The Moscow Art Theatre Letters

The legendary Moscow Art Theatre was the source of many theatrical innovations--long rehearsal periods and research, specifically designed sets and costumes, the imaginative use of light and sound--that have since become standard practice. In the West it was viewed as an ideal ensemble theatre, with all of its members selflessly dedicated to their art. In fact, what kept the Art Theatre moving forward was the combustible mixture of its individual talents: the vitality of conflict fueled its progress. "Moscow Art Theatre Letters" tells the real story of the Moscow Art Theatre, from its origin at the turn of the century through its first forty years. Jean Benedetti presents the historical record first-hand in this collection of the letters of the main protagonists. Many are available in English for the first time--all will come as a revelation to Western readers. Heading the cast of correspondents are co-founders Stanislavski and Nemirovich-Danchenko, followed by a host of important secondary players that includes Anton Chekhov, Vsevolod Meyerhold, Maxim Gorky, Mikhail Bulgakov, and Olga Knipper. This invaluable cache of letters, many of which have only recently come to light in various Russian and international archives, traces the Moscow Art Theatre's colorful development from its idealistic start, through its glory years as the ""House of Chekhov"" to its mellowing and finally its fractious infighting. The history unfolds. Jean Benedetti has chosen and scrupulously edited each item in this collection so that a telling story unfolds, mediated only by glosses to help explain people, places, and occurrences which might be unfamiliar to the reader. The complex tale of behind-the-scenes intrigue told by these letters is as dramatic and moving as any play staged by the Moscow Art Theatre itself.