Eugene Vakhtangov

Yevgeny Vakhtangov (1883–1922) was a Russian theater director, a student of Konstantin Stanislavsky. Vakhtangov successfully blended Stanislavsky's naturalistic acting techniques with the experimental approaches of Vsevolod Meyerhold. He led the Third Workshop of the Moscow Art Theatre, developing a style he called "fantastic realism." This approach incorporated masks, music, dance, and abstract design to create a theater that offered audiences fantasy and satire. Vakhtangov also directed for the Habima Theatre, finding success with S. Ansky's The Dybbuk. His production of Carlo Gozzi's Turandot showcased commedia dell'arte techniques and a unique theatricality, characteristic of his vibrant and optimistic work. Vakhtangov died at age 39, and the Third Workshop was renamed the Vakhtangov Theatre in his honor.1