Lev Dodin: biography and productions

Lev Abramovich Dodin ... This name is well known in theater circles. An outstanding director, a talented teacher and theatrical figure - he is one of the creative elite of Russia. About him and his works you can learn from this article.

Childhood and the youth of the future director

Lev Dodin was born on May 14, 1944 in the city of Stalinsk, today it is Novokuznetsk. It was here that his parents were in evacuation during the war. In their native Leningrad they returned in 1945.

From an early age, Leo began attending classes at the city's Youth Art Theater. At that time, the leader was the remarkable teacher MG Dubrovin. Under his influence, the young Leo Dodin had a strong desire to dedicate his life to the theater. After graduating from school, Lev Dodin becomes a student of the State Institute of Theater, Cinematography and Music of the Northern Capital. His teacher and mentor was an outstanding director B. Zon. By his teachers, Dodin Lev Abramovich also names Tovstonogov, Lyubimov, Efros.

First directorial steps

Lev Dodin, whose life and fortune, after graduating from the institute, were wholly associated with the theater, began to implement his directorial ideas.

His debut as a director coincided with the release year. Thus, in 1966, Lev Dodin was recorded in the creative biography of the television show "First Love" by I. Turgenev. Then followed the work in the Leningrad Theater of the young spectator. Here he staged the play "His People - We'll Be Considered" by AN Ostrovsky. In the Theater of Drama and Comedy came out his "Nedorosl", as well as "Rose Berndt".

Small drama theater in the fate of the director

In 1975, in the life of Leo Dodin, the Maly Drama Theater appeared. At first the director just collaborated with this Melpomene temple. Put the play "The Robber" by K. Czapek. Later, the "Appointment" appeared on A. Volodin, "Tattooed Rose" by T. Williams, "Live and Remember."

Fatal to Dodin was the play "House" based on the novel by F. Abramov, released in 1980. After this production in 1983, Lev Dodin received an offer to head the theater. Since that time and to this day he is the permanent head of MDT.
His first work as a director was the play "Brothers and Sisters". The production was difficult to break through the millstone of censorship. However, thanks to the plays "House" and "Brothers and Sisters", the artistic foundations that today constitute the concept of Lev Dodin's theater were formed.

During the 25 years of LA Dodin's leadership, performances were performed on the stage of MDT: Stars in the Morning Sky, Lord of the Flies, The Old Man, The Moscow Choir, Gaudeamus, The Possessed, The King Lear, Love under the elms "," Chevengur "," Life and destiny "," Claustrophobia "," Molly Sweeney "," Fruitless efforts of love "and others, all not listed.

The repertoire of the theater has many performances based on the works of A. P. Chekhov, which was always interesting to Dodin. This is the famous "Cherry Orchard", "Uncle Vanya", "Seagull", "Play without a name".

Teaching Activities

The original artist, the unrivaled creator of the theater shocking Lev Dodin, whose performances in the genre-style format almost defiantly differ from each other, yet in fact is a consistent traditionalist.

All his ideas, which he embodies on stage, are the result of personal, individual comprehension. He passes everything through himself, always experiencing a great spiritual need for knowledge. Perhaps, therefore, rather early, Lev Dodin experienced an irresistible desire and the need to transfer his accumulated spiritual experience to someone else. And, as a result, since 1969 he began to teach at the St. Petersburg Academy of Theater Arts. Today he is a professor at the Academy and is head of the department of directing. Most of the training for actors, directors, according to his method, takes place in the theater. Dodin did not repeat literally any of his teachers. He has his own Stanislavsky, Meyerhold, Dubrovin, Zon, Strelar ...

Performances set by Dodin go for many years, without losing their relevance, they, along with the changing world, are filled with a new meaning. His numerous disciples remain so throughout most of his creative biography. Among them are Maria Nikiforova, Vladimir Zakhariev, Petr Semak, Oleg Gayanov, Igor Konyaev, Sergey Bekhterev, Tatyana Shestakova, Sergey Vlasov, Vladimir Tumanov, Natalia Kromina, Vladimir Seleznev, Nikolai Pavlov, Andrei Rostovsky, Leonid Alimov and others who worked And continues to work with a master in MDT. However, there are many who also remain outside the theater as students, being adherents of the Dodin school.

Lev Abramovich holds regular master classes in various theatrical schools in Europe, as well as in Japan and the United States. He is a member of the jury of the literary contest "Northern Palmyra", as well as one of the members of the jury of the St. Petersburg theater prize "Golden Soffit".

The Dodin Method

The creativity of this wonderful director, the school he created, does not leave anyone indifferent. He has a phenomenal force of attraction. In his creative laboratory, much attention is paid to the word. All his intentions, ideas, impulses, Lev Dodin embodies through expressive and always original word. He has something to say to his students, so the Dodin monologues can last for hours.

His method is entirely aimed at creating a theatrical whole. He has his own philosophical understanding of what theater is. He always fought for the House Theater, the Family Theater. The creation of such a scene Lev Dodin devoted his whole life. According to the Dodin model, the theater is a collective artist who has a single collective soul. Only in the Theater House, according to Lev Abramovich, you can create a performance that is the product of a great culture.

His creative experiments, director's productions are interesting to the viewer. A small room of the theater does not always accommodate all those who wish to attend his performances.

The world's most famous productions

Lev Dodin, whose photo is constantly appearing in the media and relevant publications, is the author of more than sixty opera, as well as dramatic performances that have been successful in various world scenes. The most famous of them are Bankrupt, staged at the Finnish National Theater, Electra and Salome by R. Strauss, Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk, Golovlyov's Gentlemen, The Meek at the Moscow Art Theater, The Queen of Spades, "Mazepa", "The Demon" by A. Rubinstein. Opera productions were created by him in cooperation with outstanding conductors: Mstislav Rostropovich, Claudio Abbado, James Conlon, and others.

Awards and titles

Lev Dodin is a People's Artist of Russia, a laureate of state prizes of the USSR and the Russian Federation, a prize of the President of the Russian Federation. His performances and theatrical activities are marked by a number of Russian and international awards. In 1994 he was awarded the French Order of Literature and Art.