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[TIFLIS IMPRINT] Teatral’nyye vospominaniya. Mar’ya Gavrilovna Savina. [i.e. Theatrical Memories. Marya Gavrilovna Savina]

Gertso-Vinogradsky, P.T.

Item #2517

Tiflis, 1929. 76 p. 17×12,5 cm. 1 of 2000 copies. Publisher’s printed wrappers. Small tear of the spine from the bottom. Otherwise in near fine condition.

First and only edition.
Pyotr Titovich Gertso-Vinogradsky [suedenim Lohengrin] (1867–1929) – journalist, playwright, prose writer. Before the revolution he was considered the most popular journalist in Odessa after Vlas Doroshevich, contributing to many theatrical chronicles of the city. On of his start publication was called ‘Secrets of the Newest Formation of St. Petersburg Clubs’ portraying the capitals’ casinos. During those years Gertso-Vinogradsky met Chekhov and Tolstoy. In 1911–1912 he moved to Rostov-on-Don, edited the newspaper “Priazovsky Krai”. After the October Revolution he lived in Tiflis and worked as an editor and columnist at Rabochaya Pravda.
The book is dedicated to one of the stars of Russian prerevolutionary theatre Marya Savina (1854–1915). Savina, who was from Odessa herself, was seen frequently by Gertso-Vinogradsky on the stage as she was one of her favorite actresses. He didn’t know her personally (but he makes the point, that she was the only one he didn’t meet on purpose although the chances he had, not to spoil the impression of her performances. As a result this book is an analysis of her work on stage (although being a journalist Gertso-Vinogradsky can’t stop himself from including different anecdotes about her as well as rumors. He also gives the accounts of other admirers of her talent, also the ones who has seen her earlier roles (Gertso-Vinogradsky admits that unfortunately he didn’t catch her earlier performances due to the age difference, so this material was very valuable to him as well.
The book ends with the chapter that compares Savina and Kommisarzhevskaia with several interesting quotes from the later as well as few details about her theatrical career.

Overall an interesting, local editions, printed privately by one of the finest journalistic voices of the former Empire.

Price: $450.00