Enemies, Invasion and plays by leading playwrights from other countries . The intensification of political reaction led to the closure of the theater in 1946 , progressive theatrical figures were persecuted. In subsequent years, leading actors, director and playwrights continued the struggle for democratic art.

In 1955, the Greek National Theater was created under the direction of actor M. Katrakis, where the performances were staged: “Christ Crucified Again” based on the novel of the same name by N. Kazantzakis, “The Seventh Day of Creation” by Jacobos Kambanellis, the historical drama “Karaiskakis” by Fotiadis and Stavros, “ Fuenteovehuna " Lope de Vega ," Idiot "by Dostoevsky and others. In the 40-50s a significant event in the theatrical life of the country were the productions of the Teatron Technis Art Theater (founded 1942 by director K. Kun) - The Caucasian Chalk Circle (1957), The Good Man from Cezuan (1958), “ The ascent of Arthur V could be prevented ”(1961) by Brecht,“ Yard of Miracles ”by I. Campanellis (1958),“ Uncle Vanya ”(1960). Among the performances of other theaters are “Anne Frank's Diary” by Goodrich and Hackett, “The Man Who Makes Rain” Ours, “The Lady with Camellias” by Dumas son (1956, 1959, the Ellie Lambete – Dimitris Horne Theater), “The Dreyfus Affair” M. Skuludis (1959, D. Mirat Theater), “The Good Soldier Schweik ” by Hasek , “Topaz” Pagnoli (1956, 1958, M. Photopoulos Theater), “Filumena Marturano” De Filippe (1959, K. Andreadi Theater). In the theater, headed by the outstanding comedian V. Logofetidis , the comedies of D. Psatas , Giorgos Russos and others were staged. In 1959, the Neo Theatron was organized under the direction of V. Diamantopoulos and M. Alkey, the productions of “A Tale without a Name” by I. Campanellis, “Trees die standing” by Cason, “Life of Galileo” by Brecht.

The development of the Greek theater was hindered during this period by financial difficulties, including heavy taxes, and the lack of assistance from the state. Big theatrical figures Dimitris Horn , K. Andreadi, K. Musuris, who had their own theater troupes, are increasingly turning to the production of lightweight "tabloid" plays. In the work of summer theaters, organized for one season, there is a tendency to staging lush performances, performances that did not differ in the high level of theatrical art.

In the late 50s and early 60s, young directors organized, in contrast to commercial theaters, troupes engaged in experimentation and creative searches. Director T. Alkulis, in the 1959 Theater and 1961 Theater he directed, staged the performances The Lost Leaf by Karajale, The Gray-haired Girl by He Jingzhi and Ding Ni. The Twelfth Curtain Theater puts on an annual performance consisting of 3 one-act plays by young Greek playwrights. The creative direction of this theater was formed under the influence of French avant-garde .

In 1960, the Poria Theater (The Way) appeared under the direction of the playwright and director A. Damianos, who directed mainly plays by contemporary playwrights. The Piraeus Theater (founded 1957), directed by director D. Rontiris, staged plays by Shakespeare , Schiller , Aeschylus , Sophocles , P. Horn, P. Kayas and other playwrights in the city of Piraeus . In 1961, the State Theater in Thessaloniki began to work (dir. S. Karandinos). Among other famous theatrical figures of Greece - directors P. Katsedis, M. Ploritis, M. Ligizos, M. Kakoyanis, N. Hadziskos; actors and actresses Alik Vuguklaki , A. Aleksandrakis, E. Hadziargiri, A. Katselis, M. Mercury, N. Kurkulos, A. Valaku, E. Verga, V. Zavitsianu, D. Karezi; scenographers M. Angelopoulos, G. Animoyanis, G. Vakal, Spiros Vasiliu, K. Clonis, J. Stefanellis, Yannis Tsaruhis , A. Fokas.

Until the 80s of the XIX century in Greece there was no professional opera house. Italian and French opera companies toured Athens. After 1867, amateur opera performances and the first works of modern Greek composers S. Xindas, S. Samaras, P. Carrera and others were staged on the islands of Corfu and Zakynthos .

The first performance of the Greek professional opera company took place in Athens in March 1888 (S. Xindas's opera “Candidate for Deputies”). Since 1889, this troupe, led by composer and conductor D. Lavrangas, has staged operas by Greek and Western European composers in Athens and other cities in Greece, as well as abroad. Although this troupe had to overcome serious difficulties and its activities took place with great interruptions, the first national opera artists grew up here - singers J. Apostolu, I. Angelopoulos, N. Moraitis , singers Reni Vlahopulu, A. Kiparissi and others.

An attempt to create a national school of opera was carried out in 1915-1919 by the composer M. Kalomiris (opera The Ring of the Mother, 1917 , and others). In 1933 he created the National Opera Company, which lasted two years. Excerpts from the operas of various composers were staged by students of the Athens Conservatory (founded in 1873 ). The lack of a permanent opera company forced Greek artists to seek work abroad (M. Perry, E. Nikolaidi, A. Tassopulu, Ulysses Lappas , K. Engolifopoulos, Nikos Moskhonas , Maria Kallas and other singers).

Professional operetta troupes appeared in Greece after 1908, they put on the works of Greek composers (T. Sakellaridis, N. Hadziapostolu) and operettas of foreign authors. The heyday of operetta in Greece dates back to 1910 - 1920 and is associated with the name of the talented actor I. Papioannu.

In 1940, Athens founded the first state musical theater in Greece, Ethnics of the Lyrics of the Skini, which staged operas and operettas. Beethoven's Fidelio, Boris Godunov by Mussorgsky, works by Verdi, Rossini, Puccini, Mozart, as well as Greek composers M. Kalomiris, G. Sklavos and others were staged at the theater. Among the soloists of this theater are Rena Vlahopoulou, N. Bytiru, E. Gaga-Spiropoulou, V. Georgiu, Yorgos Damasiotis, Anti Zaharatu, Nuvuka Frangia-Spiliopoulou, Petros Epitropakis, Demetrio Stratos , N. Zaharos, L. Ioannidis, G. Kokolios , M. Koronis, opera baritone Kostas Paschalis , A. Pandazinos, Zahos Thanos and others. Among the directors are F. Theologogidis, D. Rondiris, A. Minotis, conductors - A. Paridis, Antioch Evangelatos , L. Zoras.

The most famous contemporary Greek singer is the tenor Marios Frangoulis , who, thanks to his talent, gained fame and popularity around the world. He sings in five languages, which, in addition, is fluent in: Italian, Spanish, English, French and Greek.

A permanent ballet theater in Greece did not exist for a long time. Separate ballet performances were staged by students of private ballet schools of K. Pracic and dance groups led by Dora Stratu , Rallu Man and others. In Athens, the so-called review theaters also worked, which staged comedy scenes and musical numbers - a genre that emerged at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. The most popular actors of this operetta theater in the 20-50s of the 20th century were P. Kyriakos, J. Prineas, K. Mavreas, Mimis Kokkinis , Vasilis Avlonitis , Orestis Makris . Cleon Triantafillou made a great contribution to the development of pop theater.

In 1939, the National Opera of Greece was officially established in Athens, the development of ballet art in which is the merit of the ballerina and later choreographer Tatyana Mamaki , a native of Russia.

• Theater of Greece from antiquity to the present day
• Greek Film, Theater and Film Directors, Greek Actors