ABSTRACT
Intense experimentation in early twentieth-century Russian stage design was inspired by the modernist vision of a unified and expressive theatrical space that would integrate design elements with the actor's performance. By examining diverse scenographic practices in early twentieth-century Russia, this chapter traces the emergence of the modern scenographic tradition. The development of this tradition – closely connected to the relationship of art and politics in Russia, especially in the early Soviet period – prompts challenging questions about the ways in which theatrical designs reflected cultural and political changes, and whether they helped reshape social assumptions or bowed to the ideological pressures of the time. The development of Russian symbolist scenography is often attributed to the bold experimentation of modernist directors such as Meyerhold and Nikolai Evreinov in partnership with visual artists during the first decade of the twentieth century.
