Chekhov, Russia News

"Chekhov," V.S. Pritchett's now-classic biography of the 19th century Russian story writer, physician, and playwright, is newly available in an audiobook edition beautifully narrated by Antony Ferguson.

We need more Chekhov. His quartet of classics - Uncle Vanya, The Seagull, Three Sisters, The Cherry Orchard - can't keep pace with the demand for masterpieces of frustrated longing, so it's only natural that writers including David Hare have been drawn to this early rejected work, usually known as Platonov, with an eye to reshaping the unwieldy ... (more)

Think Russian theatre and most of us will probably think Chekhov. But before Anton Chekhov came Alexander Ostrovsky, an exponent of 19th-century realism whom the Russians regard as having laid the ground for dramas such as Three Sisters and The Cherry Orchard .

It seems that I simply cannot tune into Helena Kaut-Howson's Chekhovian vision. A couple of years ago mine was a dissenting voice when she directed her own adaptation of Uncle Vanya ; now, for the same co-producers , she has tackled the sprawling piece of juvenilia usually known in English by the name of its protagonist Platonov , and although I ... (more)

What a thrill it must have been to be present during artistic collaborations between performing arts legends like George Balanchine and Igor Stravinsky .

"The Enchanted Wanderer and Other Stories" is the quintessential representation of 19th century Russia, beyond the oligarchs of this current day and age, and with a grander focus on real life and ordinary wondrous people called "muzhiks." A great relief as the terrible representation of Russians are continuously stoked around the world with Louis ... (more)

Here's a super-short review of the Guthrie Theater's production of "The Primrose Path:" Almost.

Dow Jones Reprints: This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. To order presentation-ready copies for distribution to your colleagues, clients or customers, use the Order Reprints tool at the bottom of any article or visit www.djreprints.com One of the enduring mysteries of literary history is the appearance in 19th-century Russia, ... (more)

Yearning to return to a beloved hometown, working through family antics and self-discovery-such themes characterize nearly every college student at one time or another.

Moldova's prime minister, Vlad Filat, says his country should try to maintain its integration towards the EU.