CRIME AND PUNISHMENT | Madách Nemzetközi Színházi Találkozó

Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky

CRIME AND PUNISHMENT 14

Alexandrinskij Theatre, St. Petersburg, Russia

Director: Attila Vidnyánszky

Performed in Russian, with simultaneous interpretation in Hungarian

5 hours 30 minutes with 1 breaks.

One of the most important and oldest theatres in Russia, Alexandrinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg, presents a monumental, overwhelming performance based on Dostoyevsky’s world-famous novel. With its multiple story lines and polyphonic sound, the play addresses the fundamental questions of existence, providing a contemporary interpretation of the great Russian writer’s novel, which focuses on the loss of faith and the possibility of redemption for the human soul. According to the director, Attila Vidnyánszky, the performance “enquires into the basic problems of European civilization, primarily the question of the freedom of conscience and faith. A large part of the world has become atheist, but that has not made anyone much happier. Dostoyevsky’s brilliant, prophetic novel is probably more topical today than ever before.” The company, made up of leading actors of the established Russian theatre, has created a contemporary mystery-play in which the music, the spectacle, and the script create an expressive unity, thereby representing the completeness and diversity of the original work, but also rethinking the role of several key characters. The production was the opening act of the 10^th International Theatre Festival Alexandrinsky and one the most outstanding productions in the Russian theatrical world in 2016-2017.

Cast:

Rogyion Raszkolnyikov: Alekszandr Polamisev
Pulherija Alekszandrovna: Marija Kuznyecova
Dunya: Vaszilisza Alekszejeva
Porfirij Petrovics: Vitalij Kovalenko
Szvidrigajlov: Dmitrij Liszenkov
Szonya Marmeladova: Anna Blinova
Szemjon Marmeladov: Szergej Parsin
Katyerina Ivanovna: Viktorija Vorobjova
Razumihin: Viktor Suraljov
Luzsin: Valentyin Zaharov
Lebezjatnyikov: Ivan Jefremov
Aljona Ivanovna: Jelena Nemzer
Lizaveta: Jelena Zimina
Amalia Ljudvigovna: Julija Szokolova
Mikolka: Nyikolaj Belin
Kátya: Margarita Abroszkina

Stage and costume design: Marija Tregubova, Alekszej Tregubov

Director

Attila Vidnyánszky

Main Stage

Attila Vidnyánszky

Hungarian theatre and opera director, teacher.

He was born in Berehove (Ukraine) in 1964.

He graduated in Hungarian literature and linguistics from Uzhhorod State University (1985). He taught literature and history for two years. In 1992, he graduated in theatre directing from the Karpenko-Kary State Academy of Theatre and Cinema in Kyiv.

In 1993, he founded his own company, the Gyula Illyés Hungarian National Theatre in Berehove, of which he is still the Principal Director.

In 2004, he was appointed Principal Director of the Hungarian State Opera House. In 2006 - 2013, he was Director of the Csokonai National Theatre in Debrecen.

Since 2013, he has been the Director General of the National Theatre. In 2014, he founded the National Theatre's MITEM festival (Madách International Theatre Meeting).

Since 2023, he has been a member of the International Theatre Olympics Committee and Artistic Director of the 2023 Budapest Theatre Olympics.

He has also directed at the National Academic Theatre in Kyiv (Leszya Ukrayinka Theatre), the Alexandrinsky Theatre in St Petersburg) and the Hungarian State Opera House.

His performances have toured Europe from Stockholm to Moscow and Tbilisi, from Strasbourg to Nancy and Kyiv.

He has received many awards, including Ukraine's Artist of Merit (2002), the Meyerhold Prize (2009, Moscow) and the Kossuth Prize (2011).

His films include Liberté 56, The Boy Who Turned into a Deer.

He has taught acting at the Karpenko-Kary State Academy of Theatre and Cinema in Kyiv and at the University of Kaposvár. Since 2020, he has been the master of a directing class at the University of Theatre and Film in Budapest.

He has been a member of the Hungarian Academy of Arts since 2005. In 2008, he co-founded the Hungarian Theatre Society and has been its President since. Between 2010 and 2013, he also served as Chairman of the Theatre Arts Committee under the Minister of Human Resources. Since 2020, he has been Chairman of the Board of the foundation operating the University of Theatre and Film in Budapest.

Gallery