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''Without a Dowry'' ((ロシア語:Бесприданница)) is a play by Alexander Ostrovsky premiered on November 10, 1878 at the Maly Theater and first published in the January 1879 issue of ''Otechestvennye Zapiski''. Met with indifference by the contemporary critics, later it came to be regarded as a Russian theatre classic. Eldar Ryazanov had it adapted into a popular 1983 film. ==History== According to the author's note, the idea of the play came to him on 4 November 1874, in Moscow. On October 1, 1876, informing actor Fyodor Burdin about how his work on the ''Truth is Good But Happiness Better'' was going on, Ostrovsky wrote: "Now my attention and energy are focused on my next large play which I have been working upon since last year... I intend to finish it this year and am going to polish it with the utmost care for it will be my 40th original work." The play's manuscript has been marked by the author as "Opus 40". Next time Ostrovsky mentioned it in his February 3, 1878, letter to Burdin: "Now I am busy working on a a large original play. I'd rather finish it in winter before the new season starts so as to have more spare time in the summer." Yet, he continued to work upon the play all through the summer and autumn in Shchelykovo, all the while negotiating the terms for the future stage production. On 17 October 1878 the play was finished, on the 26th it was sent to Burdin, on the 28th – approved by the Theatre and Literature Committee.〔 Burdin appeared to be unhappy with the role of Knurov which he deemed "secondary" and suggested some cuts should be made in the text. Ostrovsky wrote back: "I've read the play in Moscow five times, among the audiences there were people whom I'd hardly call my friends, but all unanimously agreed that ''Without a Dowry'' was my best play ever. Cutting anything in the text hasn't crossed anyone's mind. But you there - do cut whatever you will, I won't dispute it".〔 ''Without a Dowry'' was premiered in Moscow's Maly Theater on November 10, 1878, as a benefice for actor Nikolai Muzil (who played Robinson). Larisa was played by G.N.Fedotova, Paratov by A.P.Lensky, Karandyshev by M.P.Sadovsky, Knurov by I.V.Samarin. Several days later the play was performed for the second time, as a benefice for Prov Sadovsky, with Maria Yermolova as Larisa. Ostrovsky in a letter informed Burdin of the "great success" these two shows had. In Saint Petersburg ''Without a Dowry'' was performed for the first time on November 22, in the Alexandrinsky Theatre, as a benefice for Burdin. Maria Savina played Larisa and it was her inspired performance that drew all the attention. Otherwise the critical response was lukewarm. In the early 1890s ''Without a Dowry'' was successfully revived on stage by Vera Komissarzhevskaya who created her own, unique version of the Larisa character. In the Soviet times the play was being staged regularly in numerous theaters, and in 1948 made a return to the Maly Theater repertoire.〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Without a Dowry」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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