BROTHERS AND SISTERS

Fedor Alexandrovich Abramov was born on February 29, 1920, in Arkhangelsk Oblast, in the village of Verkola, which became the prototype for the village of Pekashino in the epic Brothers and Sisters. Fedor Abramov died on May 13, 1983, in Leningrad. He is buried in Verkola.
Work on the tetralogy Brothers and Sisters (The Pryaslins) took more than a quarter of a century and includes Brothers and Sisters (1958), Two Winters and Three Summers (1968), Roads and Crossroads (1972), and The House (1978).
1976 - the students of the actor's class of Leningrad State Institute of Theatre Music and Cinematography (led by Lev Dodin and Arkady Katsman) begin their work on Fedor Abramov's epic The Pryaslins;
1977 - the class goes to Verkola to meet Fedor Abramov;
1978 - premiere of the class's senior performance of Brothers and Sisters at the Student Theatre;
1980 - premiere of the play The House (directed by Lev Dodin) at the Maly Drama Theatre, which in 1979 accepted members of the Institute's class;
1984 - the Maly Drama Theatre begins work on a new version of the play Brothers and Sisters (directed by Lev Dodin);
September 1984 – actors of the production of Brothers and Sisters go to Verkola;
March 9-10, 1985) - premiere of the play Brothers and Sisters.
“Sometimes in life there are meetings that decide a person's fate for many years to come, sometimes forever. It is difficult for me to imagine my life in the theatre and, hence, my life in general without the meeting with Fedor Abramov, with his Word.
This is not just because I could stroll along the embankments of Leningrad or through the meadows of Verkola with the living Abramov, exuberant and brusque, thoughtful and sullen, implacable and weak… not just because I could argue with him about simple things, and agree with him on the important issues, but because Abramov's talent – and, we might even say now "genius" – performed and continues to perform the most important task of the artist by linking the present and the past, recognizing today in the eternal chain of existence. Seeing the present with the tenderness of a son of his time, with the passion of the heir of all that exists, painfully answering for all that remains in our wake, observing our time and commenting on it: is this not our duty? Theatre cannot be born without an author, no matter what the theatre thinks, how it suffers, no matter what it rejoices in and what is thought of it, not until the Word comes to make it real. Theatre can only speak and interpret someone’s words. Today the Maly Drama Theatre recognizes and speaks the words of Fedor Abramov as its chief and most coveted truths. Herein lies our happiness, our pain, and our cross.” LEV DODIN, 1985.
“Human nature is unbelievably complex. The word “man” sounds majestic, and there is nothing more beautiful than this; the master of the earth: all this is true. But there are no greater depths in the living world than those to which our brethren fall. Strange as it sounds, man is the least studied and least understood subject. This is distressing, but it confirms once again the unlimited beauty, diversity and wealth of this being named “man”… From a meeting of Fedor Abramov with Arkhangelsk intellectuals, 1981.
“… I was born in the most beautiful place in Russia, or at least it is most beautiful in my eyes: in the Arkhangelsk Oblast, on the river Pinega, in a land of white nights and vast forests, a land of epics and fairytales. I am overflowed with the Russia, on which our entire city living depends. In the city we are nothing more than rafts on a sea of people called Russia. The land, animals and communion with them is one of our greatest resources, a reservoir of humanity in man. Who knows what might happen if love, kindness to animals and the earth were to disappear…”
From Fedor Abramov's article Conscience is the Best Judge.
“There are two healing forces, and these are quite radical: joy and pain. Joy is a magnificent medicine but it, joy, has a weakness: it strengthens and inspires the strong, comforts and enfeebles the weak. At the same time pain, pain… It's a good thing to tell someone about their weaknesses, health, lacks, the seeds of some kind of disaster or pain, or even illness he may be harboring before it's too late. But how can you help but worry about your own flesh and blood?” From a speech by Fedor Abramov made to readers at Ostankino television studio October 30, 1981.
“What do I mean by the spiritual work of the individual? It includes self-education, building one's own soul, daily self-control, daily self-checks by a higher judge given to man, the judge of one's own conscience. Conscience is the very force that helps peel from man the shell of egocentrism, the shell of stuffiness. It is that force that steers man to the path of generous brotherhood, of being demanding on oneself and others.” From the article Conscience is the Best Judge.
“The Happiest and Most Joyful Day.
Where do happiness and joy come from? From the students of the Leningrad Theatre Institute. They sat for seven hours at a table in a monastery cell in the light of a kerosene lamp. They talked about the Pinega and Verkola, about the locals, and then sang (the students, of course), then talked again. And this lasted for seven hours, from five o'clock to twelve o'clock. I was quite rejuvenated. Ah, young people! Romantics, ambitions, complete sincerity and openness, and the desire to do something really worthwhile. Plus their profession. And that means everything inherent to youth squared. It's great that seeing the Pinega has given rise to national consciousness in these young people. At least they spent some time speaking about Russia. One young man said (when they passed the punch around): 'let the homeland of Abramov's heroes become our homeland.' They accompanied us with the lamp and a flashlight to the river, then the utter darkness descended upon us. But I saw the light. The light of youth lit the way for me.” From the diary, August 19, 1977.
“It's not true when they say or write that the second front in that war was opened in 1944. The second front was opened by the Russian woman as early as 1941, when she took on all the men's work, when the front, army and the war all leaned on her with all their might. Not to mention the feats of the Russian woman after the war. The poor thing thought the war was already over and that life could begin, but in fact, the war ended and she again heard the words: 'give us bread, give us milk, feed the city, give us your wood and bricks.' If only you knew how many generations of girls were married to a tree in forest instead of a real man. And what about when all the fathers were killed? It's hard to even picture how all this fell on the shoulders of the Russian woman, I mean the hearth, warmth, songs… the new generation glimmered and grew up around the woman, and we can never forget this. And, of course, the Russian woman is worthy of the grandest monuments. I believe and I hope that we can find among the monumental depictions the monuments in which the simple Russian woman everyone knows, the mother, will step up onto the pedestal and be recognized.”
From the article Conscience is the Best Judge
Telegram to the acting class of Brothers and Sisters on graduation from the Institute.
June 25, 1979, from Lyubytin, Novgorod Oblast
“Here I am traveling and slogging around the fields and towns of the ancient Novgorod land, hearkening to her inveterate pains and cares and always thinking of you. My congratulations on your entry into life, into the hallowed and fierce world of the arts. My dear children! May you always be brave and true to your vow, remember that art belongs to those obsessed, only to those who are prepared to sacrifice all for art. Thank you for the pleasure of your company, for your Russian folk songs, for your youth that so ignited and inspired me. Do not be afraid of life. Go steadily into the storm. I believe in you and love you. Your brother and father, Fedor Abramov.”


Fedor Abramov, winner of the USSR State Prize

USSR State Prize winner

Премия "Лучший иностранный спектакль" (Великобритания)

Премия "Лучший иностранный спектакль" (Италия)