The Memory Of Galina Volchek

Died Galina Volchek – actress, Director, artistic Director of the Moscow theater “Contemporary”. A week before death she was 86.

She lived a remarkably solid, happy and consistent life. From 86 – 63-a-half years in the “contemporary”. It is slightly smaller than the time of the reign of Queen Elizabeth II.

Died artistic Director of “Sovremennik” Galina Volchek She was 86 years old Society / lifestyle

15 April 1956, played “live Forever” by Victor Rozov, where Volchek first appeared on stage in the role Nurki-slicers. “Contemporary” at that time was still called Studio of young actors (among them – Oleg Yefremov, Oleg Tabakov, Igor Kvasha, Evgeny Evstigneev), but it was “Contemporary” with it “septalna realism” and the new, living, previously unheard tone.

It was a happy Studio years. A year later Volchek played Claudia V. in another play pink – “finding joy”, then Zoe in “Five evenings” (1959), later miss Amelia Evans in “the Ballad of a sad pub” Albee (1967). Rich amazing acting decade ended in 1970, when Efremov left the Sovremennik, the Moscow art theatre going. Two years later Volchek at the insistence of the troupe, headed the theater and since then has become increasingly involved as a Director.

Efremov subsequently talked about this turning point in the life of the “Contemporary” Volchek and this: “She left me because I was faithful to the idea of “Contemporary”. Most of all I was always attracted by her loyalty. Faithful to the idea which was born “Contemporary”. It is still only in its infancy, has not formed, and Galya had been faithful to her. For Gali it is something genetic, as if it is code”.

Leading the “Contemporary” Volchek then played a few significant roleson stage (among them, of course, Anna Akhmatova in the “inspector” and Martha in “Who’s afraid of Virginia Woolf) and a disappointingly small role in the movie. But her barbarian in “Autumn marathon” (1979) – the protagonist, survived for more than one era and became absolutely native for several generations.

previous topic: as a farewell to artistic Director of “Sovremennik” Galina Volchek

Your directing career she began in 1962, putting the Gibson’s play “Two for the seesaw”, which was kept in the repertoire for nearly three decades. Among her other plays – “a Common story” (1966), “Echelon” Roshchina (1975), “Three sisters” (1982). Symbolic gesture for theatre, born in the Wake of the “thaw”, was the “whirlwind” set Volchek already in the midst of restructuring. This performance based on Lydia Ginzburg on Stalin’s camps were a great success among the Russian public and traveled the world.

In the beginning she was actively invited to the statement of the leaders of the young Directors – in particular, Kirill Serebrennikov, who has put in the “contemporary” three performances. But, unfortunately, in recent years, a strong directorial personality near Volchek was not. The question of what will become a “Contemporary” after her passing, remains open and quite painful.