Yuri Lyubimov
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Yuri Petrovich Lyubimov (born September 30, 1917 in Yaroslavl) is a Russian stage actor and director associated with the Taganka Theatre which he founded[1], [2].
After service in the Soviet Army during the World War II, Lyubimov joined the Vakhtangov Theatre (founded by Yevgeny Vakhtangov). In 1953, he received the USSR State Prize. Lyubimov started teaching in 1963 and formed the Taganka Theatre the following year. Under Lyubimov, the theatre rose to become the most popular in Moscow, with Vladimir Vysotsky and Alla Demidova as the leading actors.
After Vysotsky's death in 1980, all of Lyubimov's productions were banned by the Communist authorities. In 1984, he was stripped of Soviet citizenship. Thereupon Lyubimov worked abroad before returning to the Taganka Theatre in 1989. While in the West he maintained a busy directing career. In the US he directed Crime and Punishment at Arena Stage and Lulu at the Lyric Opera of Chicago. His effort to stage his famous Master and Margarita at the American Repertory Theatre failed to materialize due to a disagreement with the management of that company. His staging of Eugene Onegin premiered in the Taganka on his 85th birthday to much critical acclaim.
In 1983 he directed Crime and Punishment in London, winning the Evening Standard Award for Best Director.
