This week I had a chance to visit a theatre. I can’t do it often because of my busy life. So it was a great event for me. And it isn’t surprisingly, as there were some important reasons for it. First of all, the performance was given in a new-built theatre for the first time after the opening. It is the theatre for young spectators but it gives performances for adults as well. A new building is magnificent. The next reason was the performance itself. It was a premiere of the well-known Russian novel “The Captain’s daughter”. It’s a historical novel by a great Russian writer Alexander Pushkin. It was first published in 1836. So, it’a a classic of Russian literature. The novel is about Pugachev’s rebellion in 1773- 1774 (Peasants’ War).
The main character Pyotr Grinyov, a young officer, is assigned to serve at Belogorskaya fortress near the city Orenburg. There he meets Masha the daughter of the Captain Ivan Mironov and falls in love with her.
Soon the fortress is besieged by Yemelyian Pugachev, who claimed to be emperor Peter III. He hangs the Captain and his wife. But Pyotr Grinyov’s life is suddenly spared, as Pugachev turns out to be the guide that rescued Pyotr from the blizzard at the beginning of the novel. Masha’s life is also under the threat and Pyotr tries to rescue her using all possible and impossible ways.. The novel describes a lot of dramatic events.
At the end of novel the rebellion is defeated and Yemelian Pugachev is beheaded. Pyotr is arrested for having friendly relations with Pugachev. Masha goes to Tsarskoe Selo near St. Petersburg ( the official residence of Russian tzars) and presents a petition to Russian empress Catherine the Great. The empress spares Pyotr’s life as she has become convinced of Pyotr’s innocence. Pyotr marries Masha.
The novel narrates about the great event in the history of Russia through the description of the life of ordinary people and when actors reproduce it on the stage it affects the audience greately.
I was impressed by the actors’ performance, as they were able to create the Russian spirit of that period. The scenery and the music were majestic, too. I liked the character of Yemelian Pugachev most of all, as he is a real great Russian personality ( strong, wild, and at the same time kind and just with a good sence of humour), that affects you a lot.
But while I was sitting and watching the performance I noticed only few teenagers there. Why do you think teenagers prefer to go to the cinema rather than going to the theatre? And not only teenagers. Theater vs Cinema. Which do you think has more benefits?
Do you often go to the theatre? Are there any unique theatres in your country?
This is the final scene of the performance. You can see the empress Catherine the Great and Yemelian Pugachev next to her.....then to the right Pyotr Grinyov and Masha.....
Comments
Hello, Grace!
Thanks for looking through my blog and appreciating it.
Have a fowery day!!!
Galina
Tung blossom.....
Sandeep, thanks a lot for such fascinating story about Indian culture. Now some things about Indian culture have become clearer for me. Of course, I've heard about Bollywood but now when a real person from India told me about it, I see everything in a different way....it's so exciting! Thanks for giving a link about Indian Theatre....very interesting. As for actors and actresses, I think the same we can see in Russia..They're the members of different Russian theatres.
Sandeep, I'm fascinated with the film Gaja Gamini! I haven't heard about it...thanks for the link....I was reading.....and now I want to see it. I like the mysterious figure called "Gaja Gamini" ( the embodiment of the Indian spirit), who inspires, arouses and confuses the common man. I also like the idea of the film about confrontations between Science and Art at different points of history, showing that the world itself can change, but its original ideas will always be permanent. e. g. A play by Shakespeare can be written in the 16th century and perormed by actors of nowadays. Well, so many exciting ideas.... Thanks for sharing...
The graphics of the theatre are amazing! I'm very grateful to you, Sandeep, for everything!
Hello, Galina!
It would be my pleasure to tell you anything about Indian culture. I will try my best to answer.
Thank you Anele! :) That is really amazing time you had spent, Galina! I guess you find right time and right place to enjoy real beauty of theatre. I lived in Mumbai around 2 Years but never got time to visit a theatre, even most of the Indian Theatre resides to this city. Ramlila is religious kind of theatre acting beside this there is Bollywood. Indian Classics, Contemporary, Puppet Shows are popular ways of Theatre shows.
Since India is famous for two things among the peoples - Cricket and Bollywood. Most of the great actor/actress came from the Indian Theatre. After this they gets entry inside Bollywood Film Industry. Every great actor/actress speaks about theatre, is like birthplace to them. If someone has to understand the feeling and real motive of cinematic then work few years inside this to polish their acting. When Actor/Actress get bored by the cinematic world they revamped themselves by joining the theatre again. Read about this Indian Movie - Gaja Gamini, it is written and directed by M.F. Hussain, a renowned famous painter. This movie play alike theatre, you change the curtain, costumes and everything and you can originally see the behaviour of character, inside their dilemma, characterisation. When I saw this movie, initially get confuse then I try to understand things how theatre life works for actor/actress.
Hello, Anele1
Now I'm sitting and enjoying the song and the lyrics (" Miss Saigon"). Very nice.... Thanks for sharing...
Now about my name. My first name is Galina, and my surname is Prostomolotova. In English they first use a name and then a surname. So, I had to write on my wall Galina Prostomolotova as it is an English website. But in Russian we first say a surname and only then a name....Prostomolotova Galina. So, by mistake I wrote it in Russian order...and now some people are confused....At Russian schools it is accepted to address the teacher using the first name and patronimic ( father's name). My father's name is Vladimir. So, the students address me as Galina Vladimirovna. But my friends and ralatives call me Galya ( it's a short name for Galina). Anele, how students address teachers in your country?
Wish you a bright joyful day!
Hello Anele!
Thanks a million for your fascinating comments. I agree it would be great to share different things that are interesting for both of us for our mutual benefit. I feel you're a great teacher who knows very well how to motivate students. Motivation....I think much depends on the personality of the teacher, especially it concerns primary school children. It's very important if the teacher can inspire the students to study. I'm sure you've succeeded in it.
Thanks a lot for introducing me the world famous musicals. I simply adore them. This song " I'd give my life for you " from the musical "Miss saigon" is charming...so romantic and touching.....the lyrics are very beautiful...thanks for sharing!
I’d give my life for you.
You who i cradled in my arms
You asking as little as you can
Little snip of a little man
I know i'd give my life for you
You didn't ask me to be born
You why should you learn of war or pain?
To make sure you're not hurt again
I swear I'd give my life for you
I've tasted love beyond all fear
And you should know it's love
that brought you hear
And in one perfect night
when the stars burned liek new,
I knew what I must do
I'll give you a million things I'll never own
I'll give you a world to conquer when you're grown
You will be who you want to be
You, can choose whatever heaven grants
As long as you can have your chance
I swear i'll give my life for you
Sometimes I wake up
reaching for him
I feel his shadow brush my head
But there's just moonlight on my bed
Was he a ghost was he a lie?
That made my body laugh and cry?
Then by my side the proof i see
his little one, gods of the sun,
bring him to me!
You will be who you want to be
You, can choose whatever heaven grants
As long as you can have your chance
I swear i'll give my life for you
No one can stop what i must do
I swear i'll give my life for you!
Hello, Anele!
How I’m glad to see your comment again. It seems we understand each other very well. I wrote in the comment for Sandeep that I simply adore to communicate with people from different countries. And, of course, I look forward to see your comments, as they’re always both supportive and informative. I always learn some new, interesting things from them. Now again, I’ve heard only about The PHANTOM OF THE OPER, and haven’t heard about "MISS SAIGON “ and DON'T CRY FOR ME ARGENTINA. Thanks for telling me about these famous great things.
You’re right there’s a big gap between theatres and cinemas… they appeared in different times...were created by different generations…...so maybe we should’t even compare them and think about them as about different forms of art? What do you think?
I quite agree with you that it’s elegant to be among those theatre's spectators. Theatre is, maybe, more aristocratic. We don’t wear jeans and T-shirts when we go to the theatre….instead of it some elegant clothes……though teenagers start to wear what they want.
As for the prices, the tickets to the cinema are cheaper than to the theatre.
Anele, thanks for your comment. I’m always glad to hear from you.
Hello, Sandeep!
You can’t imagine how I was surprised hearing that I’m lucky to have a chance to visit a theatre. It’s so great to communicate with people all over the world and feel as you would visit their countries and meet them…..so exciting to learn their opinions. It’s quite different from reading about that from official sources.
Well, I always take it for granted that there are about 10 different theatres in Saratov and we can visit them any time. Thanks for sharing with such artistic events in India as Ramlia and Vijayadashmi. I read about them in Wikipedia. It’s very interesting. I think Indian culture is great and unique. I have been always interested in it. I want to ask some questions to Indian people. But now I’m very busy, so maybe a bit later when the school year will be over.
Sandeep, I also was fascinated with costumes. Sometimes I want to live in the 18th or 19thcentury for a while just to have a chance to wear these costumes, dance at the balls…and just to feel the atmosphere of those times.
The performance lasted for three hours with the break of twenty minutes.
Thank you very much for your comment…..
You are lucky, Galina that you got a chance to visit theatre, now a days when people usually like to go for cinema hall to enjoy 2D or 3D movies.
During childhood my father took us with family to Ramlia, it's sort of theatre not like yours in pictures and it was a fascinating time. It is popular way of visiting theatre among peoples and still very popular at the time of Vijayadashmi. Every character play their performance in way of poetry and background musical instruments provide sounds, curtain up and down in every scenes, and the way we wait for next scene change, WOW!. If my school mate is present then forget the timing of going back to home because this plays only at night.
Now life is busy and theatres are almost forgotten to the peoples, people avoid going there. I recently watch two movies which reminds me of older cine style - The Artist and Hugo. Even they are movies, but you can see how cinematic take things over Theatre.
Really, Nice picture of every characters, their costumes/dresses, theatre stage and the ambience can easily depicted by this. How longer was the play?
Thank you so much for sharing this. I really enjoy the story.