The Golden Mask Award is designed to popularize and develop contemporary theater art in Russia. She performs her tasks, noting the best work in this area. This, in turn, encourages young, talented authors and artists to new creations.
What is hidden behind the mask
The Golden Mask is a festival of all-Russian significance. He began his story in 1993. The founder was the Union of Theater Workers of the Russian Federation. This is a national public organization, the main calling of which is to unite representatives of the theater. The goal is the development of the domestic artistic arena.
The award is considered professional and awarded for the best production of the season. The festival award includes all genres of stage art. Such types can be nominated: puppet theater, ballet, opera, drama, musical operetta. Recently, the "Experiment" competition has been practiced. Any genre can receive such an award, but the main requirement is innovation.
The festival starts every spring in the capital. The best theatrical works from different cities of the Federation according to the results of last season are presented in Moscow. Project participants can only be productions from domestic theaters. Applications from foreign performances are accepted only if they cooperate with Russian troupes. The main advantage is that the performances are open to the general public, because works travel around the country.
Theater Festival in Pskov
Today, one of the main priorities of the authorities is the dissemination and popularization of culture among the population of the state. That is why all kinds of theatrical projects have gained wide support, among which the Golden Mask stands at a high level. The festival acquaints the audience with the modern stage skills of Russia. They contribute in every way to the dissemination of information and the media. On the pages of newspapers, in news topics, in radio advertisements, this event is advertised.
The rhythmic festival tours the cities of the Federation. In 2014, I had the honor to host the "concert" of the city of Pskov. The countdown began on October 30 at the A.S. Pushkin Academic Drama Theater. Four productions awaited the visitors: Maternal Field, Uncle Vanya, Bernard Alba’s House, and Russian Rendezvous.
First staging
The city of Pskov is located in the north-west of Russia. The first mention of it dates back to the year 903. On its territory there are dozens of museums, the largest libraries and the most modern science clubs. But the real pride of Pskov is dramaturgy.
Pskov Academic Drama Theater. A.S. Pushkin was built in honor of the centenary of the birth of the great poet. On its stage, the brightest stars of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries performed.
The Golden Mask festival in Pskov began with the staging of the Pushkin Moscow Theater in the nomination “The Best Performance of Russia”. The troupe showed the “Mother Field” based on the story of Chingiz Aitmatov. The director of the work is Sergey Zemlyansky. Already earlier this creation was seen by the Moscow, Belorussian, Baltic and St. Petersburg public. This is a completely new trend in art. The actors silently played all the scenes. They spoke to the audience with gestures, emotions, dances and allegories. It was very eloquent.
The culmination of action in Pskov
The tradition of showing the best works in different regions of Russia was continued by the Maly Drama Theater. He went on stage with the brilliant production of "Uncle Vanya." The head is Lev Dodin. The Chekhov heroes were perfectly depicted by the artists. In order to show the essence of the work, they did not even need magnificent scenery. Asceticism was leveled by a skillful game.
The Golden Mask festival 2014 continued with the play Bernard Alba’s House. This is the work of the Spanish playwright Federico
Garcia Lorca. Played the play Yaroslavl
Theater named after Volkov. The drama and tragedy of this story was redesigned by director Eugene Marcelli. Residents of Pskov standing ovation.
Final and applause
The extravaganza was the last show in Pskov. He closed the art fair "Russian Man on a Rendezvous". She was represented by the famous metropolitan theater "Workshop of Peter Fomenko." This is a new perception and interpretation of Turgenev. All the time, the actors were enraged, trying on different, opposite images and feelings. Enough in "Russian Man for a Rendezvous" and irony. The director left only the best and rewrote the central plot in a modern way. This was the last show under the heading "The Best Performance of Russia". The Pushkin Theater closed the Golden Mask festival in the city. Pskov was satisfied after the theatrical festival, which brought the best acting groups of the country.
Pskov in the Golden Mask
Each team can receive a prestigious festival award. The competition is equally lenient and strict to all participants. Dozens of nominations annually find their winners. It is not surprising that the most frequent winners of the Golden Mask Award are the two capitals of Russia. These are professionals in theatrical art - Moscow and St. Petersburg.
But Yekaterinburg, Omsk and Perm deserved high praise. Unfortunately, Pskov did not appear on the list very often. The only time he was nominated in 2001. The Puppet Theater was presented at the competition. Nevertheless, the city's residents, actors and even the organizers of the festival have high hopes for the beautiful and hardworking theaters of Pskov.
Project judges
Determining who will participate in the fight for the prize is the work of expert councils consisting of the most famous theater critics. There are two such committees. Their task is to create a list of applicants for the nomination. The winners are chosen by two reputable juries. These are theatrical figures. It is worth noting that the “Golden Mask” is an honest festival, so the judges of the council and the jury are different people. Winners are determined by secret ballot and announced in the final.
In addition to traditional awards, there are a dozen non-standard awards that are designed to stimulate the growth of the prestige of theatrical art among modern Russians.
The main prize is not cash. The best get a diploma that confirms their victory. The main symbol of the festival, the mask, is also presented.
Those without whom the holiday would not have taken place
If the main elements of the program are performances, then another important link without which the event would not have passed are the organizers. The Golden Mask is a festival that is supported by the Union of Theater Workers of the Russian Federation. The Ministry of Culture also helps a lot. The Moscow government, which always hospitably hosts this event, plays a no less important role in setting up work.
But the foundation is management. Georgy Georgievich Taratorkin was appointed as the leader and president. This is a recognized national artist of Russia, a Soviet and Russian film and theater actor, who since 1996 has been the secretary of the Union of Theater Workers of Russia.
The actor is known both for his roles in the theater and for his work in the cinema. Viewers know Taratorkin from the film Crime and Punishment based on the novel by F. M. Dostoevsky, where he played Rodion Raskolnikov. On the stage of the theater, he played the main roles in the performances "Do not Wake Madame", "Silver Age", etc.
This wonderful actor is the constant chairman of the Golden Mask festival. The theater festival is proud of such a talented person.