Russian nativity scene in traditional culture. Christmas traditions of Rus'. I invite you to the Vertep theater

21.04.2019

Puppet theater The nativity scene got its name from its purpose: to represent a drama in which the Gospel story about the birth of Jesus Christ in the cave where Mary and Joseph found refuge was reproduced (Old Church and Old Russian "nativity scene" - cave). Initially, the performances of the nativity scene were only during Christmastide, which was emphasized in its definitions. V.I. Dal, for example, wrote: “The nativity scene of the south is a spectacle of faces, arranged in a small form, in a box with which they go about Christmastide, representing the events and circumstances of the birth of I. Christ.” The nativity scene came to Russia from Ukraine and Belarus at the end of the 17th - beginning of the 18th centuries.

The nativity scene was a portable rectangular box made of thin boards or cardboard. Outwardly, it resembled a house, which could consist of one or two floors. Most often there were two-story nativity scenes. Dramas of religious content were played in the upper part, and ordinary interludes and comic everyday scenes were played in the lower part. This also determined the design of the parts of the nativity scene.

The upper part (sky) was usually covered with blue paper on the inside; Nativity scenes were painted on its back wall; or on the side there was a model of a cave or stable with a manger and motionless figures of Mary and Joseph, the infant Christ and domestic animals. The lower part (ground or palace) was covered with bright colored paper, foil, etc., in the middle, on a small elevation, there was a throne on which was a doll depicting King Herod.

In the bottom of the box and in the shelf that divided the box into two parts, there were slots along which the puppeteer moved rods with dolls - characters from dramas - fixedly attached to them. The rods with the dolls could be moved along the box, the dolls could turn in all directions. Doors were cut out on the right and left of each part: they appeared from one doll and disappeared from the other.

Dolls were carved from wood (sometimes sculpted from clay), painted and dressed in cloth or paper clothes and mounted on metal or wooden rods.

The text of the drama was pronounced by one puppeteer, changing the timbre of his voice and intonation of speech, thereby creating the illusion of a performance by several actors.

The performance in the nativity scene consisted of the mystery drama “King Herod” and everyday scenes.

Folk theater researcher N. N. Vinogradov described the nativity scene as follows: “The action opens with the news of the birth of Christ. Shepherds and three kings go to bow to the newborn and bring gifts. Then in the lower tier there is a solemn entrance of King Herod, who calls on the soldiers and orders them to beat the babies “the real firstborn.” The warriors leave and return, leading Rachel with them to Herod, who does not allow her child to die. She, with tears, on her knees, begs Herod to spare her baby, but the king is implacable and orders Rachel to be raised on a spear. rushes around the stage sobbing, cursing Herod. The warrior throws her out. Left alone, Herod begins to think about death and, wanting to avoid it, surrounds himself with a guard.

A song is heard, heralding the approach of a terrible guest, a terrible crash is heard - and an ominous skeleton with a scythe on its shoulder - Death - appears on the stage. The guards flee in horror, and the trembling Herod begins to beg for mercy. Death summons the devil to his aid, appearing with the cry of “gu-gu-gu!” Having learned what the matter is, he orders his sister to raise her scythe and kill Herod, whom he then drags to hell with the words:

"Oh, cursed Herod, for your great anger

I will take you to the abyss of hell and from the bone."

This ends the first, serious part of the nativity play drama. The second part consists of an uneven number of scenes and dialogues in different places, representing an independent treatment of plots from folk life. These scenes are often completely unrelated to one another and can follow in any order.<...>All the action in these scenes consists almost exclusively of the types different nationalities, genders and professions fight or dance."

Gradually, the first part of the performance was reduced, and the second, on the contrary, expanded. The heroes of scenes with everyday content were a man, a gentleman, a dandy, newfangled ladies, a soldier, a priest, a gypsy, and so on. The nativity play was played not only by dolls, but also by live amateurs - then it was called a “living nativity scene.”

The nativity scene interacted with folk theater live actors. As a result of the “secularization” of the nativity scene, puppeteers borrowed characters, scenes, and short plays from the theater of live actors. The live theater, in turn, borrowed some plays from the nativity scene (for example, the drama "King Herod").

Zueva T.V., Kirdan B.P. Russian folklore - M., 2002

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✪ Poetic den. Shadow theater

✪ Christmas nativity scene - puppet show for the whole family

Subtitles

Nativity scene design

The nativity scene was a large box, inside of which there was a stage, usually two-tiered. On the upper stage they showed the worship of the newborn baby Jesus, on the lower stage - episodes with Herod, after whose death the everyday part of the performance followed. Wooden dolls were attached to a wire from below, with the help of which the nativity scene maker moved them along slots in the floor. The main decoration on the stage is a manger with a baby. At the back wall were the figures of the righteous Joseph with a long beard and the holy Virgin Mary. Scenes with the birth of Christ were traditionally played out in the upper tier. The owner of the nativity scene usually spoke the text himself in different voices and drove dolls. The choir boys sang Christmas carols. And if a musician was present, he would accompany the singing and dancing with music. Puppeteers and the accompanying musicians and choir walked from house to house, or staged performances in public gathering places - in shopping areas.

Plot

Christmas drama

See also

Literature
- Markovsky. Ukrainian nativity scene. Text exploration, in. I, view. All-Ukrainian. acad. Sciences, - Kiev, 1929 (Ukrainian)
- Beletsky A. Ancient theater in Russia. The beginnings of theater in folk life and school life in Southern Rus', Ukraine, - M., 1923
- Petrov, South Russian Theater and in particular the nativity scene, - “Kyiv. old,” 1882, XII
- Kisil O. Ukrainian Theatre, - Kiev: view. “Knigospilka”, 1905 (Ukrainian)
- Galagan. Ukrainian nativity scene, - Kharkiv: “Kyiv. old,” 1882 (Ukrainian)
- Franco. Before the history of Ukrainian nativity scene of the 18th century, 1st century, - “Zap. Sci. t-va im. Shevchenko", Lviv, 1906, t. 71-73 (Ukrainian)
- His own. New materials on the history of the Ukrainian nativity scene, in the same place, vol. 82, 1908; Shchukin N., Vertep, “Vestn. Geographical islands", vol. II, - St. Petersburg. , 1860
- Peretz Vl. Puppet theater in Rus' (historical sketch), “Yezhegod. imp. theaters", St. Petersburg. , season 1894-1895 (appendix, book 1), etc., - St. Petersburg. , 1895
- Vinogradov N. N. Great Russian nativity scene, “Izv. Dept. Russian language and words. Academician Sciences", vol. X, book. 3 and 4, St. Petersburg, 1905 (with detailed bibliography); vol. XI, book. 4, - St. Petersburg. , 1906 (additions to the bibliography)
- His, Belarusian den, in the same place, vol. XIII, book. 2, - St. Petersburg. , 1908
- Kisel O. Ukrainian nativity scene. - Fri., 1916. - 79 p.

The nativity scene was a large box, inside of which there was a stage, usually two-tiered. On the upper stage they showed the worship of the newborn baby Jesus, on the lower stage - episodes with Herod, after whose death the everyday part of the performance followed. Wooden dolls were attached to a wire from below, with the help of which the nativity scene maker moved them along slots in the floor. The main decoration on the stage is a manger with a baby. At the back wall were the figures of the righteous Joseph with a long beard and the holy Virgin Mary. Scenes with the birth of Christ were traditionally played out in the upper tier. The owner of the nativity scene usually himself pronounced the text in different voices and led the dolls. The choir boys sang Christmas carols. And if a musician was present, he would accompany the singing and dancing with music. Puppeteers and the accompanying musicians and choir walked from house to house, or staged performances in public gathering places - in shopping areas.

Plot

Christmas drama

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Modern recreated nativity scene of the Ensemble Dm. Pokrovsky

Social base

The environment from which the nativity scene grew is usually considered to be Ukrainian students, mainly the Kyiv “spudes,” who contributed to its introduction to the north, for example, to Siberia. The existence of nativity play in Poland and Russia is estimated at approximately 200 years. In the first half of the 19th century, the nativity scene disappeared as an everyday phenomenon, appearing at times in remote places of Belarus and Ukraine and more firmly lingering in the life of the Ukrainian peasantry of Eastern Galicia. The text of the Khorol nativity scene, published in the book by E. Markovsky, recorded in 1928, indicates that the nativity scene drama in Ukraine survived until the beginning of the 20th century.

The Nativity scene was a favorite entertainment for children pre-revolutionary Russia. We went with box theaters from December 25th for Yuletide week, and sometimes until Lent itself, but after the Holy Week the spiritual part was prohibited from being shown, only the secular part remained.

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Literature

Markovsky. Ukrainian nativity scene. Text exploration, in. I, view. All-Ukrainian. acad. Sciences, - Kiev, 1929 (Ukrainian)
Beletsky A. Ancient theater in Russia. The beginnings of theater in folk life and school life in Southern Rus', Ukraine, - M., 1923
Petrov, South Russian Theater and in particular the nativity scene, - “Kyiv. old,” 1882, XII
Kisil O. Ukrainian Theatre, - Kiev: view. “Knigospilka”, 1905 (Ukrainian)
Galagan. Ukrainian nativity scene, - Kharkiv: “Kyiv. old,” 1882 (Ukrainian)
Franco. Before the history of Ukrainian nativity scene of the 18th century, 1st century, - “Zap. Sci. t-va im. Shevchenko", Lviv, 1906, t. 71-73 (Ukrainian)
His own. New materials on the history of the Ukrainian nativity scene, in the same place, vol. 82, 1908; Shchukin N., Vertep, “Vestn. Geographical islands", vol. II, - St. Petersburg. , 1860
Peretz Vl. Puppet theater in Rus' (historical sketch), “Yezhegod. imp. theaters", St. Petersburg. , season 1894-1895 (appendix, book 1), etc., - St. Petersburg. , 1895
Vinogradov N. N. Great Russian nativity scene, “Izv. Dept. Russian language and words. Academician Sciences", vol. X, book. 3 and 4, St. Petersburg, 1905 (with detailed bibliography); vol. XI, book. 4, - St. Petersburg. , 1906 (additions to the bibliography)
His, Belarusian den, in the same place, vol. XIII, book. 2, - St. Petersburg. , 1908
Kisel O. Ukrainian nativity scene. - Fri., 1916. - 79 p.
Kulakov A.E. Seventeenth century television. - Ethnosphere. - 2011. N 2 (149). - P. 36-40 - photo. color - ISSN 2078-5380

Notes

An excerpt characterizing the Nativity scene (theater)

- Je suis votre [I am your] faithful slave, et a vous seule je puis l "avouer. My children are ce sont les entraves de mon existence. [I can confess to you alone. My children are the burden of my existence.] - He paused, expressing with a gesture his submission to cruel fate.
Anna Pavlovna thought about it.
-Have you ever thought about marrying your boyfriend? prodigal son Anatoly? They say,” she said, “that old maids are ont la manie des Marieiages.” [they have a mania to get married.] I don’t yet feel this weakness in me, but I have one petite personne [little person] who is very unhappy with her father, une parente a nous, une princesse [our relative, Princess] Bolkonskaya. - Prince Vasily did not answer, although with his characteristic secular people with the quickness of his thoughts and memory he showed by a movement of his head that he had taken this information into account.
“No, you know that this Anatole costs me 40,000 a year,” he said, apparently unable to control the sad train of his thoughts. He paused.
– What will happen in five years if it goes like this? Voila l"avantage d"etre pere. [This is the benefit of being a father.] Is she rich, your princess?
- My father is very rich and stingy. He lives in the village. You know, this famous Prince Bolkonsky, who was dismissed under the late emperor and nicknamed the Prussian king. He is very smart man, but with oddities and heavy. La pauvre petite est malheureuse, comme les pierres. [The poor thing is as unhappy as stones.] She has a brother who recently married Lise Meinen, Kutuzov’s adjutant. He will be with me today.
“Ecoutez, chere Annette, [Listen, dear Annette,” said the prince, suddenly taking his interlocutor by the hand and bending it down for some reason. – Arrangez moi cette affaire et je suis votre [Arrange this matter for me, and I will be yours forever] most faithful slave a tout jamais pan, comme mon headman m"ecrit des [as my headman writes to me] reports: rest er n!. She is good last name and rich. All I need.
And he, with those free and familiar, graceful movements that distinguished him, took the maid of honor by the hand, kissed her and, having kissed her, waved the maid of honor's hand, lounging on the chair and looking to the side.
“Attendez [Wait],” said Anna Pavlovna, thinking. – I’ll talk to Lise today (la femme du jeune Bolkonsky). [with Liza (the wife of young Bolkonsky).] And maybe this will work out. Ce sera dans votre famille, que je ferai mon apprentissage de vieille fille. [I will begin to learn the craft of a spinster in your family.]

Anna Pavlovna's living room began to gradually fill up. The highest nobility of St. Petersburg arrived, people of the most diverse ages and characters, but identical in the society in which they all lived; Prince Vasily's daughter, the beautiful Helen, arrived, picking up her father to go with him to the envoy's holiday. She was wearing a cipher and a ball gown. Also known as la femme la plus seduisante de Petersbourg [the most charming woman in St. Petersburg], the young, little princess Bolkonskaya, who got married last winter and now did not travel to big light due to her pregnancy, but still went to small evenings. Prince Hippolyte, the son of Prince Vasily, arrived with Mortemar, whom he introduced; Abbot Moriot and many others also arrived.
-Have you seen it yet? or: – you don’t know ma tante [my aunt]? - Anna Pavlovna said to the arriving guests and very seriously led them to a little old lady in high bows, who floated out from another room, as soon as the guests began to arrive, called them by name, slowly moving her eyes from the guest to ma tante [auntie], and then walked away.
All the guests performed the ritual of greeting an unknown, uninteresting and unnecessary aunt. Anna Pavlovna watched their greetings with sad, solemn sympathy, silently approving them. Ma tante spoke to everyone in the same terms about his health, about her health and about the health of Her Majesty, which was now, thank God, better. All those who approached, without showing haste out of decency, with a feeling of relief at the fulfillment of a difficult duty, walked away from the old woman, so as not to approach her once all evening.
The young Princess Bolkonskaya arrived with her work in an embroidered gold velvet bag. Her pretty upper lip, with a slightly blackened mustache, was short in the teeth, but the more sweetly it opened and the more sweetly it sometimes stretched out and fell onto the lower one. As is always the case with quite attractive women, her flaw—short lips and half-open mouth—seemed special to her, her actual beauty. Everyone had fun looking at this pretty expectant mother, full of health and vivacity, bearing her situation so easily. It seemed to the old people and bored, gloomy young people who looked at her that they themselves became like her, having been and talked with her for a while. Whoever spoke to her and saw her bright smile and shiny white teeth, which were constantly visible, with every word, thought that he was especially kind today. And that's what everyone thought.
The little princess, waddled, walked around the table with small quick steps with her work bag on her arm and, cheerfully straightening her dress, sat down on the sofa, near the silver samovar, as if everything she did was part de plaisir [entertainment] for her and for everyone those around her.
“J"ai apporte mon ouvrage [I captured the work],” she said, unfolding her reticule and addressing everyone together.
“Look, Annette, ne me jouez pas un mauvais tour,” she turned to the hostess. – Vous m"avez ecrit, que c"etait une toute petite soiree; Voyez, comme je suis attifee. [Don't play a bad joke on me; you wrote to me that you were having a very short evening. You see how poorly I am dressed.]
And she spread her arms to show her lace-covered gray elegant dress, girded with a wide ribbon just below her breasts.
“Soyez tranquille, Lise, vous serez toujours la plus jolie [Be calm, you will be better than everyone else],” answered Anna Pavlovna.
“Vous savez, mon mari m"abandonne,” she continued in the same tone, addressing the general, “il va se faire tuer. Dites moi, pourquoi cette vilaine guerre, [You know, my husband is leaving me. He is going to his death. Tell me “Why this nasty war,” she said to Prince Vasily and, without waiting for an answer, turned to Prince Vasily’s daughter, the beautiful Helen.
– Quelle delicieuse personne, que cette petite princesse! [What a lovely person this little princess is!] - Prince Vasily said quietly to Anna Pavlovna.
Soon after the little princess, a massive, fat young man with a cropped head, glasses, light trousers in the fashion of that time, a high frill and a brown tailcoat entered. This fat young man was the illegitimate son of the famous Catherine’s nobleman, Count Bezukhy, who was now dying in Moscow. He had not served anywhere yet, he had just arrived from abroad, where he was brought up, and was for the first time in society. Anna Pavlovna greeted him with a bow that belonged to people of the lowest hierarchy in her salon. But, despite this inferior greeting, at the sight of Pierre entering, Anna Pavlovna’s face showed concern and fear, similar to that expressed at the sight of something too huge and unusual for the place. Although, indeed, Pierre was somewhat larger than the other men in the room, this fear could only relate to that intelligent and at the same time timid, observant and natural look that distinguished him from everyone in this living room.
“C"est bien aimable a vous, monsieur Pierre, d"etre venu voir une pauvre malade, [It’s very kind of you, Pierre, that you came to visit the poor patient,] - Anna Pavlovna told him, exchanging fearful glances with her aunt, to with which she let him down. Pierre muttered something incomprehensible and continued to look for something with his eyes. He smiled joyfully, cheerfully, bowing to the little princess as if he were a close friend, and approached his aunt. Anna Pavlovna’s fear was not in vain, because Pierre, without listening to his aunt’s speech about Her Majesty’s health, left her. Anna Pavlovna stopped him in fear with the words:
“You don’t know Abbot Morioh?” he is very interesting person... - she said.
- Yes, I heard about his plan. eternal peace, and this is very interesting, but hardly possible...
“Do you think?...” said Anna Pavlovna, wanting to say something and return to her duties as a housewife, but Pierre did the opposite of impoliteness. First, he left without listening to the words of his interlocutor; now he stopped his interlocutor with his conversation, who needed to leave him. He, bending his head and spreading his large legs, began to prove to Anna Pavlovna why he believed that the abbot’s plan was a chimera.
“We’ll talk later,” Anna Pavlovna said, smiling.
And, having gotten rid of young man, unable to live, she returned to her duties as a housewife and continued to listen and look closely, ready to give help to the point where the conversation was weakening. Just as the owner of a spinning workshop, having seated the workers in their places, walks around the establishment, noticing the immobility or the unusual, creaking, too loud sound of the spindle, hurriedly walks, restrains it or puts it into proper motion, so Anna Pavlovna, walking around her living room, approached the silent man. or to a circle that was talking too much and with one word or movement again started a uniform, decent conversational machine. But amid these worries, a special fear for Pierre was still visible in her. She looked at him caringly while he came up to listen to what was being said around Mortemart and went to another circle where the abbot was speaking. For Pierre, who was brought up abroad, this evening of Anna Pavlovna was the first he saw in Russia. He knew that the entire intelligentsia of St. Petersburg was gathered here, and his eyes widened, like a child in a toy store. He was afraid to miss everything smart conversations that he can hear. Looking at the confident and graceful expressions of the faces gathered here, he kept expecting something especially smart. Finally, he approached Morioh. The conversation seemed interesting to him, and he stopped, waiting for an opportunity to express his thoughts, as young people like to do.

Russian nativity scene in traditional culture. Christmas traditions of Rus'. I invite you to the Vertep theater

Cases in which you need to buy proof of higher education

What are the benefits of purchasing a document?

Can such companies be trusted?

Encyclopedic YouTube

Subtitles

Nativity scene design

Plot

Christmas drama

See also

Literature

Plot

Christmas drama

Social base

See also

Write a review about the article "Nativity scene (theater)"

Literature

Notes

Links

An excerpt characterizing the Nativity scene (theater)