The staging of Jean Genet’s The Maids at the Satyricon theatre in 1988 marked a definitive turning point in the career of Roman Viktiuk. Across a professional life spanning several decades, he moved between roles as a theatre director, actor, screenwriter, and television presenter, establishing a unique aesthetic that eventually led to the creation of his own private theatre in 1991.
Early Training and Career
Born in Lviv in 1936, Viktiuk held citizenship across the Second Polish Republic, the Soviet Union, and Russia. His formal training took place at the Russian Institute of Theatre Arts, where he graduated in 1956. During his formative years as a director, he worked in diverse theatrical hubs including Minsk, Vilnius, Tallinn, Kyiv, Odessa, Kalinin, and Lviv. These diverse locales provided the foundation for a career that would later reach the major stages of Moscow by the mid-1970s.
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Viktiuk applied his directorial vision to various formats, including dramas for Central Television. His screen portfolio includes the 1978 production of Players, the 1980 adaptation of The History of the Chevalier des Grieux and Manon Lescaut, and the 1982 drama Girl, Where Do You Live?. On stage, he gained significant recognition during the 1980s for his work on Leonid Zorin’s Royal Hunt at the Moscow City Council Theatre.
The Roman Viktiuk Theater
In 1991, he founded the Roman Viktiuk Theater, assuming the dual roles of artistic director and lead director. The institution transitioned into a state-funded theatre in 1996. Beyond his creative output, he contributed to the development of the next generation of professionals as a drama teacher and professor at the Russian Institute of Theatre Arts, and as an educator at the Top Courses for Scriptwriters and Film Directors.
Final Years and Legacy
Viktiuk’s contributions to the arts were recognized through numerous honors, including the Kyiv Pectoral Award in 1991, and the title of Honored art worker of the Russian Federation in 2003. He was named a People's Artist of Ukraine in 2006 and a People's Artist of the Russian Federation in 2009. He was also a recipient of the Order For Intellectual Courage. Following an infection during the COVID-19 pandemic, he passed away on 17 November 2020 at the Bakhrushin Brothers City Hospital in Moscow and was later buried at the Lychakiv Cemetery.
Fast facts
- Born: 1936, Lviv
- Died: 17 November 2020, Moscow
- Education: Russian Institute of Theatre Arts
- Key Production: The Maids (1988)
- People's Artist of Ukraine (2006)
- People's Artist of the Russian Federation (2009)
- Burial Site: Lychakiv Cemetery
Questions readers ask
Where is Roman Viktiuk buried?
He is buried at the Lychakiv Cemetery.
When did he establish his private theatre?
He established the Roman Viktiuk Theater in 1991, which became a state theatre in 1996.
Achievements
- Worked as theatre director, actor and drama teacher
