V. L. Durov Theatre of Animals, Theatre “Grandfather Durov’s Corner”

“Grandfather Durov’s Corner”, “Grandfather Durov’s Wonderland”, “Theater of Animals named after V. L. Durov” – these names are familiar not only to residents of Moscow and Russian cities, but also to many guests from other countries. This is an unusual house, the like of which no longer exists in the world. There is peace and harmony between man and nature. There's a story and a fairy tale. Opened the Corner on January 8, 1912, Vladimir Leonidovich Durov is a famous circus artist, satirist clown, trainer, writer, scientist-zoopsychologist, the first Honored circus artist of Russia. He developed his own method of training - he gave up whiplash and stick when working with animals. “Cruelty humiliates, only kindness can be beautiful,” Durov said. The Kroshka Theatre was opened in the Corner, on the stage of which animals and birds performed, an extensive natural science museum and a zoopsychological laboratory, where the most famous scientists worked: academician V. M. Bekhterev, professors A. V. Leontovich, G. A. Kozhevnikov, A. L. Chizhevsky and others. The exterior of the house has not changed much since 1894, when it was built by architect August Weber. Durov’s grand staircase is decorated with figures of prehistoric animals sculpted with their own hands. Visitors in the foyer of the second floor are greeted by an inscription in Latin "Salve", meaning greeting the house to its guests. Today, Grandpa Durov’s Wonderland includes the Big and Small Stages, the Mouse Railway attraction, and the Theatre Museum. The motto of the Corner has always been “Fun, teach!” And I want to believe that after getting acquainted with wonderful artists, after visiting the museum, you will treat our smaller brothers the same way as Vladimir Leonidovich Durov – “as beings who feel, understand,” with kindness and love. The whole world knows the circus dynasty of the Durovs, founded 145 years ago by Vladimir Leonidovich Durov. V.L. Durov was born on June 25 (old style) in 1863 in Moscow, in a noble family. The Durov family is ancient, the first mention in the Russian pedigree books refers to the XVI century. In the family there were Duma deacons, bed-and-bearers, streltsy colonels, the famous cavalry maiden Nadezhda Andreevna Durova - his great-grandmother, his father Leonid Dmitrievich - a participant in the Crimean campaign of 1855. Early left without parents Vladimir together with his younger brother Anatoly was brought up in the family of his godfather N. Z. Zakharov. He prepared them for a military career, for this purpose the brothers were sent to the First Moscow Gymnasium - something like a cadet corps. However, the brothers were fond of acrobatics, circus, ran away to folk festivities to watch the performances of clowns in shelves. As punishment, they were sent to their grandmother in the Widow House, where their friendship with A. I. Kuprin began. The brothers run to Tver - to the wandering circus Rinaldo, pass a difficult school of acting, master all circus professions - acrobats, jugglers, clowns. It seemed to them that it was here, in the fairground whirlpool, surrounded by the people, that the freedom of spirit and the soul of the land on which they were born lived. “Kings of jesters, but not the jesters of kings,” the Durovs said of themselves. Durov’s dream was to build his own house for animals, to settle them there in the most suitable conditions for each, to observe, heal, teach and show their art. In Moscow, on Staraya Bogodomka Street (in 1927 it became Durov Street), he buys a house with a garden and stables and on January 8, 1912 opens the Durov Corner. In this house he lived the rest of his life from here he went on tour, here he was engaged in scientific work, here his days ended on August 3, 1934 (buried V. L. Durov at the Novodevichy cemetery). Durov managed to create an institution like no other in the world, since there was also the "Theater of the Little One", where trained animals performed, and an extensive natural science museum, and a scientific laboratory in which observations of animal behavior were conducted, training techniques were developed, lectures on animal psychology were given for visitors. After the death of Durov, the Corner was headed by his wife, Anna Ignatievna. In her youth, she was a circus rider, and, becoming the wife and assistant of V. L. Durov, takes on all household, economic and administrative chores around the Corner. For many years, the Corner was led by Durov’s younger daughter, Honored Art Worker of the RSFSR Anna Vladimirovna Durova-Sadovskaya. The Dynasty of Durov gave the fatherland four People's Artists of the USSR: Yuri Vladimirovich, Vladimir Grigorievich, Natalia Yurievna and Lev Konstantinovich Durov, People's Artist of Russia Teresa Vasilievna Durova, Honored Artist of the RSFSR Anna Vladimirovna Durova-Sadovskaya, Honored Artists of Russia Yuriy Yurievich and Teresa Gannibalovna Durovykh. The Theatre of Animals is recognized as a national value, one of the leading educational centers of Russia, bringing spirituality and morality to the younger generation.