Tumanishvili Mikheil
Mikheil Tumanishvili (b. February 6, 1921, Tbilisi – d. May 11, 1996, Tbilisi), director, public figure, teacher, People's Artist of Georgia (1961) and the USSR (1985), winner of the K. Marjanishvili Prize (1980), the USSR State Prize (1986). In 1949, he graduated from the Faculty of Directing of the Shota Rustaveli Theatre Institute (teacher G. Tovstonogov). From 1949 to 1971 he was the director of the Tbilisi Rustaveli State Academy Theatre, in 1965–1966 – the chief director. In 1971–1975 – the chief director of the stage editing department of Georgian Television, from 1975 – the chief director of the theatre workshop of the film studio “Georgian Film”. Tumanishvili's directorial individuality was distinguished by the original interpretation of the work, sharp theatrical form, virtuoso handling of scenic details and nuances, and acting ensemble. Among the performances staged by him, the following are noteworthy: J. Fučík's Lidé, bděte! (People, Be Vigilant), J. Fletcher's The Spanish Priest, K. Buachidze's Ambavi Sikvarulisa (Love Story), G. Nakhutsrishvili's Chinchraka, P. Kohout's Taková láska (Such a Love), W. Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, King Lear, Julius Caesar, J. Anouilh's Antigone, O. Iosseliani's Sanam Uremi Gadabrundeba (Before the Cart Turns Over), J. Racine's Phèdre, A. Chkhaidze's Khidi (The Bridge) and etc. (All were staged at the Rustaveli Theatre). In 1978, an excellent community of like-minded people was created at the Georgian Theatre Institute on the basis of the expert group of actors and directors of his own workshop — the “Film Actors' Theatre”. Here he staged the following performances: Molière's Dom Juan, D. Kldiashvili's Bakulas Ghorebi (Bakula's Pigs), T. Wilder's Our Town, L. Tabukashvili's Natadzrali, W. Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream and etc.; at the Z. Paliashvili Opera and Ballet Theatre - W. A. Mozart's Don Giovanni (1983), Z. Paliashvili's Abesalom and Eteri (1986), G. Verdi's Un ballo in maschera (A Masked Ball) (1988).
In 1949, he started teaching at the Rustaveli Theatre Institute (in 1973 he became a professor there). He is the author of numerous of articles and books on theatrical art issues: Before the Rehearsal Begins (1977), The Director Left the Theatre (1989), Now the Curtain (1998). In 1999, the Tumanishvili International Art Festival “The Gift” was established (director K. Dolidze). After his death, the Film Actors' Theatre was named after him.
Penetrating Action, filmed in 1985: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SHFW5rCac90
He was a Honorary Citizen of Tbilisi (1986). A monument to M. Tumanishvili stands in front of the State Drama Theatre of Film Actors in Tbilisi. He is buried in the Didube Pantheon of Georgian Writers and Public Figures.
Literary work: თუმანიშვილი ფიქრობს, თუმანიშვილი თხზავს, თუმანიშვილი ასწავლის. კრ. სამ ტომად, თბ., 2004.
Literature: ანდრონიკაშვილი ვ., „მაესტრო", თბ., 1996; კიკნაძე ვ., ქართველი რეჟისორები, წგ. 2, თბ., 1970; მუმლაძე დ., თანამედროვე ქართული რეჟისურა, თბ., 1973; ტურიაშვილი მ., მიხეილ თუმანიშვილის რეპეტიცია – „ზაფხულის ღამის სიზმარი“, თბ., 2012; ურუშაძე ნ., მიხეილ თუმანიშვილი: მთავარი მოწმის ნაამბობი, თბ., 1999.
