Dobri Voynikov
Encyclopedia
Dobri Popov Voynikov was a Bulgaria
n teacher, playwright and journalist of the Bulgarian National Revival
. He is regarded as the father of modern Bulgarian theatre
and the first Bulgarian producer. Voynikov was among the founders of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences
.
Voynikov was born in the city of Shumen
in 1833 and studied at Sava Filaterov, Ivan Bogorov
and Sava Dobropolodni's schools. He graduated from the Galatasaray High School in Istanbul
in 1858 and became a teacher in Shumen, where he remained until 1864. In Shumen, he was an active public figure and took an active part in the Bulgarian Church struggle
and the establishment of secular Bulgarian education.
In 1864, he was forced to emigrate to the autonomous Romanian Principalities, settling first in Brăila
and then moving to Giurgiu
in 1873. In 1866, he was for a while part of the Secret Central Bulgarian Committee. He authored brochures in French
, revealing the atrocities committed by the Ottoman
authorities in the Bulgarian lands and enlightened the goals of the Bulgarian revolutionary movement. As an émigré
in Romania Voynikov came to be involved in theatre: he founded a Bulgarian amateur theatrical company in Brăila in 1865 and headed it until 1870. For the first time in the history of Bulgarian theatre, women took part as actresses. He continued his involvement in theatre in Giurgiu, Bucharest
and Shumen.
Voynikov authored several plays, both dramas and comedies: Princess Rayna (1866), Baptism of the Preslav
Court (1868), Velislava, Bulgarian Princess (1870), The Enthronement of Krum
the Fearsome (1871), the famous The Phoney Civilization (1873), The Chorbadzhia
(1881), A Physician in Spite of Himself (1884) and the unpublished Dimanka or True First Love. His plays constitute the main repertoire of Bulgarian National Revival theatre and set some trends that were continued by the next generations of playwrights, such as Vasil Drumev and Ivan Vazov
.
In the early 1870s Voynikov was close to the right-wing Band of Virtues group who assisted him in obtaining Russian citizenship
; thus, Voynikov could return to Bulgaria in 1874. During the Russo-Turkish War of 1877–1878, he was the director of an orphanage in Tarnovo
, where he died of typhus
.
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
n teacher, playwright and journalist of the Bulgarian National Revival
Bulgarian National Revival
The Bulgarian National Revival , sometimes called the Bulgarian Renaissance, was a period of socio-economic development and national integration among Bulgarian people under Ottoman rule...
. He is regarded as the father of modern Bulgarian theatre
Theatre
Theatre is a collaborative form of fine art that uses live performers to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place. The performers may communicate this experience to the audience through combinations of gesture, speech, song, music or dance...
and the first Bulgarian producer. Voynikov was among the founders of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences
Bulgarian Academy of Sciences
The Bulgarian Academy of Sciences is the National Academy of Bulgaria, established in 1869. The Academy is autonomous and has a Society of Academicians, Correspondent Members and Foreign Members...
.
Voynikov was born in the city of Shumen
Shumen
Shumen is the tenth-largest city in Bulgaria and capital of Shumen Province. In the period 1950–1965 it was called Kolarovgrad, after the name of the communist leader Vasil Kolarov...
in 1833 and studied at Sava Filaterov, Ivan Bogorov
Ivan Bogorov
Ivan Bogorov was a noted Bulgarian encyclopedist from the time of the National Revival. Educated in medicine, he also worked in the spheres of industry, economy, transport, geography, journalism and linguistics....
and Sava Dobropolodni's schools. He graduated from the Galatasaray High School in Istanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
in 1858 and became a teacher in Shumen, where he remained until 1864. In Shumen, he was an active public figure and took an active part in the Bulgarian Church struggle
Bulgarian Exarchate
The Bulgarian Exarchate was the official name of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church before its autocephaly was recognized by the Ecumenical See in 1945 and the Bulgarian Patriarchate was restored in 1953....
and the establishment of secular Bulgarian education.
In 1864, he was forced to emigrate to the autonomous Romanian Principalities, settling first in Brăila
Braila
Brăila is a city in Muntenia, eastern Romania, a port on the Danube and the capital of Brăila County, in the close vicinity of Galaţi.According to the 2002 Romanian census there were 216,292 people living within the city of Brăila, making it the 10th most populous city in Romania.-History:A...
and then moving to Giurgiu
Giurgiu
Giurgiu is the capital city of Giurgiu County, Romania, in the Greater Wallachia. It is situated amid mud-flats and marshes on the left bank of the Danube facing the Bulgarian city of Rousse on the opposite bank. Three small islands face the city, and a larger one shelters its port, Smarda...
in 1873. In 1866, he was for a while part of the Secret Central Bulgarian Committee. He authored brochures in French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
, revealing the atrocities committed by the Ottoman
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
authorities in the Bulgarian lands and enlightened the goals of the Bulgarian revolutionary movement. As an émigré
Émigré
Émigré is a French term that literally refers to a person who has "migrated out", but often carries a connotation of politico-social self-exile....
in Romania Voynikov came to be involved in theatre: he founded a Bulgarian amateur theatrical company in Brăila in 1865 and headed it until 1870. For the first time in the history of Bulgarian theatre, women took part as actresses. He continued his involvement in theatre in Giurgiu, Bucharest
Bucharest
Bucharest is the capital municipality, cultural, industrial, and financial centre of Romania. It is the largest city in Romania, located in the southeast of the country, at , and lies on the banks of the Dâmbovița River....
and Shumen.
Voynikov authored several plays, both dramas and comedies: Princess Rayna (1866), Baptism of the Preslav
Preslav
Preslav was the capital of the First Bulgarian Empire from 893 to 972 and one of the most important cities of medieval Southeastern Europe. The ruins of the city are situated in modern northeastern Bulgaria, some 20 kilometres southwest of the regional capital of Shumen, and are currently a...
Court (1868), Velislava, Bulgarian Princess (1870), The Enthronement of Krum
Krum of Bulgaria
Krum the Horrible was Khan of Bulgaria, from after 796, but before 803, to 814 AD. During his reign the Bulgarian territory doubled in size, spreading from the middle Danube to the Dnieper and from Odrin to the Tatra Mountains. His able and energetic rule brought law and order to Bulgaria and...
the Fearsome (1871), the famous The Phoney Civilization (1873), The Chorbadzhia
Çorbaci
Çorbacı was a military rank of the corps of Janissaries in the Ottoman Empire, used for the commander of an orta , i.e., approximately corresponding to the rank of colonel...
(1881), A Physician in Spite of Himself (1884) and the unpublished Dimanka or True First Love. His plays constitute the main repertoire of Bulgarian National Revival theatre and set some trends that were continued by the next generations of playwrights, such as Vasil Drumev and Ivan Vazov
Ivan Vazov
Ivan Minchov Vazov was a Bulgarian poet, novelist and playwright, often referred to as "the Patriarch of Bulgarian literature". He was born in Sopot, a town in the Rose Valley of Bulgaria ....
.
In the early 1870s Voynikov was close to the right-wing Band of Virtues group who assisted him in obtaining Russian citizenship
Russian passport
Russian passports are of two types: domestic passports issued to citizens of Russia for the purpose of certifying identity, international passports are issued for the purpose of international travel.- Internal passport :...
; thus, Voynikov could return to Bulgaria in 1874. During the Russo-Turkish War of 1877–1878, he was the director of an orphanage in Tarnovo
Veliko Tarnovo
Veliko Tarnovo is a city in north central Bulgaria and the administrative centre of Veliko Tarnovo Province. Often referred to as the "City of the Tsars", Veliko Tarnovo is located on the Yantra River and is famous as the historical capital of the Second Bulgarian Empire, attracting many tourists...
, where he died of typhus
Typhus
Epidemic typhus is a form of typhus so named because the disease often causes epidemics following wars and natural disasters...
.
External links
- The Phoney Civilization by Dobri Voynikov