BRENKE Anna A.

BRENKE, Anna A. (1848 or 1849 - 1934), maiden name Chelishchev, for her husband - Levenson, Russian actress, director, playwright, theatrical figure. She was born in 1848 or 1849 in a noble family, his childhood spent in Vladimir and Suzdal. Receiving education at home and graduated from the Moscow higher educational courses, decided to devote himself to drama - took singing lessons from the professors of the Moscow Conservatory, mastered the art of makeup. In the field of performing arts teachers were actress of the Maly Theater EN Vasil'eva, AN Ryabov, actor, writer PD Boborykin. But his teacher thought Brenk director of the Maly Theater SP Soloviev. In Switzerland, a course of lectures on the French stage art professor Legouve.

In 1873 she made her debut at the Maly Theater, replacing the ailing Vasiliev in the play "Night" by M. Stakhovich, but only in 1878, taking the nickname Brenk, was adopted in its drama troupe, which was until 1882. Acted in plays by Alexander Ostrovsky, the queen in "Hamlet" by W. Shakespeare. In 1879, . bypassing the monopoly of the Imperial Theaters, . gathered in Moscow on his own company ( 'The free performances of artists') in 1880 opened the first private theater - 'Pushkin Theater', . or 'Theater near the monument to Pushkin', . its official name - 'Drama Theater AA Brenk house Malkiel',
. Gilyarovskii believed that it was Brenk is credited with the abolition of 'theatrical serfdom'. In the company of 'Pushkin Theater' were guided them MI Pisarev and V.N.Andreev-Burlak, and PA Strepetova, A.Ya.Glama-Meshcherskaya, M.T.Ivanov-Kozelsky, AI . Yuzhin, VP Dalmatov and other. Welcoming the initiative Brenk, V.I.Nemirovich-Danchenko wrote in the 'Russian Courier': '... The new theater promises to be his 'tone' the best private theater in Russia. The troupe is chosen, if not all of the 'cream' the province, then in any case, this troupe, a good and complete '. In the theater Brenk willingly played and the actors of the Maly Theater MN Ermolov, GN Fedotov, AP Lenski. Performances were simultaneously at different venues - in the passage Solodovnikova and building on Tverskaya Street, where the origin of ideas was sidelined for half an hour, so that finding the first replica of one play, Brenk ripened to the opening curtain to another scene. Of particular importance attached Brenk repertoire, . worrying about his 'literary person': staged Ostrovsky, . Gogol, . Pushkin, . Lermontov, . Turgenev, . A.V.Suhovo-Kobylin, . AF Pisemsky, . M.E.Saltykov-Shchedrin; from foreign authors - Shakespeare, . Fr.Shiller, . G. E. Lessing, . K. Gutzkow,
. 'Repertoire exemplary:', - said Nemirovich-Danchenko. The level of performances has increased with the advent of a theater director and AF Fedotov. For financial reasons, the theater was closed in 1882. Absorb all the funds its owner, 'Pushkin Theater' fell into the hands of FA Korsch.

Brenk took up teaching activities in theater schools and colleges in Kharkov, Kiev, St. Petersburg, tried to write plays. In the autumn of 1882 started the play contemporary folk indirectly reflected the history of the closure of 'Pushkin Theater', the play was staged April 25, 1883 at the Maly Theater. The plot of the drama "Dotaevtsy" a lot like the "Power of Darkness" Leo Tolstoy, written much later. In 1885-1887 Brenk was listed in the company Alexandrinsky theater, but because of theatrical intrigue only once for two seasons left on the scene, replacing the ailing Strepetova in the play "Sin is so evil:" Ostrovsky.

In 1890-1905 she taught in their own theater school, as before attaching particular importance to the educational repertoire, played in the school play - in Gorky's "Lower Depths" (trough) and "Philistines" (Stepanida) and other. In the literary and musical evenings schools Brenk twice participated T. Salvini. Courage repertoire led to the closure schools ( 'failing health Brenk'), after which she tried to get a teacher in the school Philharmonic, was interrupted by private lessons.

In 1913, Brenk gave a newspaper advertisement inviting the workers free to explore the dramatic arts, worked with have responded in the same year received an invitation to Prechistenskiy working Courses. Two years later, the actress got permission to open a free drama school and, based on 'Work Theater', the first performance which took place on September 8, 1915. Was chosen to open the "Thunderstorm" Ostrovsky, which Brenk played the role of Kabanihi. More than favorable opinion of the newspaper sounded 'ramp and the life': 'It was a joyous spectacle, could not believe that the stage workers'. For two years the theater was delivered 25 pieces, in the tradition of live performances of 'Pushkin Theater'

. After the October Revolution of 1917 almost seventy Brenk to part company enters into the Red Army and enlisted instructor 'kultprosvetrabote', . in 1918-1921 Troops, . located in Kashira, . Ranenburg, . Belopesotske, . Laptev, . Gorbachev and others, . had the opportunity to see performances Brenk "At the bottom of" Gorky, . "Thunderstorm" Ostrovsky, . "Woe from Wit" Sir.doc, . "Marriage" by Gogol, and others,
. Returning to Moscow in early 1920, led Brenk working studio at the Moscow Department of Education.

Brenk died in 1934.