Ru
EnA. Selitsky
Grigori Valliano: materials for a biography. Taganrog project (the 1873/1874 season). Article seven
In the multifaceted creative work of the entrepreneur and actor G. Valliano, the 1873/1874 season stands out, when he simultaneously directed two theatres – in Rostov-on-Don and Taganrog. The season proved intense and extremely challenging in terms of the tasks it had to solve (regular moves from one city to the other, the need to support “autonomous” companies of various types – a “mixed” Russian and an Italian opera), and therefore deserves special consideration.
Taganrog and Rostov were not just close neighbors, but rivals. The rivalry had long existed, with Taganrog stubbornly defending its long-standing reputation as the cultural capital of the Azov region. The local cultural elite actively opposed Valliano’s endeavors. Furthermore, the socioeconomic situation of the early 1870s seemed unfavorable, which hardly contributed to the interest of Taganrog townspeople in the theatre. Finally, the Italian troupe required enormous expenditure, and the inevitable losses could only be covered by the entrepreneur’s funds.
The operetta company’s performances were more successful. Two cascading “stars” – N. Polonskaya and O. Koltsova – attracted widespread attention. Ten operettas presented on the Taganrog stage were by renowned French composers – J. Offenbach, C. Lecoq, and E. Jonas. One of these performances, Offenbach’s “La Belle Hélène”, was attended by the 13-year-old A. Chekhov in the fall of 1873, and the impression he made then proved to be one of the most significant in formation of the future greatest Russian prosaist and playwright. Contemplating this extremely risky “venture”, Valliano could not help but consider all the pros and cons. The negative motives were quite obvious and more compelling. But the entrepreneur was guided not by cold calculation, but by a desire to reach new professional heights and a selfless devotion to the theatre.
Key words
theatre enterprises in Russia of the 1870s, musical-theatrical activities in Taganrog, Italian opera, provincial operetta theatre in the 2nd half of the 19th century, Russian theatrical press.
For citation
Selitsky A. Grigori Valliano: materials for a biography. Taganrog project (the 1873/1874 season). Article seven. In: South-Russian Musical Anthology. 2026. No. 3. Pp. 5–19.
