Konstantin Raikin

Konstantin Arkadyevich Raikin(Russian:Константи́н Арка́дьевич Ра́йкин; July 8, 1950) is aRussianactorand theatre director, the head of theMoscow Satyricon Theatre(since 1988).Konstantin Raikin has been honoured with the titlesMeritorious Artist of Russia(1985) and thePeople's Artist of Russia(1993). Among his accolades are theRussian State Prize(1995), theOrder "For Merit to the Fatherland"(III, IV – 2000, 2010) and theGolden Maskaward (1995, 2000, 2005, 2008).He is the son ofArkady Raikin, the legendary Soviet actor andstand-up comedian.
Konstantin Raikin was born July 8, 1950, inLeningradin the family of People's Artist of the USSRArkady Raikinand actress Ruth Raikina-Ioffe (Roma).
Konstantin studied at thePhysics and Mathematics School for gifted childrenat theLeningrad University. He studied in a class with a biological major, and all his free time he spent at theLeningrad Zoo, where he cleaned after the animals. At the end of the school, he even intended to enter the Faculty of Biology of Leningrad University, but after the final exams he decided to enter the theater school.
In 1967 he entered theBoris Shchukin Theatre Instituteand was enrolled in the course of Yuri Katin-Yartsev.
After graduation in 1971, Raikin was invited byGalina Volchekto theSovremennik Theatre, where he worked for 10 years, having played 38 roles during this time, including 15 main ones. Among them: Valentine -Valentine and ValentinebyMikhail Roshchin, David -As Brother to Brotherby Jane Reib,From Lopatin's NotesbyKonstantin Simonov, Sir Andrew Etjuchik -Twelfth Night, Hamlet -Etudes for HamletbyWilliam Shakespeare, Jean Jacques Bouton -The Cabal of HypocritesbyMikhail Bulgakovand others.
In 1981, Raikin moved to theLeningrad Theater of Miniatures under the leadership of Arkady Raikin. In 1982 the theater moved to Moscow and became the State Theater of Miniatures (in 1987 it was renamed as the Moscow Theater "Satyricon"). During this period, together with his father, he played the playsHis Majesty the Theater(1981) andPeace to Your Home(1984). In the playFacesby Mikhail Mishin, Raikin not only performed the main role, but also acted as a choreographer.
In 1985, he played his author's programCome on, actor! ..
In 1988, after the death of Arkady Raikin, the artistic direction of the theater "Satyricon" passed to Raikin. In the same year, the playThe MaidsbyJean Genetappeared in the theater of Roman Viktyuk, which became an event in the theatrical life of the capital. The performance was a huge success, among the numerous prizes received byThe Maidsat international festivals was the award for the virtuosity of the acting performance awarded to the actors (BITEF Festival, 1990).
In the early 1990s Raikin acted in the plays staged by director Leonid Trushkin, the role of George in the playIbid, Then ..., Slade at the Anton Chekhov Theater and Cyrano in the playCyrano de Bergeracby Rostand (co-production of "Satyricon" and Anton Chekhov Theater).
In 1994, he played the role of poet and madman Bruno in the playThe Magnificent CuckoldbyFernand Crommelynckstaged by Peter Fomenko. For this role, Raikin was awarded the State Prize of the Russian Federation in the field of literature and art in 1995, and the Association of Cultural Figures "Muses of Freedom" handed Raikin theCrystal Turandot Awardfor the best male role.
In 1995, the premiere of the playThe MetamorphosisbyFranz Kafkadirected by Valery Fokin (together with the Creative Center named after Vsevolod Meyerhold), in which Raikin played the role of Gregor Zamza. For this work, he was awarded the national theater prize of the Union of theatrical figures of the Russian FederationGolden Mask.
In 1996, Raikin played the role of Mack the Knife inBertolt Brecht'sThe Threepenny Opera(directed byVladimir Mashkov). His next actor's work was the role of Jacques in the play "Jacques and His Lord" byMilan Kundera. For this work Raikin was awarded the Stanislavsky Prize and the "Kumir" Prize.
In 1998 Raikin played the main role in the playHamletby Shakespeare, staged by the famous Georgian director Robert Sturua. This work was crowned with great success by the audience and theatrical criticism. In the summer of 1999 the performance was shown in the framework of the theatrical project "Hamlet-2000" in Plovdiv (Bulgaria).
In 2000 occurred the premiere of the solo performance of RaikinDer KontrabaßbyPatrick Süskind, the work in which brought the actor a second "Golden Mask".
In 2002, Raikin played the main role in the playSignor Todero Hostbased on the play byCarlo Goldoni, staged by Robert Sturua, for which he was awarded the Stanislavsky Prize at the Moscow Premiere.
In 2004, in "Satyricon" Raikin played the role of Richard in the playRichard IIIby Shakespeare in the production of St. Petersburg director Yuri Butusov, for which he received the third "Golden Mask" (nomination "the best male role").
This was followed by works in the playsCosmetic Enemydirected by Roman Kozak (the role of Textor Texel),King Learby Yuri Butusov (Lear), for this work the actor was awarded the fourth National Theater Prize "Golden Mask",It's Not All Shrovetide for the Cat(the role of Ermil Zotych Ahov), and others.
Raikin works a lot in "Satyricon" as a director. He staged the playsHercules and Augean Stables(together with Shkolnik, 1988),Mowgli(1990),Such Free Butterflies(1993),Romeo and Juliet(1995),Chioggino skirmishes(1997),The Quartet(1999),Chauntecleer(2001),The Land of Love(2004),Funny Money(2005),The Queen of Beauty(2007),The Lonely West(2007),The Blue Monster(2008),Profitable place(2003, 2009),Poplars and the Wind(2009),Money(2010).
Konstantin Raikin made his cinematic debut in 1969 with a very small role in the film "Tomorrow, April 3rd ...", based on Zverev's stories, then there was a small role for the ship's cook in the military filmCommander of the Lucky "Pike".
Fame for the actor came after the release in 1974 of the first Soviet westernAt Home Among Strangersby director Nikita Mikhalkov, in which he played the role of Tatar Kayum.
He was widely known for his roles in the filmsMuch Ado about Nothing(directed bySamson Samsonov, 1971),Truffaldino from Bergamo(TV, directed by Vladimir Vorobyov, 1976),Island of Lost Ships, (TV, director Eugene Ginzburg, 1988 ),Shadow, or Maybe everything will be fine(TV, director Mikhail Kozakov, 1990).
In addition to these films, Raikin starred in the filmsComedy about Lysistratus,Rouen Maiden nicknamed Pyshka,Russian ragtime,Shooting Angels,Simple-minded. In 2001, he played the role of Poirot in the television movie Poirot's Error, based onAgatha Christie's novelThe Murder of Roger Ackroyd(directed by Sergei Ursulyak).
Since 2001, Konstantin Arkadevich has been heading the course at the Moscow Art Theater School (professor at the Moscow Art Theater School). In 2005, the first graduating students of the acting faculty - the Raikin course - took place. The diploma performance "Country of Love" based on the play "The Snow Maiden" by Alexei Ostrovsky became a calling card of young artists. He entered the theater's repertoire. With these young artists Raikin staged the play "ABC of the Artist", a class concert with the subtitle "So We Learned", in which he himself took part.
In 2009, the second issue of the students of his course was held. Several artists of this release also joined the theater's troupe.
August 1, 2010, under the guidance of People's Artist of Russia Konstantin Raikin inKarlovy Vary(Czech Republic) opens the International School of Russian Theater.
Since 1975 Raikin is a member of the Union of Theater Workers of Russia.
Since 2001, he has been a member of the Presidential Council for Culture and Art.
The activity of Konstantin Raikin is marked by many professional and state awards.
In 1985 he was awarded the title ofHonored Artist of the Russian Federation.
In 1992 he was awarded the title ofPeople's Artist of Russia.
He is a laureate of the State Prizes of the Russian Federation (1995, 2002) in the field of literature and art, a laureate of theater awards: the Prize of the Association of Cultural Figures "Muses of Freedom" "Crystal Turandot" (1995), the International Stanislavsky Prize (1998) business circles "Kumir" (1999), the Prize of the Foundation. Stanislavsky "Moscow premiere" (2002), the theatrical prize "Seagull" in the nomination "Mask of Zorro" for the role of Richard III, the Triumph Award (2008), four times laureate of the National Theater Award of the Union of Theatrical Figures of the Russian FederationGolden Mask(1995, 2000, 2003, 2008).
Konstantin Raikin was awarded theOrder "For Merit to the Fatherland"of the IV degree (2000).