Background
Liubimov, Iurii was born on September 30, 1917 in Iaroslavl’.
Liubimov, Iurii was born on September 30, 1917 in Iaroslavl’.
Graduated from the Moscow Shchukin Theatre School at the Vakhtangov Theatre, 1939.
Served in the Soviet Army, 1940-1946. From 1946, an actor at the Evgenii Vakhtangov Theatre, Moscow. Joined the Communist Party, 1952.
Principal Director of the Taganka Drama and Comedy Theatre, Moscow from 1964. Harassed by Ministry of Culture bureaucrats, but protected by Iurii Andropov, whose daughter Irina had married one of the actors in the Liubimov circle. Won Andropov’s respect by turning down his two children who had wanted to join the Taganka.
His production of Boris Godunov was banned under Brezhnev for its political overtones. During his visit to Britain in 1983, decided to stay in protest against harassment from the Ministry of Culture. Immediately fired from the Taganka Theatre, and stripped of Soviet citizenship in 1984.
Became artistic director of the Bobigny, a suburban Paris Arts Centre. Worked for 6 weeks at the Lyric Theatre, London. Staged Dostoevskii’s Crime and Punishment.
Has been staging his avant-garde productions around the world since. Settled in Israel. In 1988, visited Moscow and was present at a performance of his own show in memory of V. Vysotskii at the Taganka Theatre.