Russian theatre in Odessa

The Odessa Russian theatre - the oldest theatre in the south of Ukraine has been constructed 1874 by the merchant Alexander Semenovichem Velikanov and intended for performances, very beloved by residents of Odessa, drama troupe of the well-known provincial actor and entrepreneur Nikolay Karlovicha Miloslavskiy. On the stage of Russian theatre in Odessa played great Sara Bernard and Eleonora Duze, Benua Koklen and Jean Moon-Sully, Maria Savin and Vladimr Davidov, Maria Zankovetskaja and Mark Kropivnitsky … Before revolution acted here numerous Russian, Ukrainian, German, French, Italian, drama, opera and operetta troupes.

In the Soviet years the state Odessa Russian drama theatre has been finally registered in this building (1926). In troupe of theatre worked in different years outstanding actors . On the stage of the Odessa Russian theatre for the first time was showed talent such famous people as Michael Astangov, Darya Zerkalovoj, Vladimir Samoilov. Here has passed the main part of a creative life of Nikolay Komissarov, Nikolay Volkov - the senior, Lily Bugova, Paul Mihajlov, Boris Zajdenberg….Here worked talented directors – pupils of Mejerhold Abram Rubin and Alexey Gripich, Avraam Trepelev and Alexander Solomarsky, Vladimir Bortko - the senior and Victor Strizhov.

In 2003, the theatre has opened after almost two years of reconstruction and major overhaul. Today at the Odessa Russian theatre there are performances directed by masters of the Russian and Ukrainian direction of Leonid Heifetz and Edward Mitnitskiy, residents of Odessa , nowadays working in Moscow and St.-Petersburg - Joseph Rajhelgauz, Boris Milgram, George Kovtun, the Russian directors - Anatoly Praudin, Alexey Girby, Alexey Litvin… The troupe of theatre has four national actors of Ukraine - Lyudmila Satosova, Andrey Gonchar, Simeon Krupnik, Oleg Shkolnik, ten honored artists of Ukraine,a lot of young people….. In repertoire- "Richard III"of U.Shekspire and " School of wives "J.B.Molier, " Cherry garden”A.Chechov,”Anna Karenina”L.Tolstoy, modern dramatic art. The anniversary season 2004-2005, the theatre has opened with three premieres of well-known novel of Stendal “Red and Black”( the scenic version and Alexey Girby’s statement), modern melodrama A.Mardanja” The leaf of expectations”( the director- Yoseph Rajhelgauz) and the original version of drama E.M. Remarque “Last stop” , wich the theatre devotes to the 60 anniversary of the Great Victory (scenic edition and Alexey Litvina’s statement).