Description of the attraction
The Romen Theater is the world's only professional gypsy theater. It was organized in Moscow in 1931. The idea of creating a theater matured in 1930 among the Moscow intelligentsia. It was supported by A. Lunacharsky. Gypsies settled in Russia at the end of the 17th century. It is impossible to imagine Russian culture without a gypsy song: poetry and music, literature and drama theater.
A month after the organization, two performances were shown: "Atasya and Dadyves" ("Yesterday and Today") by E. Sholokh and "Ethnographic Show". The composer of the performances was S. Bugachevsky. It was he who laid the foundation for the musical culture of the Romen Theater. For 37 years he directed the musical part of the theater. He wrote music for thirty theater performances. Bugachevsky listened to and memorized gypsy tunes. He compiled a collection of "Gypsy Folk Songs and Dances". It fully reflects the features of the musical and poetic works of the Gypsies of Russia belonging to various ethnic groups.
The first performance of the theater was the musical drama Life on Wheels. She talked about the difficult transition of the Roma to a sedentary lifestyle. About the young generation, breaking with the nomadic past. After this performance, the theater became known as the "Gypsy Theater" Romen ". The theater saw its role in preserving the culture and traditions of the Gypsies, introducing people of different nationalities to this culture.
The theater troupe includes leading masters and young people. Many of them became the founders of the theatrical gypsy dynasties. The theater staged plays by gypsy playwrights. I. Rum - Lebedeva - "Tabor in the steppe", "Wedding in the camp", "Daughter of tents", "Zucchini Micrel", "Dancers", "Gypsies were driving", "Fiery horses". I. Khrustaleva - "Four suitors", "Broken circle", "Hot blood". The first performances were in the Gypsy language.
In 1937 the theater "Romen" was headed by the actor of the Moscow Art Theater M. Yashin. He expanded the theater's repertoire with plays by Russian and foreign classics. The performances began to be held in Russian. This has significantly expanded the audience of the theater audience. Yashin managed to combine folklore with big, serious drama.
In 1951 Nikolai Slichenko came to the Romen Theater. For 50 years of creative activity in the theater, Slichenko has gone from an artist of the second cast to the chief director and artistic director of the "Romen" theater. A brilliant singer and actor, a talented director, Nikolai Slichenko confidently leads his theater to success. The theater develops the rich traditions of gypsy art. The theater's performances have won recognition not only in Russia, but also abroad.
