Shalva Dadiani
Encyclopedia
Shalva Dadiani (May 9, 1874 – March 15, 1959) was a Georgian
novelist, playwright, and a theatre actor.
Born in Zestaponi
, western Georgia (then Kutais Governorate of Imperial Russia), into the family of a writer and translator Prince Nikoloz Dadiani (1844-1896), a member of the Dadiani
noble family. His first collection of poems appeared in 1892, followed by a series of short stories published in the magazine Iveria in the late 1890s. Dadiani began his theatrical career in 1893 and quickly became a close collaborator of Lado Aleksi-Meskhishvili
at the Kutaisi
Theatre. In 1908, he formed Modzravi Dasi (“Mobile Troupe”), a peripatetic theatre of revolutionary propaganda, which toured in various cities of Georgia, as well as Baku
and Novorossiysk
, and staged, among others, Gorky
’s “The Last”, a play censored by the Russian authorities. Dadiani, as a playwright, emerged during the revolutionary turmoil of 1905-7
, heavily influenced by the works of Gorky. At the same time, Dadiani engaged in historical prose in the patriotic traditions of Vasil Barnovi
, and authored the memorable George the Rus (გიორგი რუსი; 1916-26), dedicated to Yuri Bogolyubsky
, the dishonored and ousted 12th-century Rus’ consort of Georgia. After the establishment of Soviet rule in Georgia (1921), Dadiani’s works were either tacitly hostile to the new regime, or remained apolitical. However, Dadiani never let his narrative ingenuity to endanger his future by oppositionist writings, and his later novels and plays glorified Stalin.
He joined the Communist Party
later in his life (1945) and was elected to the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union. He became People's Artist
of the Georgian SSR in 1923, and was decorated with a number of Soviet awards, including the Order of Lenin
.
.
Georgia (country)
Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
novelist, playwright, and a theatre actor.
Born in Zestaponi
Zestaponi
Zestafoni or Zestaponi is the capital of Zestaponi District in Western Georgia, which is part of Imereti province.It is an important industrial center, with a large ferro-alloy plant processing manganese ore from nearby Chiatura....
, western Georgia (then Kutais Governorate of Imperial Russia), into the family of a writer and translator Prince Nikoloz Dadiani (1844-1896), a member of the Dadiani
Dadiani
Dadiani was a Georgian family of nobles, dukes and princes, and a ruling dynasty of the western Georgian province of Samegrelo.- The House of Dadiani :...
noble family. His first collection of poems appeared in 1892, followed by a series of short stories published in the magazine Iveria in the late 1890s. Dadiani began his theatrical career in 1893 and quickly became a close collaborator of Lado Aleksi-Meskhishvili
Lado Aleksi-Meskhishvili
Vladimir Alexi-Meskhishvili, Lado Meskhishivili, or Alekseev-Meskhiev was a Georgian theater actor and director....
at the Kutaisi
Kutaisi
Kutaisi is Georgia's second largest city and the capital of the western region of Imereti. It is 221 km to the west of Tbilisi.-Geography:...
Theatre. In 1908, he formed Modzravi Dasi (“Mobile Troupe”), a peripatetic theatre of revolutionary propaganda, which toured in various cities of Georgia, as well as Baku
Baku
Baku , sometimes spelled as Baki or Bakou, is the capital and largest city of Azerbaijan, as well as the largest city on the Caspian Sea and of the Caucasus region. It is located on the southern shore of the Absheron Peninsula, which projects into the Caspian Sea. The city consists of two principal...
and Novorossiysk
Novorossiysk
Novorossiysk is a city in Krasnodar Krai, Russia. It is the country's main port on the Black Sea and the leading Russian port for importing grain. It is one of the few cities honored with the title of the Hero City. Population: -History:...
, and staged, among others, Gorky
Maxim Gorky
Alexei Maximovich Peshkov , primarily known as Maxim Gorky , was a Russian and Soviet author, a founder of the Socialist Realism literary method and a political activist.-Early years:...
’s “The Last”, a play censored by the Russian authorities. Dadiani, as a playwright, emerged during the revolutionary turmoil of 1905-7
Russian Revolution of 1905
The 1905 Russian Revolution was a wave of mass political and social unrest that spread through vast areas of the Russian Empire. Some of it was directed against the government, while some was undirected. It included worker strikes, peasant unrest, and military mutinies...
, heavily influenced by the works of Gorky. At the same time, Dadiani engaged in historical prose in the patriotic traditions of Vasil Barnovi
Vasil Barnovi
Vasil Barnovi was a Georgian writer popular for his historical novels....
, and authored the memorable George the Rus (გიორგი რუსი; 1916-26), dedicated to Yuri Bogolyubsky
Yuri Bogolyubsky
Yury Bogolyubsky , known as Giorgi Rusi in Georgia, was a Rus' prince of Novgorod . Married to Queen Regnant Tamar of Georgia, he was a consort of the Kingdom of Georgia from 1185 until being expelled from the country in 1188....
, the dishonored and ousted 12th-century Rus’ consort of Georgia. After the establishment of Soviet rule in Georgia (1921), Dadiani’s works were either tacitly hostile to the new regime, or remained apolitical. However, Dadiani never let his narrative ingenuity to endanger his future by oppositionist writings, and his later novels and plays glorified Stalin.
He joined the Communist Party
Communist Party of the Soviet Union
The Communist Party of the Soviet Union was the only legal, ruling political party in the Soviet Union and one of the largest communist organizations in the world...
later in his life (1945) and was elected to the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union. He became People's Artist
People's Artist
People's Artist is a honorary title in the Soviet Union, Union republics, in some other Eastern bloc states , as well as in a number of post-Soviet states, modeled after the title of the People's Artist of the USSR....
of the Georgian SSR in 1923, and was decorated with a number of Soviet awards, including the Order of Lenin
Order of Lenin
The Order of Lenin , named after the leader of the Russian October Revolution, was the highest decoration bestowed by the Soviet Union...
.
Selected filmography
- The ExileThe Exile (1922 film)The Exile is a 1922 Soviet Georgian film directed by Vladimir Barsky, based on the novel by Alexander Kazbegi.-Cast:* Shalva Dadiani - Preceptor* Giorgi Davitashvili - Onise* Yelena Charskaya - Djatia* M. Alibegova - Makvala...
(1922); actor, screenwriter - Before the HurricaneBefore the HurricaneBefore the Hurricane is a 1924 Georgian black-and-white silent film directed by Kote Marjanishvili based on a script by Shalva Dadiani.-Cast:* L. Kavsadze as Gijua...
(1924); screenwriter
External links
Shalva Dadiani (1874-1959). Anthology of Georgian classical literature. Georgian eBooks. The National Parliamentary Library of GeorgiaNational Parliamentary Library of Georgia
The National Parliamentary Library of Georgia is a governmental organization under the Parliament of Georgia. It is the main book depository of Georgia, as well as the most important cultural, educational, scientific, informational and methodological centre....
.