Sergey Obraztsov
Sergei Vladimirovich Obraztsov (Russian: Сергей Владимирович Образцов, scientific transliteration Sergei Vladimirovič Obrazcov; * 22 Junijul / July 5 1901greg in Moscow, .. † May 8, 1992 ) was a Russian puppeteer, who is considered one of the best in his field.
Sergei Obraztsov was head of the Central Moscow State Puppet Theatre. In his honor, an international puppet festival was named after him.
From December 18th 1950 to January 11, 1951 resulted in a DDR Obraztsov tour to Germany with guest appearances in Berlin, Leipzig, Dresden, Chemnitz, Erfurt, Halle, Schwerin and Potsdam. This tour had so far for the German puppet consequences, as Paul Hölzig (1911-1989) of Obraszows idea was so impressed that he decided himself to be a puppeteer; over the years has become one of the most popular Hölzig representatives of this art in East Germany.
Obraztsov was the first to broke the modest scale dolls playful performances and staffed: While even the Hohnsteiner could travel by public transport or with a single passenger car usually Obraztsov appeared at his appearance places with a more than 50 -strong team of staff and a number of railway wagons full stage equipment.
The eminent German puppeteer Max Jacob wrote in his 1964 autobiography My Kasper and me. Provide only the highest tones of Obraztsov, with whom he has operated an intensive correspondence
At the request of the children, he received the International Award as a Cavalier of the Order of the Smile.
Obraszows work has probably triggered the world's most important trends, stronger than before as a " high culture " form of theater has been lauded by the puppet theater in the 20th century. His early solo numbers, especially with the almost bare hands are partially attributable to the quite avant-garde - his productions with a large ensemble ( his theater has about 300 employees ) are more likely to Soviet Realism from the 30s. The desired perfection in the sense of naturalistic illusion was made possible by the leadership of a doll by several players. The repertoire, however, are hardly realistic or even political pieces. In some performances, there were also approaches to anti- illusionistic principles as they determine the modern puppet theater more and more - here Obraztsov no longer played but the leading role. For the first time took on a larger scale originating from Asia stick puppet in the European theater application in which the arms are out from below by rods. As a soloist he has remained rather in the hand puppet, but pointed his drunkard already in the 30s a Klappmaul doll as she later Jim Henson Sesamy Street and Muppet Show made popular. The rod puppet was everywhere, then introduced in the Soviet Union and in the countries of the Eastern bloc, as there usually were built after World War 2 larger puppet theater ensembles as state-owned enterprises. The model Obraztsov was so influential, in part, a purported aesthetic was also administratively enforced under displacement national peculiarities that Private long time could only be due. To what extent was Obraztsov it myself involved, can not be documented, known are some examples where he has on the contrary supports new in other countries. It is striking that in addition Obraztsov and his theater hardly another puppet theater from the Soviet Union became known, which is hardly to be considered for such a large country for so long as random. The largely comprehensive systems of municipal / government puppet theaters and puppet theater schools in the former Soviet bloc - in contrast to the prevailing small or one-man theaters in the West - still bear witness to the influence of Obraszowschen puppet theater: Great work-sharing highly specialized theater companies.