Nikolay Akimov
Nikolay Pavlovich Akimov (16 April 1901 – 6 September 1968) was a Soviet experimental theatre director and scenic designer noted for his work with the Leningrad Comedy Theatre. His most notorious production was the cynical version of Hamlet (1932), with Ophelia as a drunken prostitute and the king's ghost as a clever mystification arranged by Hamlet. Akimov, who was the Comedy Theater director in 1935-1949 and 1956-1968, wrote several books, among them About Theater (О театре, 1962) and Not Just About Theater (Не только о театре, 1966), and was designated a People's Artist of the USSR in 1960.
Also recorded as Nikolai Pavlovich Akimov · Nikolaj Pavlovič Akimov · Nikolay Pavlovich Akimov
Nikolay Akimov
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- Name
- Nikolay Akimov
- Born
- 16 April 1901
- Birthplace
- Kharkiv, Russian Empire
- Died
- 6 September 1968
- Place of death
- Moscow, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union
- Occupation
- Theatre director, scenic designer
- Nationality
- Russian Empire, Russian Socialist Federative Soviet Republic and Russia.
- Fields
- portrait.
- Education
- Vkhutein.
- Teachers
- Savely Zeydenberg, Mstislav Dobuzhinsky, Alexandre Jacovleff and Vasily Shukhaev.
- Honours
- People's Artist of the USSR, Order of the Red Banner of Labour, Medal For the Defence of Leningrad, Medal For Valiant Labour in the Great Patriotic War 1941–1945, People's Artist of the RSFSR and Honored art worker of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic.
- Languages
- Russian.
VALÉORINE Encyclopedia
VALÉORINE documentary reading
Documentary summary
Nikolay Pavlovich Akimov (16 April 1901 – 6 September 1968) was a Soviet experimental theatre director and scenic designer noted for his work with the Leningrad Comedy Theatre. His most notorious production was the cynical version of Hamlet (1932), with Ophelia as a drunken prostitute and the king's ghost as a clever mystification arranged by Hamlet. Akimov, who was the Comedy Theater director in 1935-1949 and 1956-1968, wrote several books, among them About Theater (О театре, 1962) and Not Just About Theater (Не только о театре, 1966), and was designated a People's Artist of the USSR in 1960.
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Note VALÉORINE
Nikolay Akimov (1901–1968) was an artist, director and drama teacher, among other activities, of Russian and Russian nationality. The artist was born in Kharkiv and died in Moscow.
Nikolay Akimov was educated at Vkhutein. The artist worked for Alexandrinsky Theatre, Saint Petersburg Comedy Theatre and Saint Petersburg Lensoviet Theatre, among others.
The work spans portrait. Languages used include Russian. Honours include Order of the Red Banner of Labour, People's Artist of the RSFSR and People's Artist of the USSR.
Composed from admitted, traceable facts · 01 October 2026
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Authority files
wikidata · Q1185061 · wikipedia · Nikolay Akimov
In this article
Biography
Biography
Akimov was director of the New Theatre in Leningrad in the early 1950s. The Saint Petersburg Comedy Theatre is named in his honour.
Nikolay Akimov studied at Vkhutein. Training under Savely Zeydenberg, Mstislav Dobuzhinsky and Alexandre Jacovleff is recorded. The recorded working language is Russian. Subjects and genres recorded for the work are portrait. Employment is recorded with Alexandrinsky Theatre, Tovstonogov Bolshoi Drama Theater and Saint Petersburg Comedy Theatre. Distinctions recorded are People's Artist of the USSR, Order of the Red Banner of Labour, Medal "For the Defence of Leningrad" and Medal "For Valiant Labour in the Great Patriotic War 1941–1945".
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Nikolay Akimov • Born — 16 April 1901 • Birthplace — Kharkiv, Russian Empire • Died — 6 September 1968 • Place of death — Moscow, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union • Occupation — Theatre director, scenic designer
Identity
Identity
Nikolay Akimov is recorded with the occupation opinion journalist. Recorded with the occupation theatre director. Recorded with the occupation drama teacher. Classed in the genre portrait. Recorded as having received People's Artist of the USSR, Order of the Red Banner of Labour and Medal "For the Defence of Leningrad".
Life and career
Dated record
Life and career
The full dated record · 2 entries
1901
Nikolay Akimov was born on 16 April 1901.
1968
Nikolay Akimov died on 6 September 1968.
Places
Named by the record
Places
Only places the record itself states, plotted where the house gazetteer settles their coordinates. Nothing is inferred from a name or a nationality.
Kharkiv.
Birth place
Moscow.
Death place
Recognition and collections
Where the work is held
Recognition and collections
Nikolay Akimov received People's Artist of the USSR, Order of the Red Banner of Labour, Medal "For the Defence of Leningrad", Medal "For Valiant Labour in the Great Patriotic War 1941–1945", People's Artist of the RSFSR and Honored art worker of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic.
Documents and archives
Primary material
Documents and archives
authority record
- Wikidata, structured authority record Q1185061: Nikolay Akimov
General reference · Wikidata
reference work
- “Nikolay Akimov”, English Wikipedia, consulted as further reading
Reputable secondary · Wikipedia
Awards and honours
• Honoured Worker of the Arts Industry of the RSFSR (1939) • People's Artist of the Tajik SSR (1944) • People's Artist of the RSFSR (1945) • People's Artist of the USSR (1960) • Two Orders of the Red Banner of Labour (1939, 1961) • Order of the Red Star • Medal "For the Defence of Leningrad" • Medal "For Valiant Labour in the Great Patriotic War 1941–1945" • Medal "In Commemoration of the 250th Anniversary of Leningrad"
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.Обсуждение акимовского «Гамлета». ВТО. Кабинет Шекспира. 29 сентября 1943 г.
- 2.kino-teatr.ru. Николай Павлович Акимов.
- 3.Nikolay Pavlovich Akimov — Russian stage designer. Encyclopedia Britannica. 26 July 2012.
- 4.Theater them. Lensoveta: repertoire, actors, address. en.delachieve.com. 30 September 2019.
- 5.Театр комедии откроется после реставрации 21 марта // Kanoner (online newspaper)
References
Citations
References
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authority record
Secondary witnessreference work
Secondary witness
People, houses and institutions
Knowledge graph
People, houses and institutions
Teachers, collaborators, publishers and institutions recorded against this person, each on a stated basis.
Distinctions
1- Medal "For the Defence of Leningrad"Terminology
Established from a fact already recorded on a verified source.
Died at
1- MoscowPlace
Established from a fact already recorded on a verified source.
Further particulars
Held on the record
Further particulars
Open the remaining particulars
The authorities additionally record the headings Nikolai Pavlovich Akimov, Nikolaj Pavlovič Akimov and Nikolay Pavlovich Akimov. His recorded language was Russian. He married Nadezhda Kosheverova and Yelena Yunger. Formation and teaching. Akimov studied at Vkhutein. He trained under Savely Zeydenberg, Mstislav Dobuzhinsky, Alexandre Jacovleff and Vasily Shukhaev. He was employed by Alexandrinsky Theatre, Tovstonogov Bolshoi Drama Theater, Saint Petersburg Comedy Theatre, Saint Petersburg Lensoviet Theatre and Russian State Institute of Performing Arts. Connected to 1 other published record in the VALÉORINE Encyclopedia.
Identity and origins
Career and activity
Within the Encyclopedia
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 17 August 2026.
Elsewhere in Paintings
18,717 published records in this field, each with its sources named.
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