Yevgeny Vakhtangov
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Yevgeny Bagrationovich Vakhtangov (also spelled Evgeny or Eugene) (13 February 1883 – 29 May 1922) was a renowned Russian director who was associated with the State Institute of Theatre Arts (GITIS) in Moscow in the early 20th century, and founded the Vakhtangov Theatre. He was one of Konstantin Stanislavski's most renowned students, and a mentor of Mikhail Chekhov.
Vakhtangov was born to Armenian parents in Vladikavkaz. He joined the Moscow Art Theatre in 1911 and rose in the ranks, so that by 1920 he was in charge of his own studio. Four years after his death, the studio was named Vakhtangov Theatre in his honor.
Vakhtangov was greatly influenced by the theatrical style of Vsevolod Meyerhold, but managed to blend this with the more naturalistic techniques of Stanislavski. His productions incorporated masks, music, dance, abstract costume, and avantgarde sets. His most distinctive production was that of Turandot by Carlo Gozzi, which has been run at the Vakhtangov Theatre ever since 1922, also the year of his death. Another famous production directed by Vakhtangov in the same year was S. Ansky's "The Dybbuk" with the Habimah theater troupe.
On the Actor's Studio webpage, Lee Strasberg is quoted as saying: "If you examine the work of the Stanislavski System as made use of by Stanislavski, you see one result. If you examine it in the work of one of his great pupils, Vakhtangov — who influenced our thinking and activity — you will see a completely different result. Vakhtangov's work was skillfully done, his use of the Method even more brilliant and more imaginative that Stanislavski’s, and yet Vakhtangov achieved totally different results."
