Aleksandar "Aleksa" Bačvanski (Timișoara, Austrian Empire, 1832 — Belgrade, Kingdom of Serbia, 26 March 1881) was a Serbian actor and theater director. He was an interesting personality in the history of the modern Serbian theatre with an international career but tragic personal and artistic fate. He brought realism to the art of the theatre.[1][2]
Biography edit
Aleksa Bačvanski graduated from the gymnasium in Sremski Karlovci and continued his education in Szeged in 1846.
After the defeat of the Hungarian Revolution of 1848 in which he participated as a high school student, he established an amateur theater in Szeged. After graduating from the city's Lyceum he entered the civil service in Pest and Kecskemét.[3] His love for theater led him to quit his job and join a Hungarian touring theatre, in which he developed into a character actor. He played at Pest using the theatrical name of Varhidi. In Pest, the painter Stevan Todorović hired him as a member of the National Theater in Belgrade. In addition to acting, he distinguished himself as a master of directing, which he raised to an enviable height, preparing for the work of Adam Mandrović of Dubravka fame, Miloš Cvetić, Vela Nigrin, Milka Grgurova, Pera Dobrinović,[4] Milorad Gavrilovic, and Toša Jovanović.[5] He was a master at directing epic scenes.
He stopped directing in 1874, suffering from eye disease after an unfortunate fall and concussion. Together with the writer and founder of the National Theater, Jovan Đorđević, he founded and managed the first modern School of Acting in 1870.[6]
As an actor, he was representative of the character's personality and stands out with realistic suggestive play. His main roles were: Shylock (Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice),[7]Harpagon (Molière's The Miser), Đurađ Branković (Obernik Đurađ Branković), Louis XI (Casimir Delavigne's Louis XI) and others in which he plays after a serious illness when he became blind.
He bid farewell to the Belgrade audience on 25 March 1881 with the role of Abbé Faria (Alexandre Dumas's The Count of Monte Cristo). Shortly after the play, Bačvanski died. "In the history of Serbian theater, he represents one of the most tragic figures".[8]
See also edit
References edit
- ^ Ivić, Pavle (February 15, 1995). The history of Serbian culture. Porthill Publishers. ISBN 9781870732314 – via Google Books.
- ^ "Yugoslav Survey". Jugoslavija Publishing House. February 15, 1994 – via Google Books.
- ^ Lešić, Josip (February 15, 1986). "Istorija jugoslavenske moderne režije (1861-1941)". Sterijino pozorje – via Google Books.
- ^ "Shakespeare Quarterly". Folger Shakespeare Library. February 15, 1954 – via Google Books.
- ^ Petrović, Bisenija; Beograda, Muzej grada; Kovačević, Bojan (February 15, 2005). "The Belgrade city museum: 1903-2003". The Belgrade City Museum – via Google Books.
- ^ "Annuaire de la ville de Beograd". Izd. Muzej grada Beograda. February 15, 1957 – via Google Books.
- ^ "Shakespeare Quarterly". Folger Shakespeare Library. February 15, 1954 – via Google Books.
- ^ Проф Живојин Петровић у Енциклопедији Југославије ЈЛЗ 1980. том 1 стр. 413.