The decision to appoint the director, Honored Artist of Russia Konstantin Bogomolov to the position of acting rector of the Moscow Art Theater Studio school seems accidental. Such an opinion to the portal News.ru the former long-term teacher of the studio school, professor, theater and film actor, People’s Artist of Russia Avangard Leontiev expressed his opinion.
“I will ask Olga Lyubimova to reconsider this decision. It seems random to me. Bogomolov seems to be random. Because he is a director and has nothing to do with the traditions of the pedagogy of the art theater. The school should be traditional. And this appointment is wrong,” the artist believes.
According to Leontiev, the school-studio should be led not by a director, but by a teacher who understands and supports the principles of the art theater formed by Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko.
The artist believes that there are worthy people in the university itself who could take the place of the rector of a leading theatrical institution.
Avangard Leontiev graduated from the Moscow Art Theater Studio school (Pavel Massalsky’s course) in 1968. In 1976, she began teaching at a studio school. From 1989 to 2001 he was the head of three editions of the acting course at the university.
As reported by EADaily, on January 23, Russian Minister of Culture Olga Lyubimova announced that Bogomolov had been appointed rector of the Moscow Art Theater Studio school in the status of acting.
The Honored Artist of Russia Igor Zolotovitsky, who previously headed the university for almost 23 years, died on January 14.
On the afternoon of January 26, many Russian theater and film actors, including Mariana Spivak, Anton Shagin, Yevgeny Shishkin, Yulia Vitruk, Daniil Feofanov, Ulyana Mikhailova and many others published an open letter to the head of the Ministry of Culture of Russia in their social networks.
According to the artists, the appointment of Bogomolov violates the “tradition of continuity” that has existed in the studio school throughout its history. The text of the appeal indicates that the tradition is the open election of the successor of the pupil of the school by the entire Moscow Art Theater community.
The actors asked the minister to consider candidates for the position of rector of the Moscow Art Theater, “whose destinies and creative path are directly related to our School and do not contradict the ethical principles of the founders of the school of Art Theater.”
The artists’ appeal was supported by theater and film actress, journalist, TV presenter and teacher Yulia Menshova, noting that both she and her parents are graduates of the studio school.
She also explained that the appointment of Bogomolov “violated all the original traditions.”
“And the very appointment on the 9th day after the passing of Igor Zolotovitsky, for whom the Studio School is still sincerely grieving, seems to be a somewhat blasphemous gesture,” she believes.
At the same time, Bogomolov was supported by actress Sofia Ernst, publishing a corresponding post on the social network. Bogomolov himself reacted to the scandal by reposting Ernst’s message, but did not accompany it with any comment.