Ostrovsky worked as a clerk for the Moscow juvenile court from 1843 until 1848. His first play, Scenes of Family Happiness, was published in 1847. The publication of his play, The Bankrupt, in 1850 resulted in an uproar within the merchant class of Moscow; it was banned until 1863 and led to his dismissal from the civil service. During the 1860's, Ostrovsky produced many historical plays which were well-received and included The Snow Maiden, which was later adapted to opera by Rimsky-Korsakov. He became closely associated with the Maly Theatre in Moscow, and the majority of his plays were produced there under his supervision. In 1874, he became the first president of the Society of Russian Playwrights and in 1885 was named artistic director for the Moscow Imperial theatres. Ostrovsky is recognised as the greatest Russian playwright of the realistic period in Russian literature. |
Chrysoma Associates Limited
