Elena Malinovskaya: Theatrical and Musical Education in the Late 1910s–1930s

Abstract

The article discusses the views and influence of the prominent figure of the Soviet theater, Elena Konstantinovna Malinovskaya (1875–1942), on educational institutions in the field of music and theater. The latter included the Theater School of Moscow and one of its successors, the Ballet College, various studios, and the Moscow Conservatory. For many years, Malinovskaya was at the centre of Moscow’s theatrical life, holding various responsible positions: following the October Revolution, she headed Moscow’s state theaters until 1924; for a significant part of this period, she was also the director of the Bolshoi Theater, as well as heading it again from 1930–1935. Thus, Malinovskaya’s legacy included a considerable impact on prominent institutions that taught theatrical and musical arts. The article is the first attempt to study her activities based on archival materials recently introduced into scholarly circulation. It is shown that Malinovskaya’s influence on educational institutions in the field of the performing arts was quite various: if the Ballet Academy fell under her direct control, she could only influence the conservatory indirectly using her extensive network of connections.

Keywords: Bolshoi Theater, Moscow Conservatory, Moscow Academy of Choreography, Theater School of Moscow, Elena Malinovskaya