Fyodor Volkov

Fyodor Grigoryevich Volkov (Russian Фёдор Григорьевич Волков, scientific transliteration Fedor Grigorevic Volkov, . * 9 Februarjul / February 20 1729greg in Kostroma, .. . † 4 Apriljul / April 15 1763greg in Moscow) was a Russian theater director and amateur actor who is considered the founder of the first public playhouse in the Russian Empire.

Life

Fyodor Volkov grew up in his home town of Kostroma and from the age of eight on the Volga upstream Yaroslavl. He was the son of a wealthy merchant and received thanks to his school education in Moscow. There he made the acquaintance of the art of theater, as he repeatedly experienced guest appearances German or Italian theater companies. The young Fyodor Volkov was so fascinated by the spectacle that henceforth he dreamed of in his adopted hometown of Yaroslavl, at that time a very important commercial city to set up a playhouse. After he inherited a substantial part of the assets of his stepfather at the age of 18, he returned to Yaroslavl and started to build their own theater company there. In the summer of 1750 the newly formed collective could give its first performance, at that time in a provisionally converted warehouse. A year later, a theater building was constructed. There were mainly pieces from famous European playwright translated into Russian and staged, with a large part of this work Volkov took over themselves.

Since the Wolkowsche Theater as the first permanent establishment of its kind in Russia was - even in the cities of St. Petersburg and Moscow, there was then not yet open to the public playhouses - it was relatively quickly known throughout the region. Also at the Tsar's court was learned from Yaroslavl Theater. 1751 decreed Empress Elisabeth, the troops from Yaroslavl convene to Saint Petersburg. After one took place in February 1752 debut performance of Wolkowschen troops in Petersburg, Elizabeth also attended, Volkov was sent imaging as a hope -coming talent from non- aristocratic circles with some of his colleagues initially Yaroslavl to training on a distinguished military school. Only after its completion in 1756, he was officially appointed on adoption of the Empress to the " first Russian actor," and it was set up with the " Imperial Russian Theatre ", the first public exhibition venue in the capital Saint Petersburg. Its head was first, the prominent poet and playwright Alexander Sumarokov, and in 1761 took over Volkov even this post.

Overall, Volkov wrote in his theater career around 15 pieces that are all forgotten now. The highlight of his career is considered a solemn idea, which he staged in Moscow for the coronation ceremony of the new Empress Catherine II beginning in 1763. These included, among other things, a Catherine dedicated masque called Cheering Minerva and a large carnival parade. However, this spectacle was Volkov 's undoing: During rehearsals, had to partially take place in freezing temperatures, he retired to a bad cold and died on April 15 at the age of only 34 years.

The theater was founded by Volkov in Yaroslavl still heard in the convening of the troops to Petersburg to exist until decades after Volkov's death was in Yaroslavl again a permanent stage, a separate building constructed for the in the decade from 1810, and then even after Volkov was named. Beginning of the 20th century, when the Volkov Theatre was allowed to are already among the most prestigious theaters in Russia, it was a new building in the city center, where it is established to date (also Drama Theatre on Wolkowplatz (Russian: Ploshchad Volkova ) called ). Not far from the theater the house is a monument to its founder, was erected in 1973, which is still regarded as a pioneer of Russian theater.