Жилой дом с кинотеатром Plaque

In 1909, a theatrical titan, Vsevolod Meyerhold, moved into an apartment at 2 Theater Square, across from the Mariinsky Theater. The Жилой дом с кинотеатром Plaque commemorates his time here. The plaque, unveiled in 1975, states: “Vsevolod Emilyevich Meyerhold, the famous Soviet director, a People’s Artist of the Republic, lived in this building from 1909 to 1914.” This plaque marks a significant moment, the first public acknowledgment of Meyerhold in Leningrad after decades of silence following his tragic execution in 1940. Meyerhold’s residency coincided with the building’s expansion. Originally constructed in the late 18th century, the building underwent several transformations. Architect Andrei Gun redesigned it in the late 1870s. In 1909, civil engineer Semyon Andreev added wings, creating the structure we see today. When Meyerhold arrived, he was already a controversial figure. He had worked with Stanislavsky at the Moscow Art Theater and directed at Vera Kommisarzhevskaya’s theater in Petersburg. His symbolist and experimental style clashed with Kommisarzhevskaya, leading to his dismissal. This dismissal paradoxically elevated his status, and he soon became director of the Imperial Theaters. His productions, like Knut Hamsun’s “At the Gates of the Kingdom,” further polarized audiences. While directing at the Imperial Theaters, Meyerhold continued his experimental work under the pseudonym Doctor Dapertutto. He explored commedia dell’arte and collaborated with Alexander Blok, all while living at 2 Theater Square. The Жилой дом с кинотеатром Plaque reminds us of this pivotal period in his career, a time of both mainstream success and avant-garde exploration. It stands as a testament to his enduring influence on the world of theater.