Majesty in minimalism

On a vast, sparsely decorated stage, the rise and fall of the Rostov, Bolkonsky, Bezukhov, and Kuragin families plays out against the backdrop of Tolstoy's classic, War and Peace, an epic novel about the ups and downs of personal destiny amid the grand sweep of history.

A five-hour adaptation of the classic by Moscow's Vakhtangov Theatre made its debut on Sept 5 at Beijing's Poly Theater, and played three more shows, the last one on Sunday. The Beijing stop was part of the production's first China tour, which kicked off in Shanghai on Aug 22 and visited Guangzhou, Guangdong province, from Aug 29 to Sept 1.

One of Russia's most prestigious and globally renowned theaters, the Vakhtangov Theatre was founded in 1921 by Eugene Vakhtangova student of Konstantin Stanislavsky, whose artistic vision profoundly influenced 20th and 21st-century theater. The play is the final production by renowned Lithuanian director Rimas Tuminas, who served as the theater's artistic director until his death earlier this year. Premiered in 2021, the grand, expansive masterpiece was commissioned to celebrate the theater's 100th anniversary.

Beneath the avant-garde and monumental tragedy lies a romantic, cutting-edge soul, which strips away opulence to reach straight to the hearts of audience members. At midnight, the hall of the theater remained packed, and after their five-hour performance, when the cast lined up for their curtain call, they were met with thunderous applause.

Originally published in 1865, War and Peace is a panoramic study of early 19th century Russian society, and is noted for its mastery of realistic detail and psychological analysis. It is generally regarded as a masterwork of Russian literature and one of the world's greatest novels.

The events of War and Peace began in 1805, following Napoleon's conquest of most of continental Europe through war or alliance. In line with Tolstoy's philosophy, Tuminas chose "family thought" as the core of the production.

"The family is a microcosm of the human community, the beginning and foundation of society. The Napoleonic Wars become the background for the lives, ambitions, hopes and sorrows of the families: the Rostovs, the Bolkonskys, the Kuragins," goes the introduction on the theater's website.

"Adapting such an epic for the stage poses significant challenges. The director originally planned to stage it over two nights but changed his mind, in the hopes that the audience would be immersed in the production in the course of a single night, and their emotions and thoughts would not be interrupted," Anton Prokhorov, deputy general manager of the Vakhtangov Theatre, said before the show on Sept 5.

He also noted that the China tour was the first international outing for the play since its premiere. Following sold-out monthly shows in Moscow, and after garnering extensive acclaim during its Russian tours, the theater was eager to see the reactions of the Chinese audience on social media.

"When Tuminas was working on War and Peace, he was in poor health. This production may become his final legacy to the theater," Prokhorov added, saying that the production brought together all generations of Vakhtangov actors.

Renowned for his fidelity to original texts, Tuminas consistently avoided adding scenes not present in source material throughout his career, as could be seen in his adaptations of Eugene Onegin, and Faust. Prokhorov says the approach extended to War and Peace, where Tuminas created a world that balances faithfulness to Tolstoy's narrative with poetic innovation.

Contrary to expectations, the adaptation features a minimalist and contemporary stage design. Absent are the opulent balls and lavish settings of the novel. Instead, the vast, empty stage is dominated by a large wall. Actors traverse this space, using poetic and precise performances to evoke Tolstoy's complex characters and themes.

Despite the abstract set, the audience is transported back to 19th-century Russia, and experiences the era's turbulence.

Tuminas was an old friend of Chinese theater lovers and several of his productions, including Eugene Onegin, and The Three Sisters, were performed here. In 2019, he worked with Chinese artists on a stage adaptation of Goethe's epic, Faust.

In March 2024, while Faust was touring China, Tuminas passed away at the age of 72.

Calling him a "genius director with extraordinary artistic talent and a profound sense of beauty", Olga Lerman, who plays the role of Natasha in War and Peace, says: "Although he died, we try to keep his spirit in this play. We cannot share the stage with him, but we strive to bring his grand vision to life through our collective efforts."

"I watched Tuminas' War and Peace twice, in Guangzhou and Beijing. I cried and was overwhelmed by the director's interpretation," actor and director Zhang Guoli wrote in a social media post. "The world is in misery, but people still show a passion and desire to live on, which is a beautiful thing portrayed by the director in this production."