"Faust" with you: The Vakhtangov Theater will turn to mysticism in the 105th season

Bulgakov's "The Master and Margarita", Goethe's "Faust", The Strugatskys' "Picnic on the Side of the Road" and the first staging of Alexei Ivanov's novel "The Gold of Rebellion". After a three-week tour in China, the entire cast of the Vakhtangov Theater gathered at the famous house on Old Arbat to listen to the plans of director Kirill Krok and chief director Anatoly Shulev for the 105th season. The meeting took place on September 16. About the main productions, as well as about the purchase by the team of special equipment for the needs of its own for 10 million rubles — in the Izvestia report.

From the plane to the stage

By the appointed date, one of the most numerous and stellar troupes among the Moscow drama theaters was shuttling across the polished floors of the Vakhtangov mansion. Kirill Krok, the director of the theater, greeted the audience in Chinese - "Nihao". It is understandable, some artists went to the troupe gathering literally from the plane, returning after a successful tour in China. Kroc estimates that in 20 days in Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen, almost 20 thousand people watched Chekhov's "Uncle Vanya" and Pushkin's "Eugene Onegin" — the flagship performances of the theater.

— I wouldn't be surprised if Chekhov's fan club, especially his Uncle Vanya, will be in China next year. They love us very much there. And we are happy and proud to go there every time," he told Izvestia before the performance began.

While the audience took their seats, and the photographers caught the tight hugs and kisses of the artists, the life of the Vakhtangovites visually flashed on the stage in just three minutes. During the last 104th season, the theater played 1,693 performances and released nine premieres. The main event was the production of the main director Anatoly Shulev about the brilliant Soviet physicist Lev Landau "The Sun of Landau", as well as the second theater festival "Vakhtangov. The Way home" in Vladikavkaz.

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Traditionally, all the anniversaries were congratulated. Among them are actors Andrey Ilyin, Evgeny Knyazev, actresses Yulia Rutberg, Marina Esipenko and the head of the director's department Lyubov Kuznetsova, who was greeted with the loudest ovations. They also remembered those who had passed away.

New space and support for YOUR

Kirill Krok was the first speaker. He noted that all productions are a commercial success. In addition, the theater used the money it earned to renovate and open a new multimedia exhibition space "Genius of the Place", which is located almost under the roof, on the fourth floor of the building and is about to receive its first guests. They will see the original letters of Vsevolod Meyerhold to Evgeny Vakhtangov and other artifacts that are more than 80 years old. Guests will be able to walk around the exhibition without a guide, enjoying the voice accompaniment of the theater artists.

Among other things, the team used their own funds to buy and send 10 million rubles worth of special equipment to their zone.

— A successful theater always attracts detractors. Many people are annoyed by our victories. But you will find a second one that plays at least 175 performances per month at six venues. I don't know that. We are proud that many people call Vakhtangovsky the best drama theater in Russia. This is possible only for everyone together. We find time for rehearsals and new performances, are sensitive to substitutions and takes, and respect the director's tasks. But we also have conflicts," Krok added from the stage.

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The director urged the artists to seek compromises in personal disputes, but he does not advise building a theater on this basis. According to Kroc, endless compromises can lead to a dead end. But the desire for creativity is the opposite.

From Goethe and Bulgakov to the Strugatsky brothers

The theater will release 11 premieres in the new season. Anatoly Shulyev, the chief director of the theater, told about them. First, he compared the position of the Vakhtangov team with the famous performance of tightrope walker Philippe Petit, who became famous for a 45-minute tightrope walk between the Northern and Southern Twin Towers. And then he added — it is necessary to meet a high level and keep the bar.

There are five titles planned for the Historical Stage. In March 2026, the premiere of Andrei Timoshenko's production based on the poem "Faust" by Goethe will take place. The main role is played by People's Artist of the Russian Federation Evgeny Knyazev.

— As Anatoly Shulyev said, we have pulled a rope over the abyss and now we must walk along it in a balanced way. I believe that you should always set yourself big goals. Faust is one of them. During my career, I have played many roles in the world repertoire. There are those who are afraid to touch. And it's scary now. But the eyes are afraid, but the hands do," Evgeny Knyazev commented on his participation in Faust.

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Another premiere will be Oleg Dolin's play, which will take on the play "Romeo and Juliet" by the English playwright William Shakespeare. Director Svetlana Zemlyakova will bring one of the most mystical texts of Russian classics to the Vakhtangovsky stage — Mikhail Bulgakov's novel "The Master and Margarita", and Oleg Yumov, artistic director of the Hots Namsaraev Buryat Academic Drama Theater, will stage Alexei Ivanov's "The Gold of Rebellion" starring Alexei Gusk.

In January, the play "Joseph and his Brothers" based on Thomas Mann will appear on the New Stage. And in 2026, Galina Zaltsman will start working on the text of the Strugatsky brothers "Picnic on the Side of the Road." Anatoly Shulyev will perform the play "The First Love of the Last Year" based on Yuri Slepukhin's novel "Crossroads" on the Simonov stage. In February, Sergey Potapov will present "Tanya" based on the play of the same name by Alexey Arbuzov, and Olga Subbotina will show the children's musical play "Mary Poppins".

In April, Anatoly Shulyev's play "Shine and Ashes", written by playwright Sergei Plotov and inspired by Russian jewelry masters, will premiere on the Main Stage.

The theater is not only increasing the number of premieres compared to last year, but is also testing the directing abilities of its artists. The most successful sketches will receive a full-fledged artistic embodiment.

Among other things, Kirill Krok said that he had taken note of the complaints of the female half of the troupe about the lack of young artists of the opposite sex in the team and had recruited seven new artists: graduates of the Shchukin Theater Institute Daniil Bledny, Artem Gurin, Vasily Seregin, Nikita Shamanov, as well as Honored Artists of the Russian Federation Alexander Andrienko, Dmitry Mulyar and Vladimir Guskov.. On the opening day, the Vakhtangov Theater showed five performances, including the premiere of last season's "Landau's Sun".