Life under the sign of Maria Zankovetska

Maria Festival is dedicated to the memory of the legend of the Ukrainian theater Maria Zankovetska and the career of Larysa Kadyrova is forever linked with the fate of the master of stage in the annals of the history of the national theater. For 22 years Kadyrova played the role of this unforgettable actress in the play Maria Zankovetska by Ivan Riabokliach at Maria Zankovetska Theater in Lviv!

From the first day of work on the favorite image Kadyrova measured her life by Zankovetska standards and has never changed this position to this day. She made this figure a spiritual model for herself and tried to live and work on stage according to the life principles of her idol. Like Zankovetska, Kadyrova has set a goal to live honestly and selflessly in the theater, and believed her creative mission to loudly tell the world about the Ukrainian theater and glorify it, make it known far outside its native land.

“We made this production more than 600 times and each time the show was sold out! From the very beginning she, indeed, became the herald of national revival. It was her love for the native land, people, folk songs, and Ukrainian language,” said the actress. “Lviv production of Maria Zankovetska back then became the first swallow of Ukraine’s independence.”

Jubilee night of Kadyrova with an expressive title “Love to love love” gathered a wide circle of friends, colleagues, and fans of the stage master. The actress refused to have an official and solemn night (although there were greetings sent at the state level by various institutions and theaters). But before that Kadyrova once again charmed the audience with a talented and witty show, which could be called “My life in art.” She played the role of the Old Lady from the play The Old Lady Sits Waiting by Tadeusz Rozewicz staged at Ivan Franko Theater weaving in monologues and scenes from various productions. Charging the audience with explosive energy and cheerfulness, captivating with the spontaneity and the talent of instant improvisation, the actress presented some kind of performance, speaking about her first steps towards achieving her goal, outlined the emotional dotted line of her 50-year artistic career. Fragments from the plays Richard III, Lisova Pisnia (Forest Song), Kaminny Hospodar (Stone Host), and Tartiuf, in which Kadyrova played on the Lviv stage, were presented in an interesting and somewhat unexpected way. Longstanding partners of the actress, leading actors of Maria Zankovetska Theater Bohdan Kozak and Hryhorii Shumeiko specially came to the jubilee night to play together and remember the happy moments of their youth. In improvisation with fellow actors from Ivan Franko Theater Taras Zhyrko and Oleksandr Formanchuk they presented the current versions of those old shows.

Kadyrova dominated on stage in her favorite genre of mono confession. She captivated the audience with the firework of acting organic, artistic pretentiousness, and sincere emotional openness. With the loud applause and shouts of “Bravo!” Kadyrova, in a deep bow, touching the native stage with her hands, made a declaration of love to the Theater – the meaning of her life on this earth.