Akhmeteli Alexander

Akhmeteli, Alexander (Sandro) Vasilyevich (1866-1937), Georgian director of the Soviet time, one of the founders of the Soviet Georgian theater. People's Artist of Georgia (1933).

Born 13 (25) April 1866 in the village of Anaga (Georgia) in the priest's family. He studied from 1896 to Telavi religious school, where he had found perfect pitch and a beautiful voice. His natural musicality has evolved: he sang in the choir, learned to play on all Georgian folk instruments. After finishing school he studied at the gymnasium, where he staged amateur theatricals. An important event was his first participation in a professional performance "Hanuma A. Tsagareli, where together with the famous Georgian actor, he appeared on stage in the role of servant Timothц?e. In 1907-1916 studies at St. Petersburg University's law faculty, in his spare time visiting the capital's theaters, and in 1909 published articles and theater reviews. The first directorial experience refers to 1910, when the village Machhaani staged "Treason" (A.Sumbatashvili-Yuzhin). In 1917 he returned to Georgia, puts on the stage of professional theater Tbilisi experimental play by S. Shanshiashvili "Berdo Zman". But the first experience on a professional stage director was unrecognized, and in the theater, he would return only in 1924, invited the director-reformer Mardzhanishvili. Learning directing schools him in the process of joint productions, Akhmeteli produces its own creative manner. Some performances were put together: "Heroes Hereti" S. Shanshiashvili, "Windsor gossips" William Shakespeare, etc.. Several performances he puts himself ( "Salome", "Latavra" Paliashvili).

But the real flowering of his creative work will begin in 1926, when he headed the Rustaveli Theater. While Akhmeteli focused on the modern, mainly national authors. Revolutionary theme was filled with a performance of Zagmuk "Glebov, . "Break" B. Lavrenev, . other pieces of the Revolution, . put them in the authorized translations, taking into account the specifics of the Georgian, . such as "Anzor" (remade S. Shanshiashvili of the play "Armored Train 14-69" Vs.Ivanova),
. Strength of the emotional impact of his performances were such that, for example, when Moscow showed "Anzor", the third act the audience watched while standing, to engage fully in what is happening on the stage.

Art Akhmeteli carried in itself, above all, heroic-romantic orientation, rejecting the domestic form of the naturalistic theater, theater experience and intimate chamber music, speaking for the ultimate dynamism and vibrancy of actor's emotions. He sought to reflect in the productions of the culture of the Georgian people, its national identity, reflected in the love of freedom. I wanted to develop his own style, to give the theater an original person, expressed in a special plasticity and romantic saturation. The origins of these quests producer in the popular roots of the Georgian culture. Fundamental importance for him was the play "Lamara" (by Vaja Pshavela), staged in 1930, innovative in form and interpretation of crowd scenes, where the director reached a high poetic. In the performance was carried out a new method of composition.

The peak of his creativity began to play "The Robbers" (by Schiller), proved that innovation director goes far beyond the national theme. He tried to give the tragedy of the German author of an international sound. Theater tour. Rustaveli in Moscow (1933) became a real holiday theater. Spectators were amazed by the highest performing technology actors, their musicality and rhythm, a brilliant mastery of crowd scenes.

Creativity Akhmeteli defined artistic person Theater. Rustaveli for many years ahead, although the director himself was a victim of political repression 1937.