Siergiej Muchanow
Encyclopedia
Siergiej Siergiejewicz Muchanow (Stara Wołogda, 1833 – 29 May 1897, Przemęczany
, near Miechowa
) was a Russian official, an officer in the Special Corps of Gendarmes
, director of the Warsaw Theatre Directorate
and second husband of the Polish pianist Maria Kalergis
.
, and Minadora Countess von Sievers. Serving in the military from his youth, he found himself in Warsaw in 1861, being appointed adjutant general to Alexander von Lüders
and becoming a Gendarme lieutenant in July 1862 (in the latter of which roles he served as chief of police in Warsaw and produced a list of 12,000 Polish
young men for imperial Russian impressment). After the January Uprising
he fought as adjutant alongside the next governor Constantine Nikolaevich. He resigned as police chief in March 1863.
Almost from the very beginning of his stay in Warsaw Muchanow had belonged to the aristocratic artistic salons, particularly that of the pianist Maria Kalergis
(née Nesselrode). Maria's estranged first husband died in 1863 – 10 years younger than her, and hoping to raise his social position by marrying her, Muchanow proposed and was accepted. The wedding took place in Baden-Baden
on 30 September 1863. Muchanow's resignation of his career to marry her and the resulting financial strains, however, caused Maria to have a nervous breakdown and it was only some time later that she was able to go to Saint Petersburg
to obtain his appointment as administrator of imperial palaces in the Kingdom of Poland and President of the Warsaw Theatre Directorate. Also supported by governor Fiodor Berg
in this request, Muchanow received these posts on 27 April 1868. He and his wife then brought about a rise in theatrical life in Warsaw - with the aid of the Directorate's administrative directors Mikołaja Bojanowskiego and Bogumiła Folanda, Muchanow was able to give the city's theatres settled financing systems and find an additional income source in the form of tax concessions in the gardens around the theatres. He also managed to overhaul the city's theatre buildings and oversee the opening of the Teatru Letniego (Summer Theatre).
In these efforts, Muchanow was able to count on the support of governor Berg (convinced to support the theatres by Maria) as well as major Polish cultural figures such as Stanisława Moniuszki
, Jan Chęciński, Aleksander Narcyz Przezdziecki, Józef Kenig and Władysław Bogusławski. He invited Helena Modrzejewska to Warsaw, granting her various privileges, such as selection of the repertoire, and she appeared onstage there in Shakespeare
, Słowackiego, Schiller
and Fredry
. The operatic repertoire, swelled by songs by Moniuszki, also prospered. Muchanow ensured the creation of a team of actors and Modrzejewska and actors already well-known to Warsaw audiences such as Alojzego Żółkowskiego, Jana Królikowskiego, Wiktoryny Bakałowiczowej, Salomei Palińskiej and Aleksandry Rakiewiczowej were joined by newcomers such as Romana Popiel, Wincenty Rapacki, Bolesław Leszczyński, Marian Prażmowski and Edward Wolski - the period became known as "the age of stars".
Muchanow's success declined from 1874 with the death of Maria on 22 June and of Jan Chęciński on 30 December. Modrzejewska thus lost her protectoress and, getting entangled in problems with the censors and other company members, she soon left for the United States. Rapacki Bogusławski and Emil Deryng could not fill Modrzejewska's role as head of the company, nor could Deryng's daughter Maria. Muchanow made a last attempt at glory by making Jan Tatarkiewicz director in 1878 and taking on actors such as Jadwiga Czaki, Adolfina Zimajer, Józef Kotarbiński and Honorata Leszczyńska (daughter of Wincenty Rapacki), but neither measure had great success and Muchanow began putting on little theater and opera, focusing instead on the ballet company. He retired from his post as head of the directorate on 12 June 1880 and soon moved to the countryside, in 1882 marrying Waleria Pignan. Pignan had made her debut in September 1869 as a student of the Warsaw ballet school, had performed in several well-known productions of the 1870s, and had become known as one of the Directorate's most talented dancers before leaving the stage to marry Muchanow.
, Państwowe Wydawnictwo Naukowe, Warszaw, 1973 (articles on Sergiusz Muchanow and Waleria Pignan). Stefan Kieniewicz
, "Maria Muchanow (1. v. Kalergis)," in Polski Słownik Biograficzny, vol. XXII, 1977.
Przemeczany
Przemęczany is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Radziemice, within Proszowice County, Lesser Poland Voivodeship, in southern Poland. It lies approximately north of Radziemice, north-west of Proszowice, and north-east of the regional capital Kraków.-References:...
, near Miechowa
Miechowa
Miechowa is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Byczyna, within Kluczbork County, Opole Voivodeship, in south-western Poland. It lies approximately west of Byczyna, north of Kluczbork, and north of the regional capital Opole....
) was a Russian official, an officer in the Special Corps of Gendarmes
Special Corps of Gendarmes
The Special Corps of Gendarmes was the uniformed security police of the Russian Empire in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Its main responsibilities were law enforcement and state security....
, director of the Warsaw Theatre Directorate
Warsaw Theatre Directorate
The Warsaw Theatre Directorate was the chief authority for theatres in the Duchy of Warsaw in Warsaw during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was set up by decree of Frederick Augustus I of Saxony on 14 April 1810 as the Rządowa Dyrekcja Teatru , its draft statute having been developed by...
and second husband of the Polish pianist Maria Kalergis
Maria Kalergis
Maria Kalergis was a countess, Polish pianist and patron of the arts.-Life:...
.
Life
He was the son of Sergiej Aleksandrowicz Muchanow, governor of KharkivKharkiv
Kharkiv or Kharkov is the second-largest city in Ukraine.The city was founded in 1654 and was a major centre of Ukrainian culture in the Russian Empire. Kharkiv became the first city in Ukraine where the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic was proclaimed in December 1917 and Soviet government was...
, and Minadora Countess von Sievers. Serving in the military from his youth, he found himself in Warsaw in 1861, being appointed adjutant general to Alexander von Lüders
Alexander von Lüders
Count Alexander Nikolajewitsch von Lüders was a Russian general and Namestnik of the Kingdom of Poland.Lüders was born to a German noble family that moved to Russia in the middle of the 18th century...
and becoming a Gendarme lieutenant in July 1862 (in the latter of which roles he served as chief of police in Warsaw and produced a list of 12,000 Polish
Congress Poland
The Kingdom of Poland , informally known as Congress Poland , created in 1815 by the Congress of Vienna, was a personal union of the Russian parcel of Poland with the Russian Empire...
young men for imperial Russian impressment). After the January Uprising
January Uprising
The January Uprising was an uprising in the former Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth against the Russian Empire...
he fought as adjutant alongside the next governor Constantine Nikolaevich. He resigned as police chief in March 1863.
Almost from the very beginning of his stay in Warsaw Muchanow had belonged to the aristocratic artistic salons, particularly that of the pianist Maria Kalergis
Maria Kalergis
Maria Kalergis was a countess, Polish pianist and patron of the arts.-Life:...
(née Nesselrode). Maria's estranged first husband died in 1863 – 10 years younger than her, and hoping to raise his social position by marrying her, Muchanow proposed and was accepted. The wedding took place in Baden-Baden
Baden-Baden
Baden-Baden is a spa town in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is located on the western foothills of the Black Forest, on the banks of the Oos River, in the region of Karlsruhe...
on 30 September 1863. Muchanow's resignation of his career to marry her and the resulting financial strains, however, caused Maria to have a nervous breakdown and it was only some time later that she was able to go to Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
to obtain his appointment as administrator of imperial palaces in the Kingdom of Poland and President of the Warsaw Theatre Directorate. Also supported by governor Fiodor Berg
Friedrich Wilhelm Rembert von Berg
Count Friedrich Wilhelm Rembert von Berg was a Russian Field Marshal, and the Governor-General of Finland from 1855 to 1861....
in this request, Muchanow received these posts on 27 April 1868. He and his wife then brought about a rise in theatrical life in Warsaw - with the aid of the Directorate's administrative directors Mikołaja Bojanowskiego and Bogumiła Folanda, Muchanow was able to give the city's theatres settled financing systems and find an additional income source in the form of tax concessions in the gardens around the theatres. He also managed to overhaul the city's theatre buildings and oversee the opening of the Teatru Letniego (Summer Theatre).
In these efforts, Muchanow was able to count on the support of governor Berg (convinced to support the theatres by Maria) as well as major Polish cultural figures such as Stanisława Moniuszki
Stanisław Moniuszko
Stanisław Moniuszko was a Polish composer, conductor and teacher. His output includes many songs and operas, and his musical style is filled with patriotic folk themes of the peoples of the former Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth...
, Jan Chęciński, Aleksander Narcyz Przezdziecki, Józef Kenig and Władysław Bogusławski. He invited Helena Modrzejewska to Warsaw, granting her various privileges, such as selection of the repertoire, and she appeared onstage there in Shakespeare
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
, Słowackiego, Schiller
Friedrich Schiller
Johann Christoph Friedrich von Schiller was a German poet, philosopher, historian, and playwright. During the last seventeen years of his life , Schiller struck up a productive, if complicated, friendship with already famous and influential Johann Wolfgang von Goethe...
and Fredry
Aleksander Fredro
Aleksander Fredro was a Polish poet, playwright and author.-Life:Count Aleksander Fredro, of the Bończa coat of arms, was born in the village of Surochów near Jarosław, then a crown territory of Austria. A landowner's son, he was educated at home. He entered the Polish army at age 16 and saw...
. The operatic repertoire, swelled by songs by Moniuszki, also prospered. Muchanow ensured the creation of a team of actors and Modrzejewska and actors already well-known to Warsaw audiences such as Alojzego Żółkowskiego, Jana Królikowskiego, Wiktoryny Bakałowiczowej, Salomei Palińskiej and Aleksandry Rakiewiczowej were joined by newcomers such as Romana Popiel, Wincenty Rapacki, Bolesław Leszczyński, Marian Prażmowski and Edward Wolski - the period became known as "the age of stars".
Muchanow's success declined from 1874 with the death of Maria on 22 June and of Jan Chęciński on 30 December. Modrzejewska thus lost her protectoress and, getting entangled in problems with the censors and other company members, she soon left for the United States. Rapacki Bogusławski and Emil Deryng could not fill Modrzejewska's role as head of the company, nor could Deryng's daughter Maria. Muchanow made a last attempt at glory by making Jan Tatarkiewicz director in 1878 and taking on actors such as Jadwiga Czaki, Adolfina Zimajer, Józef Kotarbiński and Honorata Leszczyńska (daughter of Wincenty Rapacki), but neither measure had great success and Muchanow began putting on little theater and opera, focusing instead on the ballet company. He retired from his post as head of the directorate on 12 June 1880 and soon moved to the countryside, in 1882 marrying Waleria Pignan. Pignan had made her debut in September 1869 as a student of the Warsaw ballet school, had performed in several well-known productions of the 1870s, and had become known as one of the Directorate's most talented dancers before leaving the stage to marry Muchanow.
Sources
Słownik biograficzny teatru polskiego 1765-1965 (Biographical Dictionary of Polish Theater, 1765–1965), edited by Zbigniew RaszewskiZbigniew Raszewski
Zbigniew Raszewski was a Polish writer and theatre historian.-Life:Shortly after his birth his family moved to Bydgoszcz, where he spent his childhood and youth. He wrote one of the best books on the town, and more broadly on Polish-German relations there, in the form of Pamiętnik gapia....
, Państwowe Wydawnictwo Naukowe, Warszaw, 1973 (articles on Sergiusz Muchanow and Waleria Pignan). Stefan Kieniewicz
Stefan Kieniewicz
Stefan Kieniewicz was a Polish historian and university professor, notable for his works on 19th century history of Poland...
, "Maria Muchanow (1. v. Kalergis)," in Polski Słownik Biograficzny, vol. XXII, 1977.