Adolf Yakovlevich Shapiro (

Russian Russian(s) may refer to: *Russians (), an ethnic group of the East Slavic peoples, primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries *A citizen of Russia *Russian language, the most widely spoken of the Slavic languages *''The Russians'', a b ...

: Адольф Яковлевич Шапиро, Latvian: Ādolfs Šapiro, born July 4, 1939,

Kharkov Kharkiv, also known as Kharkov, is the second-largest List of cities in Ukraine, city in Ukraine.

USSR The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...

(now Kharkiv,

Ukraine Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the List of European countries by area, second-largest country in Europe after Russia, which Russia–Ukraine border, borders it to the east and northeast. Ukraine also borders Belarus to the nor ...

)) is a Soviet, Latvian and Russian theater director, acting teacher, playwright and author. People's Artist of the Latvian SSR (1986), Merited Master of the Arts of the Russian Federation (2019), Laureate of the State Prize of the Latvian SSR (1987).

Biography

Adolf Shapiro graduated from the Directing Department of the

Kharkiv National Kotlyarevsky University of Arts Kharkiv National University of Arts named after I. P. Kotlyarevsky (or Kharkiv Conservatory or Kharkiv National I. P. Kotlyarevsky University of Arts; Ukrainian: Харківський національний університет мистец ...

then continued his studies in Moscow at the Maria Knebel's Graduate Laboratory of Directing. Adolf Shapiro was a student and successor of Maria Knebel, who was a student of

Konstantin Stanislavsky Konstantin Sergeyevich Stanislavski ( rus, Константин Сергеевич Станиславский, p=kənstɐnʲˈtʲin sʲɪrˈɡʲejɪvʲɪtɕ stənʲɪˈslafskʲɪj, links=yes; ; 7 August 1938) was a seminal Russian and Sovie ...

and

Michael Chekhov Mikhail Aleksandrovich Chekhov (; 16 August 1891 – 30 September 1955), known as Michael Chekhov, was a Russian-American actor, Theatre director, director, author, and theatre practitioner. He was a nephew of the playwright Anton Chekhov an ...

. Shapiro has earned a worldwide reputation as a preeminent interpreter of Chekhov's work. For more than half a century, Mr. Shapiro has staged highly acclaimed productions across three continents. From 1962 to 1992 he worked in Latvia as the Artistic Director of the Latvian State Theater of Young Spectators (TYuZ), renamed the Youth Theatre in 1989. His most notable works at that time include ''Ivanov'' and ''Wood Demon'' by

Anton Chekhov Anton Pavlovich Chekhov (; ; 29 January 1860 – 15 July 1904) was a Russian playwright and short-story writer, widely considered to be one of the greatest writers of all time. His career as a playwright produced four classics, and his b ...

, ''City at Dawn'' by Alexei Arbuzov, ''The'' ''Forest'' by

Alexander Ostrovsky Alexander Nikolayevich Ostrovsky (; ) was a Russian playwright, generally considered the greatest representative of the Russian realistic period. The author of 47 original plays, Ostrovsky "almost single-handedly created a Russian national repe ...

, ''Golden Horse'' by Jānis Rainis, ''Peer Gynt'' by

Henrik Ibsen Henrik Johan Ibsen (; ; 20 March 1828 – 23 May 1906) was a Norwegian playwright, poet and actor. Ibsen is considered the world's pre-eminent dramatist of the 19th century and is often referred to as "the father of modern drama." He pioneered ...

, ''The Prince of Homburg'' by Heinrich Kleist, ''Fear and Misery of the Third Reich'' by

Bertolt Brecht Eugen Berthold Friedrich Brecht (10 February 1898 – 14 August 1956), known as Bertolt Brecht and Bert Brecht, was a German theatre practitioner, playwright, and poet. Coming of age during the Weimar Republic, he had his first successes as a p ...

, ''Tomorrow There Came War'' by Boris Vasilyev, ''Democracy!'' by

Joseph Brodsky Iosif Aleksandrovich Brodsky (; ; 24 May 1940 – 28 January 1996) was a Russian and American poet and essayist. Born in Leningrad (now Saint Petersburg) in the Soviet Union, Brodsky ran afoul of Soviet authorities and was expelled ("strongly ...

. The theater had two buildings and two troupes (Russian and Latvian) and was widely known both at home and abroad. The company has won numerous awards at international festivals, including the Grand Prix and Gold Medal at the ''Theatre on Screen'' festival in Rome, Italy for the adaptation of ''The Waltz Invention'' by Vladimir Nabokov. Major Russian playwrights wrote plays specially for the theater. Adolf Shapiro taught acting and directing classes at the Riga Conservatory. In 1990, Shapiro was elected World President of the International Association of Theatre for Children and Young People (ASSITEJ), and since 1994 he has been President of the Russian Center of ASSITEJ. Since 1993 Adolph Shapiro has been working as an independent director and theater teacher. Shapiro has taught and conducted master classes in: * USA –

Harvard University Harvard University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1636 and named for its first benefactor, the History of the Puritans in North America, Puritan clergyma ...

Carnegie Mellon University Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) is a private research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. The institution was established in 1900 by Andrew Carnegie as the Carnegie Technical Schools. In 1912, it became the Carnegie Institu ...

, the

University of Indianapolis The University of Indianapolis (UIndy) is a private United Methodist Church-affiliated university in Indianapolis, Indiana. It offers Associate, Bachelor's, Master's, and Doctoral degrees. It was founded in 1902 as Indiana Central University an ...

, the

University of Chicago The University of Chicago (UChicago, Chicago, or UChi) is a Private university, private research university in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Its main campus is in the Hyde Park, Chicago, Hyde Park neighborhood on Chicago's South Side, Chic ...

, Stanislavsky Summer Theater School (joint project of the Chekhov

Moscow Art Theater The Moscow Art Theatre (or MAT; , ''Moskovskiy Hudojestvenny Akademicheskiy Teatr'' (МHАТ) was a theatre company in Moscow. It was founded in by the seminal Russian theatre practitioner Konstantin Stanislavski, together with the playwright ...

and

); * Germany – Munich (Bavarian National Theater), Berlin, Bad Pyrmont; * Poland – Warsaw (Oсhota Theater); * Israel –

Gesher Theater Gesher Theater is an Israeli theater company founded in 1991 in Tel Aviv by new Olim from the Soviet Union. Defending Identity: Its Indispensable Role in Protecting Democracy, by Natan Sharansky, 2008, pp 139ff. It performs both in Russian and ...

Yiddishpiel Theater * France – L'École nationale supérieure des arts et techniques du théâtre (ENSATT), Lyon * Italy – International Festival for Theatre Training Methods METHODIKA * Brazil – FunArte Theater Company, São Paulo * China –

Shanghai Theater Academy Shanghai Theatre Academy () is a municipal public college for dramatic art education in Shanghai, China. It is affiliated with the Shanghai Municipal People's Government. History On December 1, 1945, the Shanghai Municipal Experimental Drama ...

* Greece – Athens (continuous cooperation with the Center for Development and Culture "AVANTGARDE"), Delphi (The

European Cultural Centre of Delphi The European Cultural Centre of Delphi (ECCD) was founded in 1977 upon the inspiration and initiative of Konstantinos Karamanlis with the view of setting up a European and intellectual centre in Delphi. The first thoughts and discussions start ...

(E.C.C.D.), Meteora, Syros Island Shapiro works extensively in Estonia In 2003 he was elected Honorary Doctor of the Performing Arts Department of the Tallinn Theater Academy and the Viljandi College of Arts. In 2007, he was appointed Head of Art Projects at the Bryantsev Youth Theater (St. Petersburg, Russia). In 2011, he was elected an Honorary Doctor of the

(China). Shapiro has written plays staged in Russia and abroad and is the author of the books ''Inter-Mission'' and ''The Curtain Dropped'' (''Druzhba Narodov'' magazine award for the best publication of the year). In March 2014, along with a number of other cultural figures, he expressed his disagreement with the policy of the Russian government in Crimea

Titles and awards

* People's Artist of the Latvian SSR (1986) * Merited Master of the Arts of the Russian Federation (June 13, 2019) – for lifetime achievements and great contribution to the development of Russian culture and art * Laureate of the State Prize of Latvia (1987) * Laureate of the International Stanislavsky Prize (2005) * Laureate of the Moscow City Hall Literature and Art Prize (production of ''The Last Ones'' by Maxim Gorky, Tabakov Studio Theater) * ''Baltic House'' Festival Laureate (Best Director, ''The Threepenny Opera'' by Bertolt Brecht, Linnateater, Tallinn) * Laureate of the Union of Theater Workers of Russia Award ''Hit of the Season'' * 2008 – Grand Prix (''Children of the Sun'' by M. Gorky, Maly Theater of Russia) * 2015 – ''Mephisto'' by

Klaus Mann Klaus Heinrich Thomas Mann (18 November 1906 – 21 May 1949) was a German writer and dissident. He was the son of Thomas Mann, a nephew of Heinrich Mann and brother of Erika Mann (with whom he maintained a lifelong close relationship) and Go ...

, the Chekhov

* ''Druzhba Narodov'' magazine Literary Prize for the best publication of the year (book ''The Curtain Dropped'') * Order of Pro Terra Mariana for the contribution to the culture of Estonia (2002) * National Theater Award '' Golden Mask'' (2010) for the Best Opera Production – ''Lucia di Lammermoor'' by Gaetano Donizetti, The Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko Moscow Academic Music Theatre *

Order of Friendship The Order of Friendship (, ') is a state decoration of the Russian Federation established by Boris Yeltsin by presidential decree 442 of 2 March 1994 to reward Russian and foreign nationals whose work, deeds and efforts have been aimed at ...

(February 24, 2011) – for the contribution to the development of national culture and art, longstanding fruitful activity *

Order of the Three Stars Order of the Three Stars () is the highest civilian order awarded for meritorious service to Latvia. It was established in 1924 in remembrance of the founding of Latvia. Its motto is ''Per aspera ad astra'', meaning "Through hardships towards the ...

III degree for the contribution to the culture of the state of Latvia (2011) * * Laureate of the ''Live Theater'' audience award in the nomination Director: Grand Masters (2012)

Selected Theater Productions

Riga

* ''Twenty Years Later'' by Mikhail Svetlov (1964) * ''City at Dawn'' by Alexei Arbuzov (1970) * ''Chukokkala'' by

Korney Chukovsky Korney Ivanovich Chukovsky ( rus, Корне́й Ива́нович Чуко́вский, p=kɐrˈnʲej ɪˈvanəvʲɪtɕ tɕʊˈkofskʲɪj, a=Kornyey Ivanovich Chukovskiy.ru.vorb.oga; 31 March NS 1882 – 28 October 1969) was one of the most p ...

(1971) * ''A Man Who Looked Like Himself'' by Zinovy Paperny (1972) * ''Ivanov'' by

(1975)
Шапиро, Адольф Яковлевич (TASS) * ''Golden Horse'' by Jānis Rainis (1976) * ''Peer Gynt'' by

(1979) * ''Prince of Homburg'' by Heinrich Kleist (1980) * ''Winner'' by Alexei Arbuzov (1982) * ''Wood Demon'' by

(1982) * ''Torn Cloak'' by Sem Benelli (1984) * ''Forest'' by

(1984) * ''Tomorrow There Came War'' by Boris Vasilyev (1986) * ''Democracy!'' by

(1991) * ''Fear and Misery of the Third Reich'' by

Moscow

The

Moscow Art Theatre The Moscow Art Theatre (or MAT; , ''Moskovskiy Hudojestvenny Akademicheskiy Teatr'' (МHАТ) was a theatre company in Moscow. It was founded in by the seminal Russian theatre practitioner Konstantin Stanislavski, together with the playwright ...

* ''The Cabal of Hyppocrites (Molière)'' by

Mikhail Bulgakov Mikhail Afanasyevich Bulgakov ( ; rus, links=no, Михаил Афанасьевич Булгаков, p=mʲɪxɐˈil ɐfɐˈnasʲjɪvʲɪdʑ bʊlˈɡakəf; – 10 March 1940) was a Russian and Soviet novelist and playwright. His novel ''The M ...

(1988) (Innokenty Smoktunovsky as King Louis XIV, Oleg Efremov as Molière,

Oleg Tabakov Oleg Pavlovich Tabakov (; 17 August 1935 – 12 March 2018) was a Soviet and Russian actor and the Artistic Director of the Moscow Chekhov Art Theatre. People's Artist of the USSR (1988). Biography Tabakov was born in Saratov into a family of do ...

Bouton), revival in 2001 (

as Molière) * ''The Cherry Orchard'' by

(2004) (

Renata Litvinova Renata Muratovna Litvinova (born 12 January 1967) is a Russian actress, film director, and screenwriter. Biography Was born in Moscow to Volga Tatars, Volga Tatar father Murat Aminovich Vergazov and a Russians, Russian mother, Alisa Mikhailo ...

as Ranevskaya) * ''The Precipice'' by Ivan Goncharov (2010)(The highest national theater award '' Golden Mask'' for the best female role – Olga Yakovleva as Grandmother) * ''Mephisto'' based on the novel ''Mephistopheles'' by

(2015) Vakhtangov State Academic Theater * ''By the Sea (Kabanchik)'' by Viktor Rozov (1987) * ''Dear Liar'' by

Jerome Kilty Jerome Timothy Kilty (June 24, 1922 in Baltimore, Maryland – September 6, 2012) was an American actor and playwright. He wrote ''Dear Liar: A Comedy of Letters.'' He worked extensively on the stage, both in the United States and abroad. Career K ...

(1994) Russian Academic Youth Theater * ''La Princesse Lointaine'' ''(The Princess Far-Away)'' by

Edmond Rostand Edmond Eugène Alexis Rostand (, , ; 1 April 1868 – 2 December 1918) was a French poet and dramatist. He is associated with neo-romanticism and is known best for his 1897 play ''Cyrano de Bergerac''. Rostand's romantic plays contrasted with th ...

(1996) * ''Rock’n’Roll'' by

Tom Stoppard Sir Tom Stoppard (; born , 3 July 1937) is a Czech-born British playwright and screenwriter. He has written for film, radio, stage, and television, finding prominence with plays. His work covers the themes of human rights, censorship, and politi ...

(2011) Et Cetera Theater * ''Fahrenheit 451'' by

Ray Bradbury Ray Douglas Bradbury ( ; August 22, 1920June 5, 2012) was an American author and screenwriter. One of the most celebrated 20th-century American writers, he worked in a variety of genres, including fantasy, science fiction, Horror fiction, horr ...

(2007) * ''Right You Are (if you think so)'' by

Luigi Pirandello Luigi Pirandello (; ; 28 June 1867 – 10 December 1936) was an Italians, Italian dramatist, novelist, poet, and short story writer whose greatest contributions were his plays. He was awarded the 1934 Nobel Prize in Literature "for his bold and ...

(2018) The Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko Moscow Academic Music Theatre * ''Lucia di Lammermoor'' by Gaetano Donizetti (2009) (the highest national theater award ''Golden Mask'' for the best opera performance, the best female role – Khibla Gerzmava as Lucia, the best costumes in the musical theater – Elena Stepanova)

Bolshoi Theatre The Bolshoi Theatre ( rus, Большо́й теа́тр, r=Bol'shoy teatr, p=bɐlʲˈʂoj tʲɪˈat(ə)r, t=Grand Theater) is a historic opera house in Moscow, Russia, originally designed by architect Joseph Bové. Before the October Revolutio ...

* ''Manon Lescaut'' by Giacomo Puccini (2016) (

Anna Netrebko Anna Yuryevna Netrebko (; born 18 September 1971) is a Russian and Austrian operatic soprano who has performed at the Salzburg Festival, Metropolitan Opera, Vienna State Opera, the Royal Opera and La Scala. Netrebko is one of the few Russian p ...

as Manon. The highest national theater award ''Golden Mask'' for the best opera duo – Anna Netrebko and Yusif Eivazov) Other Theaters of Moscow * ''The Last Ones'' by Maxim Gorky (Tabakov Studio Theater, 1995) (the highest national theater award ''Golden Mask'' for the best female role – O. Yakovleva as Sofia Kolomiytseva, special jury prize – OlegTabakov as Ivan Kolomiytsev) * ''In the Bar of a Tokyo Hotel'' by

Tennessee Williams Thomas Lanier Williams III (March 26, 1911 – February 25, 1983), known by his pen name Tennessee Williams, was an American playwright and screenwriter. Along with contemporaries Eugene O'Neill and Arthur Miller, he is considered among the three ...

(Mayakovsky Theater, 1996) * ''The Lower Depths'' by Maxim Gorky (Tabakov Studio Theater, 2000) – ''Golden Mask'' award nomination * ''Children of the Sun'' by

Maxim Gorky Alexei Maximovich Peshkov (; – 18 June 1936), popularly known as Maxim Gorky (; ), was a Russian and Soviet writer and proponent of socialism. He was nominated five times for the Nobel Prize in Literature. Before his success as an aut ...

(Maly Theater of Russia, 2008) – Grand Prix – ''Hit of the Season'' Award of the Union of Theater Workers of Russia

Samara

* ''Bumbarash,'' a musical by Yuly Kim and Vladimir Dashkevich (Samara Theater for Young Spectators "SamArt", 1997), the highest national theater award ''Golden Mask'' for the best set design – Yury Kharikov * ''Mother Courage'' by

(Samara Theater for Young Spectators "SamArt", 2001, the highest national theater award ''Golden Mask'' for the best set design – Yury Kharikov)

St. Petersburg

* ''The Cherry Orchard'' by

(

Tovstonogov Bolshoi Drama Theater Tovstonogov Bolshoi Drama Theater (; literally ''Tovstonogov Great Drama Theater''), formerly known as Gorky Bolshoi Drama Theater () (1931–1992), often referred to as the Bolshoi Drama Theater and by the acronym BDT (), is a theater in Sa ...

, 1993) * ''The Forest'' by

(Tovstonogov Bolshoi Drama Theater, 1999) * ''King Lear'' by

William Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 23 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...

(Bryantsev Youth Theater, 2010) – ''Golden Spotlight'' Award for Best Actor – Sergei Dreyden as Lear * ''Dandelion Wine'' by

(Bryantsev Youth Theater, 2014)

Estonia

* ''The Cherry Orchard'' by

(Tallinn Noorsoteatris, 1971) * ''Three Sisters'' by

(Kingisepp Tallinn State Academic Drama Theater, 1973) * ''The Living Corpse'' by

Leo Tolstoy Count Lev Nikolayevich Tolstoy Tolstoy pronounced his first name as , which corresponds to the romanization ''Lyov''. () (; ,Throughout Tolstoy's whole life, his name was written as using Reforms of Russian orthography#The post-revolution re ...

(Kingisepp Tallinn State Academic Drama Theater, 1980) * ''Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?'' by

Edward Albee Edward Franklin Albee III ( ; March 12, 1928 – September 16, 2016) was an American playwright known for works such as ''The Zoo Story'' (1958), ''The Sandbox (play), The Sandbox'' (1959), ''Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?'' (1962), ''A Delicat ...

(Pärnu Koidula Drama Theater, 1977) * ''The Threepenny Opera'' by

(Tallinn Linnateater, 1998) Laureate of the Baltic House Festival, Best Director Award, 1998 * ''Fathers and Sons'' by Ivan Turgenev (Tallinn Linnateater, 2003) – Estonian Cultural Foundation Prize for the Best Production * ''Right You Are (if you think so)'' by

(Tallinn Linnateater, 2006) * ''Return to Father'' by Madis Kõiv (Tallinn Linnateater, 2015)

Productions in other countries

* Venezuela – ''The Inspector General'' by

Nikolay Gogol Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol; ; (; () was a Russian novelist, short story writer, and playwright of Ukrainian origin. Gogol used the grotesque in his writings, for example, in his works " The Nose", " Viy", "The Overcoat", and "Nevsky Prospe ...

, 1990 * Nicaragua – ''The Cherry Orchard'' by

1988 * USA – ''Three Sisters'' by Anton Chekhov, 2003 '' Chekhov. PostScriptum'' based on Anton Chekhov’s plays, 2016 '' The Great Capitulation. The Evening of

,'' 2017 * Poland – ''A Danish Story'' based on Hans Christian Andersen’s tales, 1992 * Israel – ''The Threepenny Opera'' by

, 2002 '' A Love Story'' by Isaac Bashevis Singer, 2005 * France – ''An Actor Prepares'' by

, 2006 '' Right You Are (if you think so)'' by

, 2005 * Brazil – ''Chekhov’s Space'' based on Anton Chekhov’s plays, 2010 ''Fathers and Sons'' by

Ivan Turgenev Ivan Sergeyevich Turgenev ( ; rus, links=no, Иван Сергеевич ТургеневIn Turgenev's day, his name was written ., p=ɪˈvan sʲɪrˈɡʲe(j)ɪvʲɪtɕ tʊrˈɡʲenʲɪf; – ) was a Russian novelist, short story writer, poe ...

, 2012 * China – ''Uncle Vanya'' by

, 2013 * Greece – ''Rose'' by Martin Sherman, 2011 '' Old Times'' by

Harold Pinter Harold Pinter (; 10 October 1930 – 24 December 2008) was a British playwright, screenwriter, director and actor. A List of Nobel laureates in Literature, Nobel Prize winner, Pinter was one of the most influential modern British dramat ...

, 2014 (

Zoe Laskari Zoe Laskari (, ; 12 December 1942 – 18 August 2017) was a Greek actress and beauty pageant titleholder. After being crowned Star Hellas 1959 and representing Greece at Miss Universe 1959, where she was placed in the top-15, she switched to act ...

, Greek theater and cinema celebrity, starring in both productions)

References

External links