Russian theater is our unique heritage, which is the subject of our pride and relentless admiration from foreigners. Theater and film director Pyotr Fomenko belonged to the generation of great idealists, which is gradually leaving, but which has made a huge contribution to Russian art. The life of this person was not easy, but perhaps it was this path that gave him the necessary experience for creativity.
The beginning of the way
The future director Petr Fomenko was born in Moscow in 1932. Little is known about his early childhood. Times were not easy and, probably, in many respects they determined the set of qualities that Pyotr Fomenko has.
The boy’s parents did not live together for long, his father died during the Great Patriotic War, and his mother raised her child alone. And she became the most important person in his life. Mom tried to give the baby all the best. Petya was an active boy, and she actively accustomed him to sports: football, tennis, skates. All these skills and hobbies will pass with him all his life, even as a very adult, he famously skated with his students. Mom instilled in her son another great love, which determined his life in many ways, is a passion for music. Petr Fomenko graduated from music school. Gnesins in the violin class, and later the music school of Ippolitov-Ivanov. Musical education and love for this art helped Fomenko in all his professional endeavors.
Search for yourself
Choosing a profession, Petr Fomenko listened to his heart, and it led him to the stage. An important role in the choice was played by music, which, according to the master, "brought him to the theater." In 1956 he entered the Moscow Art Theater School, having withstood a considerable competition. Among the teachers of the future director was Boris Vershilov, who will do a lot for becoming a master and give him the basics of the professional secrets of the Vakhtangov school. The mischievous disposition and disobedience did not allow Fomenko to fit into the conservative world of the classical school and he was expelled from the third year “for hooliganism”.
Continuing the search for his true calling, Peter enters the Faculty of Philology of the Pedagogical Institute. Over the years of study, he manages to meet people like Yuri Vizbor, Julius Kim, Yuri Koval, who will be his friends for the rest of his life. There he again came into contact with theatrical art, actively participating in the production of skits.
Gaining oneself
Studying in the correspondence department allowed Fomenko to enter the directing department of GITIS for the course of Nikolai Gorchakov, where Andrei Goncharov taught, who later played a role in the life of Fomenko. At this time, Fomenko staged his first performance, “Restless inheritance, ” and this became the starting point in his life calling.
Education has not yet given Fomenko a guaranteed place in the profession. He has a long and painful search for his place. He works in several theaters, does not refuse to stage plays in the houses of culture. He longs for work, but the stingy criticism does not want to recognize the excessive manifestation of Petr Fomenko’s talent and non-conformism, this dooms him to years of restlessness, but he clearly understands his mission and works hard, despite the difficulties.
Romance with the theater
Since the 60s of the twentieth century, the master has been actively collaborating with well-known Moscow theaters, at that time Pyotr Fomenko, an experimental director who is beginning to recognize the audience, is taking shape. In 1966, he poses in the theater. Mayakovsky’s famous play “The Death of Tarelkin”, which severely ridiculed the realities of Soviet life, and censorship, of course, could not forgive the artist for such courage. The performance was banned from showing, the same fate awaited the production of “New Mystery Buff” in the Lensovet Theater, the audience never saw this performance at all. All these prohibitions led to the fact that the director remains unclaimed, and in a desire to find his own theater, he leaves for Tbilisi, where he will work for two seasons.
Later, he lived for some time in two cities: working in the Leningrad Comedy Theater and staging performances in Moscow theaters. The period from 1972 to 1981 puts on a large number of performances that form his author's style: "Love Spring", "This Sweet Old House", "Forest", "Terkin-Terkin" and others.
Filmmaker Petr Fomenko
Searches for himself bring Fomenko to the film studio, where he realizes some of his ideas in the films For the Rest of His Life and Rides on an Old Car. But a special place in his creative career is occupied by work on television. The creator of a unique television theater, which was very in demand in the Soviet Union, was Pyotr Fomenko. Filmography on television studios includes these masterpieces: The Queen of Spades, Shot, Undertaker, and Childhood. Adolescence. Youth ”, “ Family happiness ”. With these works, Fomenko proved that it is possible to put the classics freshly and gently and this has become his signature style.
Teacher calling
However, when ideological reasons again became the reason for dismissal from the theater, in 1981 Fomenko accepts the invitation of his teacher and outstanding director and teacher Andrei Goncharov and begins to teach at GITIS. Pedagogy allows Fomenko to fully reveal his talent. He develops his own methodology, which is distinguished by musicality, a unique melody of the game. In 1992, he is gaining his first own course, in total he manages to make four issues. Among his students are famous directors: Sergey Zhenovach, Evgeny Kamenkovich, Nikolai Druchek, Ivan Popovski and famous actors: sisters Kutepovs, Polina Agureeva, Galina Tyunina, Irina Pegova, Yuri Stepanov, Kirill Pirogov and many others.
There are people who attract to themselves like a magnet, talents, Pyotr Fomenko was such a person. The photos do not convey his gigantic charm, which he radiated into the world, and the students reached out to the master, like moths to the light.
Theater of life
The graduates of the Fomenko workshop are united by a peculiar acting style and love for their teacher. In 1992, the student workshop received the official status of "theater", whose leader was Peter Fomenko - director, teacher, Master. Theater "Workshop of Peter Fomenko" is known for its classical repertoire, outstanding actors, a sensitive attitude to plays and directorial finds. The theater has repeatedly received various awards: several Golden Masks, Crystal Turandot, prizes and prizes of Russian and world significance. Fomenko was engaged not only in directing, he formed a repertoire, assembled a troupe, sought to obtain his building. The theater became the real thing of his life, he rehearsed until the end of his days, took care of the actors. But he also continued to stage plays abroad, in particular in Paris, in Salzburg, in Wroclaw.
During his creative career, Petr Fomenko staged about 60 performances and about a dozen films.
