Ru
EnA. Selitsky
Grigori Valliano: materials for a biography. Theatre artist, libretto translator. Article six
Throughout his career, Grigory Valliano (1830–1888), known as a pioneer of operetta in Russia, was not confined to the roles of impresario and performer, but also realized himself in other theatrical professions. Proficient in painting, he designed stage sets, produced models and maquettes, developed costume designs, and was also involved in creation and selection of props. The working conditions demanded not only artistic talent but also ingenuity in order to achieve vivid stage effects using the most ordinary materials.
Valliano began translating the librettos of French and Austrian operettas out of urgent practical necessity. The tempo and rhythm of theatrical life required constant renewal of the repertoire and, consequently, a steady supply of Russian-language librettos. Valliano was the first to establish contacts with the “operetta capitals“ of Paris and Vienna, where he personally acquired piano scores and librettos, and then, knowing both French and German, he produced adapted translations of the literary texts. From him, an endless stream of operettas tailored to the Russian stage flowed to St. Petersburg, Moscow, and provincial cities. Altogether, he completed no fewer than fifty editions of librettos, which were used in dozens of theaters across the country. Their demand continued to grow even after his death. In particular, Ch. Lecocq’s “The Green Island“ in his translation was staged in ninety-six cities throughout the 1900s. As a translator, Valliano was one of the first to join the Society of Russian Dramatic Writers headed by Alexander Ostrovsky, which was established to protect authors’’ rights.
As the study shows, the art of the stage captivated him as a complex, multi-component unity in which each element is important in its own way, and all of them collectively serve the artistic whole. The versatility of Valliano’s talent was a unique phenomenon in Russian theater of the second half of the 19th century.
Key words
operetta in pre-revolutionary Russia, theatrical scenery, costumes, props, adapted libretto translations.
For citation
Selitsky A. Grigori Valliano: materials for a biography. Theatre artist, libretto translator. Article six. In: South-Russian Musical Anthology. 2026. No. 1. Pp. 5–16.
