Mstislav Dobuzhinsky’s Works at the State Theatre, Kaunas, Lithuania
Set and costume design in the 1930s
The person with the biggest amount of theatrical experience was Mstislav Dobuzhinsky (1875–1957) – the most productive scenographer of the State Theatre, Kaunas, Lithuania, possessing grand authority that most artists of the time looked up to. He studied fine art in Saint Petersburg and Munich, belonged to the association of artists “Art World” and moved closer to the world of theatre in 1907, when he created sets and costumes for Vera Komissarzhevskaya’s “Old Theatre” in Saint Petersburg.
As a set designer he later made projects for Moscow’s Art Theatre, collaborated with Sergei Diaghilev’s “Russian Seasons” in Paris.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart "DON GIOVANNI". A scenery sketch. Act I, Scene 5 (1933) by Mstislav DobuzhinskyLithuanian Theatre, Music and Cinema Museum
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart "DON GIOVANNI". A scenery sketch. Act I, Scene 5 (1933) by Mstislav Dobuzhinsky
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart "DON GIOVANNI". A scenery sketch. Act I, Scene 1 (1933) by Mstislav DobuzhinskyLithuanian Theatre, Music and Cinema Museum
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart "DON GIOVANNI". A scenery sketch. Act I, Scene 1 (1933) by Mstislav Dobuzhinsky
After his departure from Russia, M. Dobuzhinsky bonded with Lithuania: in 1925 he spent some time living in Kaunas (created sets and costumes for Piotr Tchaikovsky’s “The Queen of Spades”). He later lived in Paris for a few years, where he collaborated with cabaret-theatre “The Bat”.
Umberto Giordano "ANDREA CHÉNIER". A scenery sketch. Act II (1930) by Mstislav DobuzhinskyLithuanian Theatre, Music and Cinema Museum
In 1929 the artist returned to Kaunas and started actively participating in the cultural life of the city: he began teaching at the School of Art, opened his own private studio (set designers Viktoras Andriušis and Vytautas Palaima are considered to be his pupils).
He had a very successful collaboration with the State Theatre, Kaunas, Lithuania, creating sets and costumes for 38 productions.
Charles Gounod "FAUST". A scenery sketch. Scene 6 (1931) by Mstislav DobuzhinskyLithuanian Theatre, Music and Cinema Museum
M. Dobuzhinsky’s sets usually display accurate stylistic analysis of the epoch and the work itself, be it drama, opera or ballet.
Vera Smirnova "THE FAIRY TALES OF ANDERSEN". A scenery sketch (1939) by Mstislav DobuzhinskyLithuanian Theatre, Music and Cinema Museum
He also masterfully merges historical details and characteristic visual traits of the epoch without diminishing them, also creating an aesthetically pleasing, decorative image.
M. Dobuzhinsky’s works were highly appreciated by his contemporaries and influenced other scenographers of the period.
Jurgis Karnavičius "RADVILA PERKŪNAS". A scenery sketch. Scene 1 (1937) by Mstislav DobuzhinskyLithuanian Theatre, Music and Cinema Museum
Jurgis Karnavičius "RADVILA PERKŪNAS". A scenery sketch. Scene 4 (1937) by Mstislav DobuzhinskyLithuanian Theatre, Music and Cinema Museum
Franz Schubert "LOVE SONG". A scenery sketch. Act III (1938) by Mstislav DobuzhinskyLithuanian Theatre, Music and Cinema Museum
Riccardo Drigo "HARLEQUINADE". A scenery sketch. Act I (1935) by Mstislav DobuzhinskyLithuanian Theatre, Music and Cinema Museum
Pyotr Tchaikovsky "THE QUEEN OF SPADES". A scenery sketch. Act III, Scene 2 (1934) by Mstislav DobuzhinskyLithuanian Theatre, Music and Cinema Museum
Gustav Charpentier "LOUISE". A scenery sketch. Scene 2 (1932) by Mstislav DobuzhinskyLithuanian Theatre, Music and Cinema Museum
Jules Massenet "MANON". A scenery sketch. Act III (1939) by Mstislav DobuzhinskyLithuanian Theatre, Music and Cinema Museum
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