Creative potential: Mykola Sadovsky’s theater troupe of 1890–1892

Abstract

The proposed publication aims to give a detailed tracing of the creative and organizational activities of Mykola Sadovsky’s theater troupe in 1890–1892 in detail. The artistic practice of this troupe, which belongs to the phenomenon of the theater of Ukrainian coryphaei, is considered as an example of the colonial art of the Russian Empire. The paper explores the stylistic and aesthetic characteristics of individual performances of the troupe, as well as the artistic achievements of its leading performers. On the evidence of the analysis of numerous reviews, memoir reviews of performances, memories and correspondence of artists, it has been proven that the Ukrainian theatrical art of the 1890s was an important factor in the formation of the artistic landscape of the Russian Empire. It determined the tastes, artistic direction, and aesthetic preferences of the general public and elites. And despite the fact that the troupe’s full development in the form of a stationary theater was prevented by the prohibitions of the Russian authorities, its influence on the artistic and intellectual environment of the empire can be called unprecedented.