ABSTRACT
The foundation of the MAT can be seen as the culmination of the reforming tendencies present in the Russian theatre from the beginning of the nineteenth century. Its principles had been enunciated sixty years earlier by Mikhail Shchepkin. There was the same emphasis on the stage as a rostrum from which to educate the public; the insistence on discipline, devotion and intelligence in the actor's work; dedication to high ideals of art and literature, especially Russian art and literature; and unity of ensemble, directing and design in the mise-en-scène. The concerns evident at the Congress of Stage Workers were also contributing factors. Theatrical reform was in the air. At the Imperial Maly Theatre in Moscow, Aleksandr Lensky created the New (Novy) Theatre in 1898 to allow the younger members of the troupe a chance to gain experience in major roles and to produce plays unlikely to be taken into the standard repertoire. In St Petersburg, the World of Art movement was founded by the critic Sergey Diaghilev and the artist Aleksandr Benois.
