Wojciech Bogusławski facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Wojciech Bogusławski
|
|
|---|---|
Before 1829. Artist unknown.
|
|
| Born | 9 April 1757 Glinno, Poznań County
|
| Died | 23 July 1829 (aged 72) Warsaw, Poland
|
| Nationality | Polish |
| Occupation | Actor, director, dramatist |
| Known for | Father of Polish theatre |
Wojciech Romuald Bogusławski (born April 9, 1757 – died July 23, 1829) was a very important Polish actor, theatre director, and writer. He lived during a time called the Polish Enlightenment, which was a period of new ideas and learning in Poland. He led the National Theatre, Warsaw several times and even started the first Polish opera. Because of all his work, he is known as the "Father of Polish theatre."
Contents
Early Life and Education
Wojciech Bogusławski was born in a place called Glinno, Poznań County. His father, Leopold Bogusławski, managed land, and his mother was Anna Teresa Linowski.
Wojciech probably went to school in Kraków first. Later, he attended a special boarding school run by Piarist priests in Warsaw.
In 1774, he visited Bishop Kajetan Sołtyk's home. There, he enjoyed acting in plays with other people who loved theatre. A year later, in 1775, he joined the army. He served for three years before leaving as an officer.
A Career in Theatre Begins
Starting on Stage (1778-1790)
Wojciech Bogusławski started his theatre journey in 1778. He joined a group of actors led by Ludwik Montbrum. This is where he first performed on stage. He also adapted an opera called Nędza uszczęśliwiona (Misery Made Happy), which was very popular.
In 1781, he acted in Lviv with another theatre group. But he soon returned to Warsaw. The Polish National Theatre hired him in 1782. Just one year later, he became its director (1782–1784). He was very good at organizing tours for the theatre to cities like Grodno and Dubno.
During this time, he also tried to start his own theatre in Poznań. He had help from King Stanisław August Poniatowski. However, this theatre did not last long.
In 1785, Bogusławski started another theatre in Vilnius. He managed this theatre for five years. He put on many plays, including Fircyk w zalotach (The Dandy's Courtship). In 1786, he brought the famous play The Marriage of Figaro to Poland for the first time. He gathered a talented group of actors in Vilnius. When he returned to Warsaw, they came with him. He then became the director of the National Theatre again.
Building a National Stage (1790-1794)
Bogusławski's second time as director of the National Theatre was from 1790 to 1794. During this period, he wanted to create a truly national theatre. He believed theatre should help people and teach them about their country.
He saw theatre as a way to spread ideas about Polish pride. At the time, Poland was going through big changes. Many plays at the National Theatre talked about these important state reforms. Bogusławski supported these changes. He chose plays that he felt were most important for Poles.
He also wrote plays himself. After staging Powrót posla (The Return of the Deputy) in 1791, which was Poland's first political comedy, he wrote a follow-up. It was called Dowód wdzięczności narodu (Proof of the Nation's Appreciation). He also wrote Henryk vi na Lowach (Henry VI on a Hunting Excursion) in 1792.
His most famous work was Cud mniemany, Czyli krakowiacy i górale (The Presumed Miracle, or Krakovians and Highlanders). This was Poland's first opera, and he set it to music by Stefani. It opened just before the Kościuszko Uprising in 1794. The government quickly banned it after only three shows. But people in Warsaw understood its hidden political messages. Soon, they were singing parts of "Krakovians" in the streets.
The play was so powerful that Bogusławski was almost arrested. But he managed to escape, possibly with help from the Royal Marshall Moszynski.
New Beginnings and Classic Plays (1794-1799)
After the Kościuszko Uprising failed, Bogusławski left Warsaw for Lviv. He took many costumes, props, and books from the theatre with him. In Lviv, he started another Polish theatre. It operated under his leadership until 1799.
After long talks with the people who censored plays, he staged "Krakovians and Highlanders" again in 1796. In 1797, he put on Shakespeare's Hamlet. He also staged his own play, Iskahar, Król Guaxary (Iskahar, King of Guaxara).
Bogusławski made plays like Hamlet more "Polish." This was common for theatre during his time. They changed famous works to fit their own culture. This way, viewers would feel more connected to the stories.
He brought classic tragedies to the Polish stage. He also introduced Shakespeare's plays, using translated and adapted versions. Bogusławski wrote over eighty plays himself. He also translated and changed many French, German, English, and Italian plays to fit Polish audiences.
At first, Bogusławski liked the rules of French classical theatre. But later, he preferred German plays that taught moral lessons and felt more real. He directed plays by famous writers like Molière, Voltaire, and Friedrich Schiller. He also staged popular melodramas and comedies, as well as operas and ballets.
Wherever Bogusławski traveled, he almost always started a new Polish theatre. These theatres often continued to operate even after he left. His goal was to "build a theatre wherever it was possible to perform in Polish."
Bogusławski also trained many actors. He taught them how to use their bodies and voices on stage. He always encouraged actors to be more natural in their performances. Many of his students went on to become famous actors themselves.
As an actor, he started with leading roles. But his biggest successes came later. He was great at playing everyday people, like Old Dominic in "Taczka Occiarza." He was also convincing as older characters, kings, or villains. He played King Lear in Shakespeare's tragedy and King Axur in an opera by Antonio Salieri.
As a director, Bogusławski worked well with artists and musicians. He often worked with painters like Antoni Smuglewicz and musicians like Józef Elsner. His best productions were those where he was the writer, director, and often the main actor.
Final Years in Theatre (1799-1814)
In 1799, Bogusławski returned to Warsaw. He became the director of the National Theatre for the third time. He stayed in this role until 1814. During these years, he also performed in other Polish cities like Poznań and Kraków.
He remained very popular with audiences. However, some critics thought his taste in plays was becoming "vulgar."
In 1811, he started Poland's first School of Drama. He also wrote a textbook for it called Dramaturgia (Dramaturgy).
In 1814, he gave up his role as director of the National Theatre to Ludwik Osiński. But he still stayed involved with theatre. He performed with his own group at the National Theatre and on other stages. Towards the end of his life, he wrote a history of the National Theatre. He also collected and published his own plays. Wojciech Bogusławski's last performance on stage was in 1827.
Death
Wojciech Bogusławski passed away on July 23, 1829, in Warsaw. He was 72 years old.
Legacy and Recognition
- In 1978, Poland honored him on a postage stamp as part of a set featuring famous playwrights.
- He is the main character in the novel "Az Ikszek" (1981) by the well-known Hungarian writer György Spiró.
See also
In Spanish: Wojciech Bogusławski para niños
- List of Poles
