The Durov dynasty. circus artists

2024 Author: Henry Conors | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-12 02:53

The Durovs are a famous surname in the history of Russia. Its representatives are famous actors and circus performers. Animal trainers enter the arenas of world circuses, and the name of Lev Durov, a popular artist, often appears on movie screens and theater posters.

Nadezhda Durova

Among the ancestors of the glorious dynasty is Nadezhda Durova, the heroine of the war of 1812, the legendary cavalry girl. She was Kutuzov's adjutant during the Patriotic War, she received a shell shock in the Battle of Borodino. In 1816, Nadezhda retired and settled in St. Petersburg. Then she moved to her father, and after his death - to her brother. Languishing from boredom, Nadezhda took up the analysis of the notes and decided to write an autobiography. Vasily Andreevich, her brother, was acquainted with A. S. Pushkin. He advised to show the manuscript to the poet. Pushkin highly appreciated the essay and even undertook to publish it. The success was enormous. Nadezhda Durova, who immediately became popular, wrote 4 more volumes of stories and novels, but interest in her gradually began to subside. In recent years, she has been actively involved in charity work and even turned her house into a small menagerie. Nadezhda picked up all the abandoned and sick animals that she met on herway.

Performances by Vladimir and Anatoly Durov

Her descendants adopted the love of animals. We are talking about Vladimir and Anatoly Durov. They ran away from home as boys and created political clowning - a new direction in circus art.

At the end of the 19th - the beginning of the 20th century. came the flowering of the Durovs' creativity. The arrival of Vladimir and Anatoly in the circus of any city at that time became a real event and caused panic in the mayors and police chiefs. They were afraid of puns, witticisms and even posters of the Durov brothers.

Anatoly Durov - the founder of the dynasty

Anatoly, the founder of the Durov dynasty, practically did not demonstrate exotic and rare animals on the arena. There were almost no numbers in his program using complex training.

Elena Robertovna, Anatoly's wife, performed in various genres at the arena. She showed numbers of riding, training, mnemonics. After Anatoly Leonidovich Durov died, she became the keeper of the house-museum named after him located in Voronezh. Anatoly Leonidovich did not want the children to follow in his footsteps, because he knew from his own experience how humiliating the work of circus artists is. However, Anatoly, his son, began performing in the arena against the will of his father. The Durov dynasty continued in his name.

Anatoly Anatolyevich

The beginning of his career - a demonstration of a small number. The artist had only 4-5 dogs. Anatoly Anatolyevich Durov took the pseudonym "Tolya - the soncelebrities", under which in 1914 he first appeared in the circus of the Nikitin brothers, who at that time was on tour in Ryazan. For satirical attacks aimed at the military policy of the state, in the same year he was exiled to the Vyatka province, in the city of Kotelnich.

A. A. Durov immediately welcomed the revolution that had begun. He was during a tour in the Crimea. The White Guard authorities did not give him permission to return to the Soviet Republic. Anatoly Anatolyevich went on tour abroad and only in 1925 did he return to his homeland. However, in 1926 the artist went on tour again. Anatoly died suddenly - he was hit by a random bullet while hunting near Izhevsk in 1928.

Career of Vladimir Anatolyevich

Grandson Vladimir followed in the footsteps of his grandfather. The years of his life are 1909-1972. The Durov dynasty received in him a new worthy successor. In the attraction of Vladimir there were many accusatory reprises, as well as satirical scenes. At the same time, the clown often expressed his critical attitude towards someone or something. Durov Vladimir Grigorievich received the honorary title - "People's Artist of the USSR".

Tereza Vasilievna

The daughter of Maria Anatolyevna (who performed on stage from the age of 6) and Milva Vasily Vasilyevich, a circus artist, Teresa, also decided to follow in her grandfather's footsteps. She started performing at the age of eight. At first, Teresa helped her brothers and her father: she performed acrobatic numbers, rode a horse. Over timeshe decided to perform with her animal group. Teresa showed comic numbers. Trained chanterelles, chickens, dogs and cats participated in her performances. Everyone believed that Teresa would not succeed, that she would disgrace the eminent family. The Durovs sincerely believed that training was a purely masculine affair. Teresa performed on market squares in booths, in clubs, on stage stages, in factory floors. Durova Teresa Vasilievna often went on tour to remote places. In order to feed herself and the animals, she had to work almost around the clock.

One day her fox was bitten by a stray dog. She died a few days later. The gloomy people arrived in a truck. They said that the fox had died of rabies, and then they loaded all of Teresa's other animals into the car and drove away. So the girl lost her job. The news of her misfortune spread all over the circuses. Remittances were sent from colleagues from all over the country.

Since then, Teresa, arriving in the city, first of all was interested in whether there were pensioners and disabled people in the circus. She paid one of the hospital bills, the other helped to insert the glass. "Soyuzgostsirk" eventually began to help Teresa little by little. They began to acquire something: a monkey, a zebra, a camel. Animals, however, were taken indiscriminately. There were also quite wild ones: a monkey bit Teresa, and a zebra broke the trainer's ribs. Teresa had a hard time with pets. However, she subdued them in the right way - with caresses.

Durova managed to tame even an elephant who killed 5 trainers. She taught her how to do a trick that is considereddeadly. The complexity of the act in which the female elephant steps over the trainer lies in the fact that usually these animals throw the obstacle out of their way or bypass it. With one wrong move, death occurs instantly. After the artist showed this number for the first time, she was reprimanded. The circus administration banned this dangerous trick. Nevertheless, it was for him that Teresa Vasilievna was subsequently given the title of Honored Artist of the RSFSR. All over the world, no one but her performs this number. The Durov dynasty is rightfully proud of its famous representative. She proved that women can train animals just as well as men.

Tereza Gannibalovna

Tereza Durova's daughter Teresa Gannibalovna Durova was born on October 3, 1953. She worked with her mother for 13 years, and then headed the clowning theater. In 2003, Teresa Gannibalovna received the title of People's Artist of Russia. This is another woman whose name the Durov dynasty is known for.

Vladimir Leonidovich - the founder of the dynasty

Vladimir Leonidovich Durov (years of life - 1863-1934) - the founder of another dynasty. He sought to put the art of training on a scientific basis. The creative range of the artist was unusually wide. He performed funny numbers for children, and was also a professor who studied the psyche of animals. Vladimir Leonidovich after the death of his brother, which occurred in 1916, refused to tour. However, the Durovs are a circus dynasty, many of whose representatives invariably returned to family activities. And Vladimir Leonidovich was no exception. He settled with the animalsin Moscow. On Staraya Bozhedomka, Vladimir opened an entertainment and educational institution called "VL Durov's Corner". Here he conducted a series of experiments with animals, sought to penetrate deeper into the science of reflexes.

Durov, returning to the circus arena, wanted to see himself no longer as a satirist, a jester clown, but as a clown lecturer, scientist, propagandist. He believed that spreading knowledge was much more important to him. Now he paid more attention to the training of animals and the demonstration of laboratory experiments. However, Durov's traditions were also reflected in his speeches. This was manifested in the colorful composition of the animals, as well as in a special style of training, in which the audience gets the impression that the actions and actions of animals are a conscious volitional act that occurs in response to the trainer's appeals.

The 50th anniversary of the artist's creative activity was celebrated in 1927. He also received the title of Honored Artist of the RSFSR. Vladimir Leonidovich, until the last day, combined performances in the circus with activities in the Corner. V. L. Durova.

Anna Vladimirovna

The Durovs are a circus dynasty, many of whose representatives became famous and received honorary titles. Anna Vladimirovna is one of such representatives of the family. At first she worked with her father. Anna Vladimirovna was a sea lion trainer, and after her father died, she headed the Animal Corner, becoming its artisticleader. Anna Vladimirovna is the author and director of many performances - "Terem-Teremok", "The Bear and the Trainer", etc. She received the title of Honored Artist of the RSFSR in 1965.

Natalia Vladimirovna

Natalya Vladimirovna, another daughter of Vladimir Durov, worked on the stage and in the theater, acted in films. However, little is known about her career today. She died in 1918, quite young.

Yuri Vladimirovich

The son of Natalia Vladimirovna Yuri Vladimirovich (years of life - 1909-1971) began his creative activity in the attraction of his grandfather - Vladimir Leonidovich. He helped him in rehearsals in the preparation of animals, and was also an assistant during performances. Yuri Vladimirovich demonstrated the dog-mathematician, took part in some numbers. At the same time, he worked in the theater-studio, which was directed by Yu. A. Zavadsky. After that, Yuri was an assistant in the attraction of Vladimir Grigorievich, his cousin. In 1935, he set about preparing his own attraction. The scale number was created for the first time on a state basis. Animals of trainer L. Ivanov, who died, took part in it. Yuri Vladimirovich always combined tricks with responses to important topics of the day, complemented elements of humor and satire with pathos. Yuri Vladimirovich devoted a lot of time to training elephants and sea lions. His attraction was constantly replenished with new animals: zebras, mongooses, ostriches, parrots, monkeys. Yuri Vladimirovich in 1971 received the title of People's Artist of the USSR. He died in the same year. The attraction was taken over by Yuri Yurievich, his son.

Durova Natalya Yurievna

A new trainer appeared in the Durov dynasty in 1963. They became Durova Natalia Yurievna (year of birth - 1934). She studied at a literary institute, managed to write several books, but still decided to go to the circus. Natalya Yurievna performed with a group of walruses, sea lions and monkeys. Verbal commentary accompanied the demonstration of animal tricks. Natalya Yuryevna was awarded the title of People's Artist of the USSR in 1989 for tireless work. She has been Artistic Director of The Corner since 1978. In 1982, the Corner was renamed and now became the Animal Theatre. V. L. Durova. Some other representatives of the famous dynasty also work in it today.