Lado Aleksi-Meskhishvili
Encyclopedia
Vladimir Alexi-Meskhishvili, Lado Meskhishivili, or Alekseev-Meskhiev (February 16, 1857 — November 24, 1920) was a Georgian
theater actor and director.
Born in Tbilisi
, Lado Aleksi-Meskhishvili studied medicine at the University of Moscow. Illness forced him to abandon studies and return to Georgia, where he worked as a teacher in Telavi
. After medical studies and amateur acting, he joined the Tbilisi Georgian-language troupe in 1881, running it from 1890 to 1896 and from 1910 to 1914, and the Kutaisi
Theater from 1897 to 1906 and again from 1914 to 1915. He also played in Russian troupes from 1887 to 1990 and from 1906 to 1910, including the Moscow Art Theatre
(1906–1907).
A flamboyantly heroic actor, Aleksi-Meskhishvili used his performances to promote revolutionary ideas, and even engaged in barricade fighting during the Russian Revolution of 1905
. In 1930, Aleksi-Meskhishvili was posthumously granted the title of People's Artist
by Soviet Georgia. Aleksi-Meskhishvili's name was given to the Kutaisi Drama Theatre in 1940. He is buried at the Didube Pantheon
in Tbilisi. His son was Shalva Aleksi-Meskhishvili
, a Georgian jurist and politician.
Georgia (country)
Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
theater actor and director.
Born in Tbilisi
Tbilisi
Tbilisi is the capital and the largest city of Georgia, lying on the banks of the Mt'k'vari River. The name is derived from an early Georgian form T'pilisi and it was officially known as Tiflis until 1936...
, Lado Aleksi-Meskhishvili studied medicine at the University of Moscow. Illness forced him to abandon studies and return to Georgia, where he worked as a teacher in Telavi
Telavi
Telavi is the main city and administrative center of Georgia's eastern province of Kakheti. Its population consists of some 21,800 inhabitants . The city is located on foot-hills of Tsiv-Gombori Range at 500-800 meters above the sea level....
. After medical studies and amateur acting, he joined the Tbilisi Georgian-language troupe in 1881, running it from 1890 to 1896 and from 1910 to 1914, and the Kutaisi
Kutaisi
Kutaisi is Georgia's second largest city and the capital of the western region of Imereti. It is 221 km to the west of Tbilisi.-Geography:...
Theater from 1897 to 1906 and again from 1914 to 1915. He also played in Russian troupes from 1887 to 1990 and from 1906 to 1910, including the Moscow Art Theatre
Moscow Art Theatre
The Moscow Art Theatre is a theatre company in Moscow that the seminal Russian theatre practitioner Constantin Stanislavski, together with the playwright and director Vladimir Nemirovich-Danchenko, founded in 1898. It was conceived as a venue for naturalistic theatre, in contrast to the melodramas...
(1906–1907).
A flamboyantly heroic actor, Aleksi-Meskhishvili used his performances to promote revolutionary ideas, and even engaged in barricade fighting during the Russian Revolution of 1905
Russian Revolution of 1905
The 1905 Russian Revolution was a wave of mass political and social unrest that spread through vast areas of the Russian Empire. Some of it was directed against the government, while some was undirected. It included worker strikes, peasant unrest, and military mutinies...
. In 1930, Aleksi-Meskhishvili was posthumously granted the title of People's Artist
People's Artist
People's Artist is a honorary title in the Soviet Union, Union republics, in some other Eastern bloc states , as well as in a number of post-Soviet states, modeled after the title of the People's Artist of the USSR....
by Soviet Georgia. Aleksi-Meskhishvili's name was given to the Kutaisi Drama Theatre in 1940. He is buried at the Didube Pantheon
Didube Pantheon
The Didube Pantheon is a burial in Tbilisi, Georgia, where some of the most prominent writers, artists, scholars, scientists and political activists of Georgia are buried. It was opened in 1939.- See also :* Mtatsminda Pantheon* Saburtalo Pantheon...
in Tbilisi. His son was Shalva Aleksi-Meskhishvili
Shalva Aleksi-Meskhishvili
Shalva Alexi-Meskhishvili was a Georgian jurist and politician who served as Minister of Justice of the Democratic Republic of Georgia from 1918 to 1919....
, a Georgian jurist and politician.