Chagall and the Artists of the Russian Jewish Theater

by Susan Goodman, with essays by Zvi Gitelman, Vladislav Ivanov, Jeffrey Veidlinger, and Benjamin Harshav

• ISBN13: 9780300111552
• ISBN10: 030011155X
• Format: Trade Book
• Copyright: 2008-11-25
• Publisher: Yale University Press

Summary

Shortly after the Bolshevik Revolution, Soviet Jewish theaters became catalysts for modernist experimentation. Working with avant-garde playwrights, actors, and producers in a new political environment, artists such as Marc Chagall, Natan Altman, Robert Falk, and Aleksandr Tyshler combined Russian folk art with elements of Cubo-Futurism and Constructivism into a bold new style. This collaboration gave rise to extraordinary productions with highly original stage designs that redefined the concept of theater itself. From the Jewish mythical and folkloric plays produced at Habima to the daring, expressionistic Yiddish dramas presented at the Moscow State Yiddish Theater (GOSET), this beautifully illustrated book chronicles the flourishing of Soviet Jewish theater in the 1920s and 1930s. Spanning such topics as Jewish culture and history in the Soviet Union, the volume includes stunning reproductions of Chagall's celebrated theater murals; fascinating archival materials such as posters, prints, and playbills; designs for costumes and sets; and many other breathtaking works.

Author Biography

Susan Tumarkin Goodman is senior curator at The Jewish Museum. Her books include Marc Chagall: Early Works from Russian Collections and The Emergence of Jewish Artists in Nineteenth-Century Europe.

Table of Contents

Foreword
Acknowledgments
Note to the Reader
Soviet Jewish Theater in a World of Moral Compromise	p. 1
The Political Context of Jewish Theater and Culture in the Soviet Union	p. 15
Habima and "Biblical Theater"	p. 27
Yiddish Constructivism: The Art of the Moscow State Yiddish Theater	p. 49
Art and Theater	p. 69
Habima and Goset: An Illustrated Chronicle	p. 88
Timeline	p. 196
Glossary	p. 202
Exhibition Checklist	p. 204
Notes	p. 210
Bibliography	p. 214
Index	p. 220
The Jewish Museum Board of Trustees	p. 226
Table of Contents provided by Blackwell. All Rights Reserved.