ABSTRACT
I have argued that when folk revivalists present ancient Russian folk traditions on stage, they represent a culture that is in some ways not their own. To whom, then, does this ancient agrarian tradition belong? Is what is shown on stage the culture of Russian villages? If so, how have village dwellers reacted to revivalists’ attempts to preserve it? Has there been a revivalist movement in the villages themselves as well as in Russian cities in the past few decades? If, in fact, village culture differs significantly from what is shown on stage by folk revivalists, then are revivalists’ hopes for a ‘regeneration’ of the village just a fantasy?
