Alexandr Ostrovsky
Encyclopedia
Alexander Nikolayevich Ostrovsky was a Russian playwright
.
(1835–1840) and then studied law
at Moscow State University
(1840–1843), which he left without having taken the final examination.
He was then employed as a clerk
in the office of the Court of Conscience
, and subsequently in that of the Commercial Court in Moscow
. Both tribunal
s were called upon to settle disputes chiefly among the Russian merchant
class, from which Ostrovsky was thus enabled to draw the chief characters for his earliest comedies. Among these are The Poor Bride (Bednaya nevesta), Poverty is No Vice (Bednost' ne porok), and Keep to Your Own Sledge (Ne v svoi sani ne sadis'). Of this last Nicholas I
said it was not a play, but a lesson. The uncultured, self-satisfied merchant class is strikingly portrayed in The Tempest and It's a Family Affair-We'll Settle It Ourselves (Svoi liudi - sochtiomsya!).
The last-mentioned comedy was prohibited for ten years, until the accession of Alexander II
, and Ostrovsky was dismissed from the government service and placed under the supervision of the police
. The liberal tendencies of the new reign, however, soon brought relief. Ostrovsky was one of several well-known literary men who were sent into the provinces to report on the condition of the people. Ostrovsky's area of inquiry lay along the upper Volga, a part of the country memorable for some of the most important events in Russian history.
This mission induced him to write several historical dramas of great merit, such as Kozma Zakhar'yich Minin-Sukhoruk (the full name of the famous butcher who saved Moscow from the Poles
), The False Dmitry and Vassily Shuisky, Vassilisa Melentieva (the name of a favorite court lady of Ivan the Terrible) and the comedy Voyevoda. Many of his later works treat of the Russian nobility, and include Money to Burn (Beshenye Den'gi), Without a Dowry (Bespridannitsa), and Wolves and Sheep (Volki i Ovtsy); others relate to the world of actors, such as Forest (Les), Guilty Without Fault (Bez viny vinovatye), and Talents and Admirers (Talanty i Poklonniki).
Ostrovsky enjoyed the patronage of Alexander III
(his brother Mikhail
was one Alexander's ministers and a member of the State Council of Imperial Russia
), and received a pension of 3000 rubles
a year. With the help of Moscow capitalist
s, he established the Maly Theatre
as a model theatre and school of dramatic art, of which he became the first director. He also founded the Society of Russian Dramatic Art and Opera Composers.
Several months before his death, he was appointed repertoire director of all the state theatres in Moscow but because of his sickness had no time to start the job. Ostrovsky died of stenocardia in his estate near Kostroma
at his desk while translating William Shakespeare
's Antony and Cleopatra
.
Several of Ostrovsky's plays have been turned into opera
s, mostly by Russian composers. In particular, the play The Storm (Гроза) was the inspiration behind Janáček
's opera Káťa Kabanová
.
His early comedy Live Not as You Would Like to [Не так живи, как хочется] (1854) was adapted as the tragic opera The Power of the Fiend
(premiered in 1871) by Serov
.
The historical drama The Voyevoda (Dream on the Volga) was transformed into two operas: one by Tchaikovsky
(as The Voyevoda) and later another by Arensky
entitled Dream on the Volga
. Tchaikovsky also later wrote incidental music
for a scene in the play.
The most notable Russian opera based on an Ostrovsky play is Rimsky-Korsakov
's The Snow Maiden
(Snegurochka). Tchaikovsky also wrote incidental music for this play.
Playwright
A playwright, also called a dramatist, is a person who writes plays.The term is not a variant spelling of "playwrite", but something quite distinct: the word wright is an archaic English term for a craftsman or builder...
.
Life and work
Ostrovsky graduated from the First Moscow GymnasiumGymnasium (school)
A gymnasium is a type of school providing secondary education in some parts of Europe, comparable to English grammar schools or sixth form colleges and U.S. college preparatory high schools. The word γυμνάσιον was used in Ancient Greece, meaning a locality for both physical and intellectual...
(1835–1840) and then studied law
Law
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
at Moscow State University
Moscow State University
Lomonosov Moscow State University , previously known as Lomonosov University or MSU , is the largest university in Russia. Founded in 1755, it also claims to be one of the oldest university in Russia and to have the tallest educational building in the world. Its current rector is Viktor Sadovnichiy...
(1840–1843), which he left without having taken the final examination.
He was then employed as a clerk
Court clerk
A court clerk is an officer of the court whose responsibilities include maintaining the records of a court. Another duty is to administer oaths to witnesses, jurors, and grand jurors...
in the office of the Court of Conscience
Court of Conscience
Fully developed by 17th-century European theology, the concept of the Court Of Conscience held that one's conscience would testify for or against one's actions in life after death. During life, the faculty of conscience was like, but not the same as, the voice of God...
, and subsequently in that of the Commercial Court in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
. Both tribunal
Tribunal
A tribunal in the general sense is any person or institution with the authority to judge, adjudicate on, or determine claims or disputes—whether or not it is called a tribunal in its title....
s were called upon to settle disputes chiefly among the Russian merchant
Merchant
A merchant is a businessperson who trades in commodities that were produced by others, in order to earn a profit.Merchants can be one of two types:# A wholesale merchant operates in the chain between producer and retail merchant...
class, from which Ostrovsky was thus enabled to draw the chief characters for his earliest comedies. Among these are The Poor Bride (Bednaya nevesta), Poverty is No Vice (Bednost' ne porok), and Keep to Your Own Sledge (Ne v svoi sani ne sadis'). Of this last Nicholas I
Nicholas I of Russia
Nicholas I , was the Emperor of Russia from 1825 until 1855, known as one of the most reactionary of the Russian monarchs. On the eve of his death, the Russian Empire reached its historical zenith spanning over 20 million square kilometers...
said it was not a play, but a lesson. The uncultured, self-satisfied merchant class is strikingly portrayed in The Tempest and It's a Family Affair-We'll Settle It Ourselves (Svoi liudi - sochtiomsya!).
The last-mentioned comedy was prohibited for ten years, until the accession of Alexander II
Alexander II of Russia
Alexander II , also known as Alexander the Liberator was the Emperor of the Russian Empire from 3 March 1855 until his assassination in 1881...
, and Ostrovsky was dismissed from the government service and placed under the supervision of the police
Police
The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
. The liberal tendencies of the new reign, however, soon brought relief. Ostrovsky was one of several well-known literary men who were sent into the provinces to report on the condition of the people. Ostrovsky's area of inquiry lay along the upper Volga, a part of the country memorable for some of the most important events in Russian history.
This mission induced him to write several historical dramas of great merit, such as Kozma Zakhar'yich Minin-Sukhoruk (the full name of the famous butcher who saved Moscow from the Poles
Poles
thumb|right|180px|The state flag of [[Poland]] as used by Polish government and diplomatic authoritiesThe Polish people, or Poles , are a nation indigenous to Poland. They are united by the Polish language, which belongs to the historical Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages of Central Europe...
), The False Dmitry and Vassily Shuisky, Vassilisa Melentieva (the name of a favorite court lady of Ivan the Terrible) and the comedy Voyevoda. Many of his later works treat of the Russian nobility, and include Money to Burn (Beshenye Den'gi), Without a Dowry (Bespridannitsa), and Wolves and Sheep (Volki i Ovtsy); others relate to the world of actors, such as Forest (Les), Guilty Without Fault (Bez viny vinovatye), and Talents and Admirers (Talanty i Poklonniki).
Ostrovsky enjoyed the patronage of Alexander III
Alexander III of Russia
Alexander Alexandrovich Romanov , historically remembered as Alexander III or Alexander the Peacemaker reigned as Emperor of Russia from until his death on .-Disposition:...
(his brother Mikhail
Mikhail Nikolayevich Ostrovsky
Mikhail Nikolayevich Ostrovsky was a Russian statesman who served as Minister of State Property under the reign of Alexander III.-Early life and career:...
was one Alexander's ministers and a member of the State Council of Imperial Russia
State Council of Imperial Russia
The State Council was the supreme state advisory body to the Tsar in Imperial Russia.-18th century:Early Tsars' Councils were small and dealt primarily with the external politics....
), and received a pension of 3000 rubles
Russian ruble
The ruble or rouble is the currency of the Russian Federation and the two partially recognized republics of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Formerly, the ruble was also the currency of the Russian Empire and the Soviet Union prior to their breakups. Belarus and Transnistria also use currencies with...
a year. With the help of Moscow capitalist
Capitalism
Capitalism is an economic system that became dominant in the Western world following the demise of feudalism. There is no consensus on the precise definition nor on how the term should be used as a historical category...
s, he established the Maly Theatre
Maly Theatre (Moscow)
Maly Theatre is a drama theater in Moscow, Russia. Established in 1806 and operating on its present site on the Theatre Square since 1824, the theatre traces its history to the Moscow University drama company, established in 1756...
as a model theatre and school of dramatic art, of which he became the first director. He also founded the Society of Russian Dramatic Art and Opera Composers.
Several months before his death, he was appointed repertoire director of all the state theatres in Moscow but because of his sickness had no time to start the job. Ostrovsky died of stenocardia in his estate near Kostroma
Kostroma
Kostroma is a historic city and the administrative center of Kostroma Oblast, Russia. A part of the Golden Ring of Russian towns, it is located at the confluence of the Volga and Kostroma Rivers...
at his desk while translating William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
's Antony and Cleopatra
Antony and Cleopatra
Antony and Cleopatra is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written sometime between 1603 and 1607. It was first printed in the First Folio of 1623. The plot is based on Thomas North's translation of Plutarch's Lives and follows the relationship between Cleopatra and Mark Antony...
.
Works adapted in music
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
s, mostly by Russian composers. In particular, the play The Storm (Гроза) was the inspiration behind Janáček
Leoš Janácek
Leoš Janáček was a Czech composer, musical theorist, folklorist, publicist and teacher. He was inspired by Moravian and all Slavic folk music to create an original, modern musical style. Until 1895 he devoted himself mainly to folkloristic research and his early musical output was influenced by...
's opera Káťa Kabanová
Káta Kabanová
Káťa Kabanová is an opera in three acts, with music by Leoš Janáček to a libretto by Vincenc Červinka, based on The Storm, a play by Alexander Ostrovsky. The opera was also largely inspired by Janáček's love for Kamila Stösslová...
.
His early comedy Live Not as You Would Like to [Не так живи, как хочется] (1854) was adapted as the tragic opera The Power of the Fiend
The Power of the Fiend
The Power of the Fiend is an opera in five acts by Alexander Serov, composed during 1867-1871. The libretto is derived from a comedy by Alexander Ostrovsky from 1854 entitled Live Not As You Would Like To, But As God Commands. The opera was premiered posthumously on 19 April 1871 at the...
(premiered in 1871) by Serov
Alexander Serov
Alexander Nikolayevich Serov – was a Russian composer and music critic. He and his wife Valentina were the parents of painter Valentin Serov...
.
The historical drama The Voyevoda (Dream on the Volga) was transformed into two operas: one by Tchaikovsky
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (Russian: Пётр Ильи́ч Чайко́вский ; often "Peter Ilich Tchaikovsky" in English. His names are also transliterated "Piotr" or "Petr"; "Ilitsch", "Il'ich" or "Illyich"; and "Tschaikowski", "Tschaikowsky", "Chajkovskij"...
(as The Voyevoda) and later another by Arensky
Anton Arensky
Anton Stepanovich Arensky -Biography:Arensky was born in Novgorod, Russia. He was musically precocious and had composed a number of songs and piano pieces by the age of nine...
entitled Dream on the Volga
Dream on the Volga
Dream on the Volga is an opera in four acts composed by Anton Arensky. The libretto was adapted by Arensky from Alexander Ostrovsky's melodrama Voyevoda. The opera premiered on January 2, 1891 at the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow with Arensky conducting.-Background:Dream on the Volga was Arensky's...
. Tchaikovsky also later wrote incidental music
Incidental music
Incidental music is music in a play, television program, radio program, video game, film or some other form not primarily musical. The term is less frequently applied to film music, with such music being referred to instead as the "film score" or "soundtrack"....
for a scene in the play.
The most notable Russian opera based on an Ostrovsky play is Rimsky-Korsakov
Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov
Nikolai Andreyevich Rimsky-Korsakov was a Russian composer, and a member of the group of composers known as The Five.The Five, also known as The Mighty Handful or The Mighty Coterie, refers to a circle of composers who met in Saint Petersburg, Russia, in the years 1856–1870: Mily Balakirev , César...
's The Snow Maiden
The Snow Maiden
The Snow Maiden: A Spring Fairy Tale is an opera in four acts with a prologue by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, composed during 1880–1881. The Russian libretto, by the composer, is based on the like-named play by Alexander Ostrovsky .The first performance of Rimsky-Korsakov's opera took place at the...
(Snegurochka). Tchaikovsky also wrote incidental music for this play.
External links
- Works in Russian at Lib.ru
- Review of Ostrovsky's The Forest at Manhattan's Classic Stage Company, May 2010
- The Tabakov Theatre. Alexander Ostrovsky, Wolves and Sheep 2010