Ariane Mnouchkine facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ariane Mnouchkine
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| Born | 3 March 1939 Boulogne-sur-Seine, France
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| Alma mater | Sorbonne University |
| Years active | 1964 – present |
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Ariane Mnouchkine (born March 3, 1939) is a famous French director for the stage. She started a special theater group in Paris called Théâtre du Soleil (Theatre of the Sun) in 1964. This group is known for its unique and experimental plays.
Ariane Mnouchkine has written and directed many plays and films. Some of her well-known works include 1789 (from 1974) and Molière (from 1978). She also directed La Nuit Miraculeuse (from 1989). She is highly respected in the arts world. She holds a special position at the Collège de France and has received honorary degrees from universities in Rome and Oxford.
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About Ariane Mnouchkine
Ariane Mnouchkine's father was Alexandre Mnouchkine, a film producer from Russia. Her mother was June Hannen. Ariane's grandparents were sadly taken from their home and died during World War II. The film company her father started, Ariane Films, was named after her.
Early Life and Education
Ariane Mnouchkine went to Sorbonne University in Paris, France, where she studied literature. During a year studying in England at Oxford University, she joined a drama club. This experience made her realize she wanted to work in theater.
When she returned to the Sorbonne in 1959, she started a theater group for students. She continued to study theater at a special school. In 1964, she and her classmates founded Théâtre du Soleil.
Founding Théâtre du Soleil
Théâtre du Soleil means "Theatre of the Sun." This theater group still creates plays today. Their plays often look at social and political issues happening in the world.
Ariane Mnouchkine likes to perform plays in unusual places. She uses spaces like barns or gymnasiums instead of regular stages. She believes theater should not be limited by a traditional stage setup. When audiences come to her shows, they often see the actors getting ready, putting on makeup and costumes, right in front of them.
Ariane Mnouchkine's Works
Ariane Mnouchkine has created her own plays, like the political play 1789. This play was about the French Revolution. She has also directed many classic plays by famous writers like Molière and William Shakespeare.
Directing Classic Plays
Between 1981 and 1984, she translated and directed several plays by William Shakespeare. These included Richard II, Twelfth Night, and Henry IV, Part 1. She worked on them one by one. Once she finished Henry IV, she toured all three plays together as a series.
She also directed ancient Greek plays. These included Iphigenia by Euripides and the Oresteia series (which includes Agamemnon, Choephori, and The Eumenides) by Aeschylus. She worked on these between 1990 and 1992.
Film Projects
While Ariane Mnouchkine is mainly a stage director, she has also worked on some films. She was nominated for an Oscar for her screenplay for the film L'Homme de Rio (That Man from Rio) in 1964.
Her film 1789, which was filmed from a live stage production, became famous around the world in 1974. In 1978, she wrote and directed Molière. This movie was about the life of the famous French playwright Molière. It was nominated for a major award at the Cannes Film Festival. She also worked with Hélène Cixous on TV movies like La Nuit miraculeuse (1989) and Tambours sur la digue (2003).
Awards and Recognition
Ariane Mnouchkine has received many important awards for her work in theater.
- In 1987, she was the first person to receive the Europe Theatre Prize for her work with Théâtre du Soleil.
- In 2009, she won the Ibsen Award, a very important prize for theater. The award ceremony took place in Oslo, Norway.
- She received the Goethe Medal in 2011.
- In 2019, Ariane Mnouchkine was awarded the Kyoto Prize for Arts and Philosophy, specifically for her contributions to theater and cinema.
See also
In Spanish: Ariane Mnouchkine para niños
