Les′ Kurbas (1887–1937) was an actor, director, producer, and the founder of modern Ukrainian theater. He belonged to the generation of artists known as the “Executed Renaissance”, who lost their lives during the Stalin purges of the 1920s–1930s. Born in Galicia to a family of actors, Kurbas developed an interest in the stage during his childhood while watching his parents perform at the Rus′ka Besida, Ukraine’s first professional acting company. As a young man, he travelled to Vienna where he studied philosophy and drama in 1907–1908. There he attended acting classes taught by the Austrian actor Josef Kainz and frequented stage productions by leading European theaters. This experience introduced him to the theories of Henri Bergson, Adolphe Appia, Georg Fuchs, Gordon…
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Citation: Severina, Yelena. "The Theater Work of Les' Kurbas". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 17 March 2020 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=39070, accessed 16 October 2024.]
