Russia’s And Quiet Flows the Don to make China stage debut

Updated: Apr 26, 2019 chinadaily.com.cn Print

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The stage version of the great Russian classic And Quiet Flows the Don, adapted from the novel by Mikhail Sholokhov — winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1965 -- will be performed in the Harbin Grand Theater on April 28 and May 1.

The original novel, considered one of the great works of the 20th century and of Russian literature, and whose four volumes were written between 1925 to 1940, made its theater debut in May, 2013 – but the Harbin staging will be the first time the masterpiece is performed in China.

The whole play is eight-hours long and divided into four chapters.

It tells a story of the life of Cossacs who lived around the river Don, in a village in southern Russia, between 1912 and 1922. The main character Grigori Melekhov is a rugged Cossac, torn between his first and true love Aksiniya, and his wife Natalya.

Melekhov's personal life is depicted in a harrowing journey through his experiences in World War One, the Russian Revolution, and the ensuing Civil War. The Cossacs are shown as traditional farmers and warriors, who suffered during the most dramatic events that took place in the history of Russia.

Directed by Gregory Kozlov, professor of the St. Petersburg State Academy of Theatre Arts, the stage adaption is recognized as a treasure of the St. Petersburg Masterkaya Theatre; and it has won numerous awards, including the Golden Mask Award in 2014 — the highest Russian national performing arts award.

To help audiences learn more about the eight-hour drama, the Harbin Grand Theater will hold three activities after the performances, including a media meeting, a seminar and the director will share the creative process of the drama with theater goers.