Ukrainian Theater Research Articles

ВОЛОДИМИР РЄЗАНОВ – ІСТОРИК ДРАМАТУРГІЇ СТАРОУКРАЇНСЬКОЇ ДОБИ

The article outlines the main facts of the biography and analyzes V. Riezanov's research in the context of his textological work. It is emphasized that in his works the researcher consistently refers to the theory of arts, including the medieval poetics, actively researches and describes the relationships between the Ukrainian and Western European drama. Great achievement is the development of an established genre-stylistic approach to the analysis of school dramas. The evolution of the scholar’s methodology is traced: from theoretical studies to the collection, accumulation and publication of found texts, which led to years of discussions with V. Perets, which as a result revealed two principles of research in Ukrainian theater studies. Namely, (V. Perets) and deductive (V. Rieazanov). The methodological principles on which the scholar relied are summarized. In particular, the methodological basis of his research is the comparative and historical study of literature, taking into account the historical and cultural, and social context. It marks out the dominant methodological principles, which guided the scholar (object and subject, chronological boundaries, sources, methods of research). An attempt was made to substantiate the value of the multi-volume edition “Drama of Ukraine. Ancient Ukrainian Theatre” as a body of texts for further research in the field of philology. The scientific research on the ancient Ukrainian mystery “The Word about Harrowing of Hell, when the Christ Having Raised from Dead, Harrowed the Hell” and the Easter drama “The Kingdom of Human Nature by Seduction Destroyed, but Still of the Grace of Christ Made Up” have been analyzed. It was concluded that the ancient dramatic texts published by V. Rieazanov are important not only for theater studies, they are a valuable linguistic material, as they record the peculiarities of the Old Ukrainian language in its live colloquial expression. The published texts also allow tracing the development of dramatic genres of the 17–18 centuries determining their artistic character.

ТРАНСФОРМАЦІЇ УКРАЇНСЬКОГО НАЦІОНАЛЬНОГО ВБРАННЯ В КОСТЮМІ ДРАМАТИЧНОГО ТЕАТРУ ХХ СТОЛІТТЯ

As an object of scientific discourse, the costume has a wide thematic focus. Its different types (historical, traditional, theatrical) had always been correlated in their development. This article aims to generalize the ways and methods of transformation of the Ukrainian national clothes in theatrical patterns of domestic performances of various historical periods of the 20th century. It was important for us to clarify stylistics and typology of stage apparel related to the use of national forms or particular motives. Methods that we used in the article allow to conduct historical comparative analysis partially using the reconstruction method. Within the scope of formal stylistic method, the category of motive was developed. Within the scope of iconography, an analysis of metaphor in theatrical costume was conducted. At the same time, we separately used the semiotic method to study meanings of clothes of modernism and postmodernism periods. Because meaning of the stage costume of the avant-garde time, created using the coded systems of conventional theatre, formed a new artistic spirituality. The novelty of the indicated problem is conditioned on generalizing context of the posed problem in its historical endurance and cultural typologies. Conclusions of the article are based on the hierarchical system of considered examples that demonstrate different meanings of the costume in performances of main periods of the Ukrainian theatre history: classic character of the image and professionalism of the creation in the Coryphaeus Theatre; blossom of artistic innovations in the costume of avant-garde performances; decline of the image as positive in the totalitarian period of 1930–1950s; revival in 1960–1980s and eventually polystylistics of costumes in the performances of Ukrainian Independence period.

THEATRICAL AND PEDAGOGICAL PRINCIPLES OF V. I. TSVIETKOV IN THE FORMATION OF THE UKRAINIAN ACTOR AND DIRECTOR

Vsevolod Ivanovych Tsvietkov (1918–2011) belongs to the famous artists of Kharkiv region. His name is associated with an extremely fruitful period in the activities of the leading theatres and theatre universities, in particular, O. S. Pushkin Kharkiv Drama Theatre, Kharkiv Institute of Arts (now – I. P. Kotlyarevsky Kharkiv National University of Arts) and Kharkiv State Academy of Culture. V. I. Tsvietkov’s acting, directing and pedagogical activity dates back to 1937–2005, he acted as a teacher in the 1960s. The background of V. I. Tsvietkov’s pedagogical principles was, first of all, his own creative experience gained during acting and directing, theoretical and practical achievements of outstanding masters from the school of psychological theatre (K. Stanislavsky, V. Petrov, A. Kramov, F. Shishigin, G. Tovstonohov). In the critical heritage dedicated to V. Tsvietkov, the problems of the stage originality and pedagogical creativity based on the specifics of his directorial views, are revealed only fragmentary (Sedunova, 2005; Kolchanova, 2015; Botunova, 2017). The stage and pedagogical activity of the artist has not yet become the subject of in-depth scientific research, so this article is the first attempt in this direction. The author of the article sets the purpose to systematize, generalize, supplement and expand information about the work of V. Tsvietkov and his principles of educating acting and directing youth, with the aim to reproduce his image of an actor, musician, director, and theatre teacher, addressing, first of all, to personal archival materials and previous works. V. Tsvietkov’s scenic searches are rooted in the creative discoveries of outstanding masters of Ukrainian and foreign theatre of the XX and the beginning of the XXI century, his “personal” page of aesthetic, professional, methodological research in the field of acting and directing, which are organically continued in theatrical pedagogy. The main part of the article examines the stages of formation and creative activity of V. Tsvietkov as an actor, director and theatre teacher. Summed up, that V. Tsvietkov, a talented director who was long seeking his way in directing theatre and cinema, methods of upbringing the actor, and finally found it, basing on the pedagogical discoveries of K. S. Stanislavsky, staged 80 plays, brought up a whole galaxy of Ukrainian actors, directors, theatre teachers, who nowadays successfully work in national theatres and abroad. Based on the analysis of the creative and pedagogical work of V. Tsvietkov, his contribution to the formation and development of the Ukrainian theatre school is determined. The artist successfully embodied the traditions of K. Stanislavsky and heuristic discoveries in the psychology of creativity in his directing and pedagogical method. Not least important for V. Tsvietkov’s creative method was the experience of joint pedagogical work with the luminaries of the Ukrainian theatre, who passed the school of Les Kurbas on educating a “synthetic actor”. V. Tsvietkov’s multifaceted scenic and pedagogical activity, which unfolded in 1937–2005, significantly expanded creative possibilities of acting and directing, and became an integral part of domestic theatrical culture.

Men's academic performance 1950-1970s (on the example of creative activities of N. Apukhtin, A. Belov and G. Baukin)

The purpose of the article is to study artistic processes among ballet performers in the 1950s – 1970s on the example of the creative activity of Nikolai Apukhtin, Anatoly Belov, and Gennady Baukin. The methodology of the work includes the use of the following research methods: general historical, comparative, analytical, dialectical, systemic, etc. The scientific novelty of the publication lies in the fact that it first explored the professional culture in the field of male classical performance of the first half of the twentieth century on the example of the stage achievements of N. Apukhtin, A. Belov, and G. Baukin. Conclusions. The artistic contribution of the ballet premieres of the 1950s – 1970s. in the development of Ukrainian classical choreography on the example of the creativity of dancers N. Apukhtin, A. Belov, and G. Baukin, consists in the following: 1) a significant increase in the professional culture of performers due to the complication of the technical component and improvement of the actors' acting skills; 2) the creation of highly artistic images in ballets of the Soviet classics (B. Asafiev, R. Glier, A. Kerin, S. Prokofiev, A. Khachaturian, M. Chulaki, V. Yurovsky, etc.) and choreographic performances on national themes (V. Homolyak, K. Dankevich, G. Zhukovsky, V. Kireiko, N. Lysenko, A. Svechnikov, M. Skorulsky, B. Tishchenko, etc.); 3) transfer of professional experience in the process of pedagogical work to subsequent generations of Ukrainian dancers.
 Key words: N. Apukhtin, A. Belov, G. Baukin, male classical dance, Ukrainian ballet theater.

The artistic perspective of V. Vynnychenko's creativity in the context of the stage solution of his literary works

The purpose of the article is to highlight different aspects of the interpretation of artistic experiments of theatrical performances based on the works of V. Vinnichenko, taking into account the general concept of their artistic and aesthetic specificity, genre and stylistic features, and the original artistic manner of the playwright. The research methodology consists in the application of the cultural-historical method to analyze the interpretation of V. Vinnichenko's dramatic works, peculiar key creative processes, director's interpretations of his plays as future stage forms; art history method for comprehending the artistic and creative activities of a playwright in the context of evolution and progressive ideas in the art of theater; a modeling method for analyzing the model-setting of a specific period of the playwright's work; a structural-functional method for the study of the main guidelines in the organization of the creative process over a stage work. The scientific novelty of the research lies in carrying out a figurative-stylistic, artistic compositional analysis of the evolutionary process of V. Vinnichenko's creativity as a modernist playwright of the early twentieth century. Conclusions. There is every reason to state that the appearance of the figure of V. Vynnychenko was an extraordinary event: his phenomenon also lies in the fact that he is one of the few in Ukrainian and world literature who became a classic during his lifetime. Based on a comparison of literary sources and performances, it can be noted that there was an experiment and a search for new stage forms. And the peculiarities of the interpretation of V. Vinnichenko's works in the Ukrainian theater lie in the fact that it was determined by different components of the stage performance, as well as the socio-historical and cultural contexts of the life of Ukraine, which determined the experiments, methods, and forms of interpretation of the literary basis.
 Keywords: V. Vinnichenko, playwright, theater, director, performance.

Stage costume and problems of theatrical symbolism in Ukraine

Theater as a form of cognition of the phenomenon of man and society is of interest to researchers in various fields. This is a consequence of the syncretism of all the elements that shape the art of theater. An important place in the art of theater is a costume, according to modern theater critic Patrice Pavi, as one of the main elements of the organization of stage space, which directly affects the integrity of the scenery and its integration with the actor's body. They open the image of each character: by determining the age, sex, character, profession, emphasize individuality or typify the person. The costume is a sign of a person and at the same time a means that allows reincarnation into another person. With the help of staging, the principle of the inner composition of the play is determined: the interaction of the costumes with each other in terms of cut, shape, color, material and place in the overall scenography of the design. The problems of costume in the system of Ukrainian theater remain little studied, in contrast to folk costumes or the history of fashion.

Ukrainian Theater in Crimea in the 2nd Half of the 19th — Early 20th Century

The study is devoted to the analysis of the state of Ukrainian theatrical art on the territory of the Crimean peninsula in the second half of the 19th – early 20th century. Even in our time, we have to refute the assertion that anything Ukrainian in Crimea was absent until the middle of the 20th century or even before the early 1990s. From reports in magazines of the 19th – early 20th centuries, which were published in the territory of modern Ukraine, controlled at that time by the Austro-Hungarian and Russian empires, as well as from archival sources, we can obtain data that indicate that in that period the inhabitants of different regions of Crimea, mostly large cities, showed interest in Ukrainian culture, one of the brightest exponents of which was theatrical art. Both touring and local Ukrainian theater groups led by prominent directors performed theatrical productions of famous playwrights in Crimea. It is traditionally believed that the Ukrainian theater gained popularity in Crimea in the 1870s–90s due to the activities of the luminaries of the stage – Marko Kropyvnytsky, Mykhailo Starytsky, the Tobilevych brothers, etc. However, we can say that the roots of the Ukrainian theater on the peninsula date back to the 1840s – to the appearance in Sevastopol of the first stationary municipal Crimean theater, which periodically staged works by Ukrainian authors. The notable place of presentation of the Ukrainian theatrical art in Crimea was the nobiliary theater of Simferopol. Also, Ukrainian theater troupes toured Sevastopol, Yalta, Yevpatoriia, Feodosiia, Kerch. Over time, local amateur and semi-professional groups began to emerge in these cities, introducing the audience to examples of Ukrainian drama and gaining the support of prominent theatrical figures. The Crimean press often published not only reviews of Ukrainian theatrical productions in the cities of the peninsula, but also reviews of plays presented on local stages not only by the most talented but also by lesser-known artists that performed in front of the inhabitants of Crimea and staged at completely different ideological and artistic levels. For the most part, Ukrainian performances were highly popular in Crimea.

“SUICIDE” ON THE KHARKIV STAGE: MUSIC AND STAGE READING BY S. PASICHNYK – H. FROLOV

Statement of the problem. The article examines the theatrical heritage of Les Kurbas, the founder of Shevchenko Kharkiv Academic Ukrainian Drama Theatre (originally called «Berezil»). Les Kurbas is the reformer of the Ukrainian theater; his theatrical ideas demonstrate a new understanding of the synthesis of the arts. He concentrated his creative aspirations not only on acting, but also on all components of the performance, in particular on music. The paper examines methodically the application of the basic principles of Les Kurbas Theatre – the co-authorship of the director and composer – in Kharkiv theatre. The article also studies the works by H. Frolov – talented Kharkiv composer. The critical legacy dedicated to the works of Les Kurbas does not fully illuminate the uniqueness of his views regarding directing and the originality of the musical language in the genre of dramatic performance (CherkashynaHubarenko, 2002; Hordieiev, 2003; Yermakova, 2012; Labinska, 2012). There are a number of works devoted to the issues of music in theater (Kurysheva, 1984; Kozyurenko, 1986; Tarshis, 2010; Matsepura, 2013; Lesakova, 2017; Oseeva, 2019; Kovalchuk, 2017; Nurtazin, 2013; Spagnolo, 2017). The novelty of our research. The paper investigates musical component in the current practice of Shevchenko Kharkiv Academic Ukrainian Drama Theatre and creative method of its leading composer H. Frolov. The aim of the article is to reveal the interconnection of music with the stage elements of the performance. The study of the stage play “Suicide” in Kharkiv Drama Theater required the implementation a number of scientific approaches: historical and genetic, studying the modern function of music in the analyzed dramatic performance in Kharkiv Drama Theater, the origins of which go back to Kurbas “Berezil”; a comparative analysis, revealing the ways of preserving old traditions in modern performance; genre analysis, investigating the embodiment of the comedy dell arte in the musical scenes; stylistic analysis, revealing the composer’s thinking in making the director’s decision regarding stagecraft. The presentation of the main material. The article analyzes a musical component in the stage performance “Suicide” based on the play by Nikolay Erdman (1928), reinterpreted by our contemporaries – the stage director Stepan Pasichnyk and the composer Henadii Frolov. The work reviews the production itself and the acting troupe. The article outlines the inheritance and development of the traditions in Les Kurbas Theatre regarding the mutual work of the composer and director, aimed at the organic fusion of the stage action and musical accompaniment of the performance. Conclusions. Dramaturgical and genre-compositional analyzes of the performance detected such distinctive features of the individual style of H. Frolov as: musical organization of the stage with one intonation, which, depending on the drama, can be flexible and transformative, acquiring new meanings and qualities and thus making the musical development monothematic; unity of the figurative and semantic layers of music with the director’s concept of the performance; transformation of genre features of tragic farce and commedia dell’arte.

Adaptation genre of Ukrainian folk songs in the interpretation of K. Gorski: aspects of texture stylistics

The article examines the adaptation principles of Ukrainian folklore material used by an outstanding representative of the Polish-Ukrainian branch of the musical culture of Kharkov at the turn of the XIX – XX centuries.
 For the analysis, a collection-cycle was selected, compiled by the author himself on the basis of adaptations of the songs used in the operetta “Oi Bozhe shcho ta liubov zmozhe!” for the libretto by A. Zbukireva, staged by M. Kropyvnytsky, one of the founders of the Ukrainian national theater.
 Several groups of adaptations are outlined and classified, representing the portraits of the characters of the operetta, as well as the stage situations. Generalizing characteristics of the texture-stylistic approaches used by K. Gorski in the piano parts, prefixed to each of the 20 songs, are given.
 It is noted that K. Gorski not only demonstrates professional mastery of adaptation techniques approved in classical music, but also translates features of Ukrainian folk polyphony into texture and harmony, which gives his adaptation an individualized charm.

Development of the dance-rock opera genre in the creative content of ‘Mykhailo Vodianoi’ Academic Theatre of Musical Comedy, Odesa

Background. Staging of rock opera began in Ukraine simultaneously in theaters of drama, opera and musical comedy in the mid-80s. The first drama and ballet performances were based on the works of Russian authors. From 1986 to 1993 Kharkiv Theater of Musical Comedy made stage production of rock operas based on the works of Alexander Zhurbin, Andrew Lloyd Webber and Alexey Rybnikov leaders of its repertoire policy. Since the 2000s, Odessa Theater of Musical Comedy has staged a dance-rock opera as a new modification of stage play with rock opera. The relevance of the article. Stage performances of dance-rock operas have not yet been sufficiently studied in Ukraine. Such Ukrainian musicologists as Olga Verkhovenko, Iryna Palkina, Halyna Filkevych fragmentarily have studied genre features and performance forms of dance-rock operas. In addition, some periodicals have covered these productions in their critical reviews. Methods. The work is based on a typological method, which made it possible to classify performances as a rock opera genre. The biographical method has also been applied to determine the artistic influences on the choreographer Heorhii Kovtun. The comparative method made it possible to separate the dancerock opera from other productions related to the genre of rock opera, as well as from apologetic performances that exploit already invented forms. When analyzing the performances, some elements of the reconstruction method were used. Results of the study. Odessa Musical Comedy Theater presented four performances in the genre of dance-rock opera, three of which were staged by Heorhii Kovtun. The first (and most successful) production with a new performance approach was the play “Romeo and Juliet” based on Shakespeare’s tragedy with music and libretto by Yevhen Lapeiko (Odessa). A new type of leading performers (selected at casting) appeared in the play. The type of rock opera artist represented by Kyryl Turychenko is characterized by freedom from musical comedy clichés. A pop singer with appropriate acting, athletic and dance training, he could sing when falling, climbing a two-story stage tower, or during a dynamic dance. Scenography by Stanislav Zaitsev showed a tendency towards brevity, constructiveness and simultaneous development of action in three stage dimensions. Other productions of Heorhii Kovtun – “The Canterville Ghost” and “Silicon Silly Woman.net” based on the works of Russian authors D. Rubin, A. Ivanov, O. Pantykin and K. Rubinsky developed rock opera principles invented by the choreographer rather than deepened them. The director of “The Canterville Ghost” did not quite clearly indicate the vector of the main idea. This led to the breakup of stage action into spectacular theatrical attractions with pyrotechnics and impressive stage design transformations. In fact, it is still not clear what the director was trying to recreate – a melodrama, a comedy with elements of satire or Guignol. The play “Tristan and Isolde” based on the works of the Ukrainian composer Alexander Nezhigai and playwright Serhii Piskuriov was staged by the theater director Vladimir Savinov. His ignorance of musical theater specifics contributed to the vocally and musically weak performance. Most of the action in the stage production was organized by the choreography of Anatolii Bedichev. Contrary to expectations, V. Savinov’s performance was also significantly inferior to Н. Kovtun’s performances in relation to libretto adaptation, stage design and tempo-rhythm of the performance. All rock-dance opera performances were aimed at teenage and youth audiences. Conclusions. Unlike rock operas of the previous decades, the production proposed by choreographer H. Kovtun is characterized by a synthesis of modern choreography, spectacular show, performance universalism and dynamс crowd scenes. As a choreographer, he did not pay much attention to the actors’ work on the characters. Vocally the singers gravitated towards the pop style (using microphones). Unlike earlier productions of rock operas in Ukrainian theater (with phonograms or symphonic jazz instrumentation of the theater orchestra), the troupe of Odessa Musical Comedy Theater performed rock operas with combined accompaniment (studio phonogram, theater orchestra, rock band). Further study of the multiple issues identified in the article requires a deep analysis of the repertoire, types of rock opera in the theater of musical comedy in Ukraine and the distinctive vocal and acting performance features.

Ukrainian pantomime theater through the prism of the synergetic paradigm

The purpose of the article is to determine the priority forms of development, conceptual and organizational principles of the existence of domestic pantomime theaters in the conditions of modern socio-cultural space. Methodology. The cultural-historical method was used (to consider the general state of the domestic pantomime culture of the end of the XX – the beginning of the XXI century); synergetic method, thanks to which the historical paradigm of pantomime theater in Ukraine was studied; an art history method that contributed to the analysis of pantomime theater performances in an artistic context and a method of theoretical generalization. Scientific novelty. The specifics of Ukrainian pantomime theaters and their role in the socio-cultural space of the XXI century are studied; identified and analyzed the factors influencing the specifics of the development of Ukrainian pantomime theaters in the context of the transformation processes of the world and domestic socio-cultural space; trends and prospects for the development of the phenomenon of Ukrainian pantomime theater in the XXI century are indicated. Conclusions. The Ukrainian pantomime theater demonstrates unique forms of existence of the cultural text and uses a wide palette of sign-symbolic embodiments of pantomime culture. As a component of modern domestic cultural and artistic space, the Ukrainian pantomime theater is characterized by a wide representation, complex history of development and achievements, and is a significant platform for the translation of traditional socio-cultural values and norms, effective development of various elements of modern culture. At the present stage, the Ukrainian pantomime theater is a broadly chaotic system of contrasting phenomena, which, in turn, are internally ordered structures - schools, each of which declares its own conditions, becoming an independent, self-sufficient system.

Stage creativity of Bogdan Stupka: features of the techniques and methods of his acting skills

The purpose of the article. To highlight the specific features of the stage work of the outstanding theatrical figure B. Stupka and to characterize the peculiarities of the techniques and methods of his acting skills. The methodology of research of Bohdan Stupka's stage activity is based on: analytical method - for the elaboration of culturological, art and theatrical scientific literature; typological method - to identify and determine the techniques of his acting skills; art history method - determining the contribution of B. Stupka to the development of Ukrainian drama theater and stylistic specifics of its acting art, the individuality of artistic search, the identification of artistic and aesthetic features of his stage work; cognitive method - to substantiate the uniqueness of the artist's acting skills, to identify and outline the specifics of his individual creative methods in the process of working on the artistic image. The scientific novelty of the study lies in the comprehensive analysis of the stage work of B. Stupka as one of the leading Ukrainian theater masters of the late XX - early XXI century. The peculiarities of the techniques and methods of his acting skills are described for the first time. Conclusions. As a result of the analysis of the research it can be concluded that the special, original, specific features of B. Stupka's work were the observance of key criteria of the aesthetic value of the production; deep penetration into the psychology of the character and its full disclosure; philosophical approach to understanding the literary source; the true nature of the feelings and way of life of the character; endowing the character with rigidly organized plasticity.

Stage design of the modern Ukrainian director theater

The purpose of the article is to identify and analyze the leading directions in the development of stage design in modern domestic director's theater, as well as to explore the problem of director's search in stage design. Methodology. A systematic method was applied, aimed at theoretical and artistic, and practical comprehension of the main aspects of the process of solving a stage work in the complex of organizing stage action and stage space; the method of artistic-critical analysis in the process of studying the modern theatrical repertoire, made it possible to study the stage design of the domestic director's theater in the variety of its forms; the typological method, helped to systematize traditional and innovative approaches to the development and implementation of stage design, as well as to determine its features in modern Ukrainian theater; the method of figurative and stylistic analysis, thanks to which the specifics of the stage design of modern productions of Ukrainian theater directors have been identified and analyzed; the hermeneutic method helped to identify and interpret the meanings laid down by the director in the rhythm-chronotopic configuration of the stage design. Scientific novelty. The directing-staging and scenographic activity of the leading Ukrainian directors (B. Polishchuk, D. Kostyuminsky, S. Masloboyshchikova) has been investigated, the variable variety of approaches to solving stage design in modern Ukrainian drama theater has been revealed and their influence on the artistic structure of the performance has been characterized; the specifics of the design solution for a modern theatrical performance by Ukrainian stage designers, as well as production directors, have been determined. Сonclusions. The transformations of the functions and vocabulary of stage design in Ukrainian directing theater XXI century are directly related to changes in the visual aesthetics of modern theatrical art, the problems of interpretation of the literary source, and its stage embodiment. Taking over the functions of a theatrical artist, stage directors strive to create a unique author's environment for a dramatic situation, visualizing a literary text in the space-time continuum of presentation in accordance with the individual definition of the meaning of the production, in an effort to accurately illuminate their own concept. But in the production, carried out by theatrical artists, the dominant position is occupied by the image - the performance is a series of visual images, and visual symbols exert an emotional impact on the viewer, which is usually stronger than a dramatic text and acting.

Ukrainian Theatrical Drawings and Sketches of the Avant-Garde Era

The study of time, space and movement as constituent art elements was a focus of attention of avant-garde artists. The theatre where events unfold both in space and time became a place of consolidation of Ukrainian artists, with the synergistic association of representatives in various art branches and movements. A scenographic sketch, that is, a two-dimensional realisation of idea of a future four-dimensional work, is a unique phenomenon to study the evolution of the avant-garde’s concept of the space-time continuum. Through the example of works of both distinguished and less known Ukrainian theatre artists we have studied features of the realisation of time and space categories according to the key stylistic directions of the Ukrainian avant-garde: cubism, futurism, cubo-futurism, constructivism, suprematism. A theoretical basis for the study has been provided by works of Western thinkers of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries: Edmund Husserl, Henri Bergson, Oswald Spengler, Ludwig Wittgenstein, Maurice Merleau-Ponty, and Meyer Schapiro, along with the Ukrainian art theorists Kasimir Malevich, Aleksandr Bogomasov, and Les Kurbas, as well as works of modern researchers such as Linda Henderson and Igor Duchan. We have drawn a parallel between the development of art concepts in the Ukrainian avant-garde and scientific achievements, and the sense of time and space categories in the philosophical thought of that epoch.

REPERTOIRE TRADITION OF THE UKRAINIAN DRAMA THEATRE: HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL ASPECT

The purpose of the article is to find out the repertoire traditions of Ukrainian theatre from the first professional theatre to the present day. The research methodology applies an interdisciplinary approach. In particular, the principle of historicism is an opportunity to trace the change in the repertoire policy of theatres under the influence of sociopolitical circumstances. Structural-functional and macrodynamic methods to study the theatre at different stages of development are methods of analysis and synthesis used to identify the main artistic phenomena and trends in theatrical activities. Scientific novelty. Based on the analysis of the repertoire plays of five Ukrainian theatres: the Theatre of Coryphaei, Taras Shevchenko Kharkiv Academic Ukrainian Drama Theatre, Taras Shevchenko Dnipro National Academic Ukrainian Music and Drama Theatre, Ivan Franko National Academic Drama Theatre, Maria Zankovetska Theatre — trends in the development of the repertoire policy of the Ukrainian theatre are identified, the influence of traditions and society on the work of leading Ukrainian theatre figures is justified; the boundaries of the concept of “repertoire traditions” are expanded. Conclusions. The article examines the peculiarities of the development of Ukrainian theatre from the creation of the first professional theatre in Ukraine to the present day, highlights the impact of repertoire censorship. Five stages of the formation of the repertoire traditions of Ukrainian drama theatres are described: the period of the birth of Ukrainian drama (I. Kotliarevsky); further repertoire traditions in Tsarist Russia era; the formation of modern Ukrainian theatre (Les Kurbas); the period of World War II and post-war times, when there were attempts to transform the Ukrainian theatre into a Soviet one. It was found out that a unique feature of modern Ukrainian theatre is performances on second stages, one-person production, and the use of advanced technology.

Kurbas and Poland: Discovering / Returning

This article reviews Polish edition of Les’ Kurbas theatrical texts (Łeś Kurbas, Pisma tetatralne, Warszawa 2021) focusing on the editor’s, Anna Korzeniewska-Bihun, thematic-cum-problematic principle of organizing Kurbas’s legacy, as well as the merits of her well-researched introduction to the volume. The editor’s approach highlighted the conceptually important principles of Kurbas’s theatrical theory and , allowed her to cover his practical achievements and key performances, showing his worldview and the philosophical, creative, aesthetic, pedagogical, and organizational features of his legacy. The reviewer underlines the editor’s precision and consistency in outlining the key problems faced by Ukrainian theater in the first third of the twentieth century and the place of Les Kurbas in their solution. The edition opens up new horizons for research and discussion not only on Kurbas as a creator of Ukrainian avant-garde theater, but also on Polish-Ukrainians cultural ties.

ARCHITECTURAL AND SCENOGRAPHIC IDEAS OF Y. LYSYK IN EDUCATIONAL DESIGN OF LVIV ARCHITECTURAL SCHOOL (on the example of the activity of the Department of Architectural Environment Design)

The article highlights educational projects of various types of public buildings made by students of the Department of Architectural Environment Design, under the influence of architectural and scenographic ideas of Y. Lysyk in the late XX and early XXI centuries. Since modern artistic phenomena in the Ukrainian theatre can be most accurately studied during educational-scientific, educational-project and experimental-project educational activities. After the death of Y. Lysyk – he died in May 1991 – the Department began scientific research of his creative activity, the first results of which were simultaneously tested in educational design. At first, it was based solely on the ideas of Lysyk and had a romantic nature. At the turn of the century, works that were of an educational and applied nature began to appear. It was the result of joint creativity of teachers and students, where the Master's ideas were not only borrowed but also developed. These are buildings with theatrical, entertainment, cultural and educational functions for accumulating, storing, and displaying monumental works of scenographic art, etc. Over time, Lysyk's ideas were also developed in applied projects and buildings of teachers of the Department – landscape, puppet, studio, TV-theaters, collapsible stages of entertainment halls. Later on, the ideas of Lysyk developed in applied projects and buildings of architects in other cities of Ukraine – Kyiv, Dnipro, Odesa, Chernivtsi, Lutsk, Chervonograd.

Kharkiv Art History School (1900s – early 2020s).

The article attempts to outline the activity of Kharkiv art history school from the time of its formation in the 1900s to the present day. The author reveals the main directions of research of university art history in Kharkiv, as well as figures of museum institutions who were engaged in the study of topical problems of art before the outbreak of Stalinist terror, when Kharkiv art history school was completely destroyed, and its representatives were either shot (F. Shmit, P. Fomin, K. Slipko-Moskaltsiv) or sent into exile (S. Taranushenko, P. Zholtovsky, D. Gordeiev, O. Berladina). It is emphasized that none of them ever returned to Kharkiv. This became a serious obstacle in the restoration of the scientific art history school in the city. This process lasted for a very long time in comparison with other artistic centers, Kyiv and Lviv in particular. The article reveals the traditions of art history science in Kharkiv, laid down in the first third of the 20th century before its destruction in the Stalinist period. The author also shows the changes in the organization of research activities in modern conditions, when university art history has become a thing of the past, and the scientific center has moved to the higher art institution of the city, which became the Kharkiv Institute of Art and Industry (the Kharkiv State Academy of Design and Arts from 2001).The main directions of the development of art history in this higher educational institution of art in Kharkiv are revealed. It is shown that, first of all, Ukrainian studios were resumed as a separate direction and such an outstanding phenomenon of Ukrainian national art as M. Boichuk’s school, destroyed during the Stalinist repressions, was reconstructed. Separate pages about some figures of the glorious cohort of Ukrainian masters who, with their work, personified the bright and tragic era for the Ukrainian creative intelligentsia of the 1920s, namely artist-writer M. Zhuk as well as representatives of the avant-garde phenomenon in the artistic culture of the 20th century in Kharkiv (V. Yermilov, B. Kosarev, A. Petrytsky), were also revealed. Not only was the range of Oriental studies restored, but to some extent expanded, the study of Far and Middle Eastern art was introduced, and the study of Ukrainian art Judaica and Jewish art was brought to the wider modern world. In the Soviet period this was impossible due to the policy of the Soviet power. Ukrainian theater decoration art, Ukrainian school of art photography, contemporary art became new directions. The development of established traditions and deepening of the study of the sacred art and modern art forms are among the prospects for further directions.

The vision of the theatrical audience in the theatrical-critical discourse of Eastern Halychyna (Galicia) in the 1920s and 1930s

The article is devoted to the study of the image of the theatrical spectator of the Ukrainian theater in the theatrical-critical discourse of the period of 1920–1930. The theatrical spectator as an integral part of the theatrical process, and hence of theatrical history, is often underestimated by theater historians. However, even in theatrical-critical publications of this period we can trace certain composite images of the Ukrainian theatrical audience. The article explores what these images looked like, how they changed and how they can also look at the theatrical processes of time. The main source in which the image of the theatrical spectator of Eastern Halychyna (Galicia) "appeared" istheatrical-critical publications in the press of that time. In fact, two main images are formed: the Lviv public and the so-called "provincial" (although according to the press rhetoric of the time it included both spectators of large cities Stanislaviv, Ternopil, and smaller towns: Yavoriv, Stryi and others and spectators in villages). Each of these groups had its own characteristics and its own requests to the theater.

Problems of theatrical productions of dramatic works by Lesya Ukrainka on the modern Ukrainian stage

The purpose of the article is diagnostics of Lesya Ukrainka’s dramatic works realization prospects in conditions of performing arts visualization as a consistent trend of the national stage development. The study involves analyzing the adequacy of modern means of expressiveness to the peculiarities of the poetess’ dramaturgy. The research methodology is determined by observational, analytical as well as historical, and logical analysis of the realization prospects of Lesya Ukrainka’s dramatic poems on the Ukrainian stage in the context of the exceptional specific weight of a word for understanding the poetic and philosophical content of the poetess’ works. The indicated methodological approach allows analyzing the reasons why some performances already realized are of enormous artistic value (notably, by “Stone Master” (“Kaminny Hospodar”) as well as outlining the prospects of some contemporary theatrical models in this sense. The novelty of the research lies in expanding the conceptions about the relevance of correlation of cardinally “re-equipped” arsenal of the XX1century scenic space multimedia technologies and the system of means of expressiveness of Lesya Ukrainka’s dramas in the context of conveying the content of these works to the audience, as well as in raising the issue of a more careful approach of modern direction to the ways of conveying and revealing the word of the creator relative to the dramatic works of Lesya Ukrainka as an exceptional phenomenon in the world dramaturgy. Conclusion. Lesya Ukrainka’s dramaturgy is in tune with the present time and corresponds to the aesthetic and civil tasks facing our art today. The Ukrainian theater is in urgent need of this dramaturgy. The poetess’s dramaturgy requires a modern but specific philosophic and poetic theater. To make it sound appropriate, it is necessary to be inspired by the Ukrainian art showing piety towards Lesya’s word and having a desire not just to act but to act namely Lesya Ukrainka, and to find the truth about life in her writing. For her plays it is very important to avoid pomposity which is typical of stage directors fascinated by visualization: there should not be any divertissements, any ball scenes except for those which are required by the unraveling of the plot.