Vorkuta State Drama Theatre
Encyclopedia
The Vorkuta State Drama Theatre is located in the Russian city Vorkuta
, opened in 1943 in the Gulag
.
Between the years 1930 and 1953, many Soviet citizens were arrested by the NKVD
. Most of the prisoners of the Gulag camps were arrested for political reasons, according to Article 58 (RSFSR Penal Code)
. One of the largest camps was located in Vorkuta
. Vorkuta was not a city; it was a place for political prisoners. Among them were many musicians, artists, painters, singers. This is the camp commander, Colonel of the NKVD Maltsev (Михаил Митрофанович Мальцев), who ordered first to organize a theater. In the post the chief director of the theater was appointed a prisoner Boris Mordvinov (ru: Мордвинов, Борис Аркадьевич), former director of the Bolshoi Theatre
, and professor of the Moscow Conservatory
(he was appointed as a spy).
The theater opened on August 8, 1943 and placed in a wooden club at camp. Prisoners and guards played at the one scene.
Repertory theater had opera, operetta, dramatic play.
Among the famous prisoners were: an operatic singer Boris Deyneka (ru: Дейнека, Борис Степанович), an operatic singer Theodor Routkovskiy (Т. И. Рутковский), a singer, poet and literary translator Tatiana Lechtchenko (ru: Лещенко-Сухомлина, Татьяна Ивановна), an actress Valentina Tokarskaya (ru: Токарская, Валентина Георгиевна), a playwright and screenwriter Aleksei Kapler
, a composer Vladimir Mikocho (Владимир Владимирович Микошо), an actor Boris Kozin (Борис Козин), an actress V. Piaskovskaya (В.Пясковская), an artist Petr Bendel (Пётр Эмильевич Бендель), a young singer Valentina Ischenko (Валентина Мефодьевна Ищенко), a choreographer A. Dubin-Belov (А. М. Дубин-Белов), a violinist A. Biukhart (А. Бюхарт), etc. By 1948 the troupe had about 150 people.
After Joseph Stalin
’s death the Gulag
was reorganized and the theater entered the city system. It was built a new theater building. Now it is a drama theater of Vorkuta.
Vorkuta
Vorkuta is a coal-mining town in the Komi Republic, Russia, situated just north of the Arctic Circle in the Pechora coal basin at the Usa River. Population: - Labor camp origins :...
, opened in 1943 in the Gulag
Gulag
The Gulag was the government agency that administered the main Soviet forced labor camp systems. While the camps housed a wide range of convicts, from petty criminals to political prisoners, large numbers were convicted by simplified procedures, such as NKVD troikas and other instruments of...
.
Between the years 1930 and 1953, many Soviet citizens were arrested by the NKVD
NKVD
The People's Commissariat for Internal Affairs was the public and secret police organization of the Soviet Union that directly executed the rule of power of the Soviets, including political repression, during the era of Joseph Stalin....
. Most of the prisoners of the Gulag camps were arrested for political reasons, according to Article 58 (RSFSR Penal Code)
Article 58 (RSFSR Penal Code)
Article 58 of the Russian SFSR Penal Code was put in force on 25 February 1927 to arrest those suspected of counter-revolutionary activities. It was revised several times...
. One of the largest camps was located in Vorkuta
Vorkuta
Vorkuta is a coal-mining town in the Komi Republic, Russia, situated just north of the Arctic Circle in the Pechora coal basin at the Usa River. Population: - Labor camp origins :...
. Vorkuta was not a city; it was a place for political prisoners. Among them were many musicians, artists, painters, singers. This is the camp commander, Colonel of the NKVD Maltsev (Михаил Митрофанович Мальцев), who ordered first to organize a theater. In the post the chief director of the theater was appointed a prisoner Boris Mordvinov (ru: Мордвинов, Борис Аркадьевич), former director of the Bolshoi Theatre
Bolshoi Theatre
The Bolshoi Theatre is a historic theatre in Moscow, Russia, designed by architect Joseph Bové, which holds performances of ballet and opera. The Bolshoi Ballet and Bolshoi Opera are amongst the oldest and most renowned ballet and opera companies in the world...
, and professor of the Moscow Conservatory
Moscow Conservatory
The Moscow Conservatory is a higher musical education institution in Moscow, and the second oldest conservatory in Russia after St. Petersburg Conservatory. Along with the St...
(he was appointed as a spy).
The theater opened on August 8, 1943 and placed in a wooden club at camp. Prisoners and guards played at the one scene.
Repertory theater had opera, operetta, dramatic play.
Among the famous prisoners were: an operatic singer Boris Deyneka (ru: Дейнека, Борис Степанович), an operatic singer Theodor Routkovskiy (Т. И. Рутковский), a singer, poet and literary translator Tatiana Lechtchenko (ru: Лещенко-Сухомлина, Татьяна Ивановна), an actress Valentina Tokarskaya (ru: Токарская, Валентина Георгиевна), a playwright and screenwriter Aleksei Kapler
Aleksei Kapler
Aleksei Yakovlevich Kapler ;Kiev, was a Soviet filmmaker, screenwriter, actor, and writer. He was known as an anchor and director of the TV program Kinopanorama...
, a composer Vladimir Mikocho (Владимир Владимирович Микошо), an actor Boris Kozin (Борис Козин), an actress V. Piaskovskaya (В.Пясковская), an artist Petr Bendel (Пётр Эмильевич Бендель), a young singer Valentina Ischenko (Валентина Мефодьевна Ищенко), a choreographer A. Dubin-Belov (А. М. Дубин-Белов), a violinist A. Biukhart (А. Бюхарт), etc. By 1948 the troupe had about 150 people.
After Joseph Stalin
Joseph Stalin
Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin was the Premier of the Soviet Union from 6 May 1941 to 5 March 1953. He was among the Bolshevik revolutionaries who brought about the October Revolution and had held the position of first General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union's Central Committee...
’s death the Gulag
Gulag
The Gulag was the government agency that administered the main Soviet forced labor camp systems. While the camps housed a wide range of convicts, from petty criminals to political prisoners, large numbers were convicted by simplified procedures, such as NKVD troikas and other instruments of...
was reorganized and the theater entered the city system. It was built a new theater building. Now it is a drama theater of Vorkuta.