The exhibition, which opened April 23, you can see works by famous Russian artists and a variety of subjects relating to the activities of Jewish theaters “Habima” and GOSET

April 23, in the contemporary Jewish Museum San Francisco, opened an exhibition dedicated to Jewish Theater in Soviet Russia. There are more than 200 exhibits, including works of famous artists, avant-garde - Chagall , Nathan Altman and Robert Falk . In the museum you can see the sketches of costumes and scenery, as well as pictures, posters, programs, photographs, film and memorabilia, including the broken glasses of Solomon Mikhoels - a great actor and director, who was killed by employees of the Ministry of State Security in 1948. The exhibits, many of which are exhibited for the first time, come from collections in Russia, Israel, France and the United States. The exhibition was organized by the curators of the Jewish Museum in New York.

«It was the perfect time, it was a very evil time» - this is a quotation from Dickens best describes the situation in which the Jewish Theater at the dawn of the Soviet era. After joining the Bolsheviks to power it seemed that the «evil time» behind - Lenin's Government to equalize the rights of Jews with the other nationalities and every artistic expression of ethnic minorities. Jewish actors and directors whose activities in 1883 was declared «outlaws», came out of hiding and was pleased to have accepted for a fantastic avant-garde projects. In 1917 in Moscow was open studio-theater, which was called «Habima» - «scene» Hebrew. And two years later appeared in the Petrograd State Jewish Theater (GOSET). In 1920 he moved to Moscow and was renamed the State Jewish Chamber Theater (GOSEKT).

The idea of creating a «Habima» belongs mestechkovomu teacher from Bialystok Tsemahu Nahum. Long before the revolution, he wanted to create a theater where all the performances would be staged entirely in Hebrew. Many Soviet Jews did not know the language, but it is offered as a universal Zionists. Subjects performances, which were in «Habima», were based on the Bible and the Kabbala. GOSEKT is intended as a «People's» Drama, whose official language was Yiddish. There one could see a comedy and fantasy, for which subjects were drawn from Jewish folk tales and stories from the lives of ordinary workers. Both theaters were very popular among Jews, and even among residents of Moscow and Petrograd. A great game of actors and unusual scenery attracted even those who did not understand Hebrew or Yiddish.

Thanks to the cooperation with the Jewish Theater, many artists were able to carry out a truly ambitious project. In 1921, in GOSEKTe was spectacle «Evening of Sholom Aleichem», arranged by Mark Chagall. The artist is not simply invented a costume and scenery, it also created a unique seven panels that adorned the walls, ceiling and the curtain first space theater. This hall of 90 seats was nicknamed «Korobochka Shagal». Directed the play was made artistic director of Theater Alexei Granovsky, and in the lead roles glittering Solomon Mikhoels and Benjamin Zuskin.

In 1922, the premiere of the play «magnanimous cuckold» Fernand Krommelinka (Fernand Crommelynk). For this setting «Amazon avant-garde» Lyubov Popova created a stunning multi-tiered design, elements of which were wooden timber, ladders, grates and platforms, and different moving objects. Its creation has become a revolutionary manifesto of constructivism.

GOSEKTa scene at different times decorated constructivist, Suprematist, kubofuturisticheskie and other decorations, but, according to the New York exhibition curator Susan Tumarkin-Gudmen (Susan Tumarkin Goodman), the greatest impact on the theater (including Among the actors and the play) had «antinaturalistichny expressionism» Chagall. But «Evening of Sholom Aleichem» the only performance, which the artist worked in the Jewish Theater - in 1922, Chagall moved to Europe permanently.

The fate of the theater, two years later renamed the GOSET was tragic. In the late 1920's Alexei Granovsky, who plays the head Narkomprosa Lunacharsky blamed a lack of «Soviet ideology», felt, «where the wind blows», and decided to stay in Germany, where the troupe GOSETa went on tour. In 1929, the new artistic director of the theater was designated Mikhoels. During the war, he participated actively in the activities of the Jewish Anti-Fascist Committee, whose ideas were contrary to official policy of Stalin. In 1948, Mikhoels was killed. Employees GB crushed his truck, then staged auto catastrophe. Just a great director in the theater came to ten thousand people. Place Mikhoels took Benjamin Zuskin, also a member of EAK. Soon he was arrested. After three years Zuskin along with twelve other Jewish artists, was killed during a «Nights executed poets».

GOSET was closed in 1949. Panno Shagal were transferred to the State Museum of Bakhrushin theater. After some time, there occurred a fire destroyed most of the archives of the theater. But the creations of the great artist, fortunately, were saved - they made the last of the museum's artist GOSETa Alexander Tyshler (apply, among other things, the legendary setting of «King Lear», in which the primary role played Mikhoels). Tyshler persuaded their friends from the Tretyakov Gallery to hide panels in the storerooms. There they lay, all forgotten, for more than twenty years, has not arrived in Moscow Chagall. The artist signed and dated paintings, after which they were removed again in the store, where they gain momentum in 1990. Now the work can be seen in today's Jewish Museum.

Theater «Habima» much more fortunate than GOSETu. In 1926 the company left the Soviet Union forever. Soon the theater came to Palestine. Now «Habima» - National Theater of Israel.

The most famous spectacle «Habima», set in an era of flourishing Russian avant-garde, is a «Dibbuk» Semyon An-civil, scenery and costumes which created Nathan Altman. The drama, which the audience first saw in 1922, tells of how the girl was given a spirit (dibbuk) died of love for her young man. According to the artist, the characters of the play were «Curves» and «broken», and their movements - «exaggerated», so he invented for them asymmetrical dresses and «kubisticheskie» masks.

Another masterpiece «Habima» has become a staging H. Leyvika «Golem». This show tells about how a rabbi created a clay giant - Defender of the Jews was issued Ignatiev Nivinskim . Writes art historian Vladislav Ivanov, one of the sketches the artist Golem is a «huge white figure, which is surrounded by electric discharge», but the picture is like a mysterious monster bird.

The exhibition in the contemporary Jewish Museum San Francisco will run until 8 September.

Material prepared Yulia Maksimova, AI

Source: San Francisco Arts Monthly , artinvestment.ru