‘The Seagull’ first appeared on stage of the Moscow Art Theater on December 17, 1898. There is a poster for this premiere on the wall. Audiences and critics were equally enthusiastic about this play. The performance became a huge step into the future for both Russian and world theatrical art. The directors Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko not only managed to open the world to Chekhov as the playwright, but also lay the foundations of modern theater. The bold experiments of European playwrights and directors of Independent Theaters, who are looking for new facets and techniques of stage mastery, found completeness and unexpected semantic load in ‘The Seagull’ of the Moscow Art Theater.
According to Stanislavsky’s memories, the audience was most enthusiastic about the performance of Olga Leonardovna Knipper and Maria Petrovna Lipina. The roles of Arkadina and Masha have earned these actresses extraordinary fame. Konstantin Sergeevich also noted the excellent performance of Vasily Vasilyevich Luzhsky (Sorin), Alexander Rodionovich Artem (Shamraev), Vsevolod Emilievich Meyerhold (Treplev), Alexander Leonidovich Vishnevsky (Dorn).
In a letter from Nemirovich-Danchenko to Chekhov, telling about the jubilation of the troupe after the performance, Vladimir Ivanovich exclaimed: “I am immensely happy!”, And in the postscript he wrote “Let”s set “Uncle Vanya?” On the night after the premiere, Anton Pavlovich received a telegram on behalf of the Moscow Art Theater troupe and grateful spectators. And after the release of the morning newspapers, which unanimously recognized the production of “The Seagull” as a success, they sent another one, notifying Chekhov of the enthusiastic reviews of the press.
The writer received congratulatory telegrams and letters long after that. In the spring of 1899, Chekhov was in Moscow. Especially for him, the Moscow Art Theater troupe played “The Seagull” on the stage of the “Paradise” Theater. After the performance, a collective photo was taken, for which the reading of the play by Chekhov to the actors of the Moscow Art Theater was enacted.
