Leon Daniel(1927-2008)

Leon Daniel Abraham is Bulgarian theater director of Jewish origin. He was born on February 17, 1927 in Rousse, Bulgaria. He graduated directing in the class of Veysbrem and Galin at Leningrad State Theatre Institute in 1952. He debuted in the Drama Theatre Ruse as a director in 1952 with "Philistine" by Maxim Gorky. In subsequent years he worked in the Drama Theatre Ruse / 1952 - 1957 /, Drama Theatre Burgas / 1957 - 1960 /, Bulgarian National Television / 1960 - 1961 /, Theatre "Bulgarian army" / 1961 - 1963 and then in 1982/, Theatre "People's stage" / 1963 - 1964 /, Documentary Film's Studio / 1964 - 1965 /, Theatre of Poetry and Bandstand / 1965 - 1968/ Drama Theatre-Vratsa / 1968 - 1971 /, State Music Theater / 1972 - 1978 /, Theatre "Sofia" / 1978 - 1982 /. From 1981 to 1986 he worked as artistic consultant to the Drama Theatre Pazardzhik. Leon Daniel has realized over 50 productions. Among notable performances are "Three Sisters" and "The Cherry Orchard" by Chekhov, "Aesop" of Figeyredo, "The visit of the Old Lady" by Dürrenmatt, "Hamlet," "As You Like It," "Labour's Lost Love" and "Twelfth night" by Shakespeare, "Mr. Puntilla and his servant Matti" and "Fear and misery in the Third Reich" by Brecht, "Waiting for Godot" by Beckett, "Small tragedies" by Pushkin, "Guild" and "On the bottom " by Gorky," The disciple of the devil ", " Pygmalion ", " The profession of Mrs. Warren " by Bernard Shaw, " When roses dance "and" Fair musketeer " by Valeri Petrov," Easter wine "," Nirvana "," Basil for Draginko ", " Odysseus travels to Ithaca ", " Goodbye's Red Wine "," Window" by Konstantin Iliev, "Art" by Yasmina Reza. Leon Daniel was a part of the so-called "Great Four" in Burgas Drama Theatre, worked in the late 60th. Leon Daniel makes three documentaries and a movie "On a purely". He is an author of TV shows. His performances have been involved in Bulgarian and foreign festivals, visiting abroad. He is the author of the books: "Theatre and the spectator" (S. 1964); "Journey to the theater" (S. 1975); "Theatrical Essays" (S. 1979); "Drawer director" (S. 1988); "Prose essays. (Attempted memoirs) "(S.1997). In "Theatre and spectator 'author opens his directorial" drawers ". In the "Games" the director talks about the performances of their lives. Theatre of Leon Daniel is his own personality, he created a school and a remarkable pedagogue, not taught in the Theatre Academy. He remained indisputable figure in reversals of being; in which Daniel is himself, with his talents and values of art. He is a winner of the honorary Union of Bulgarian Actors' Award / 2007 / for overall activity, as well as many awards for theater: The Award "Asker" for overall contribution to theater in the category "For outstanding contribution to theater / 1992 /, The Award " Asker" for" The man who makes the rain "by Nathaniel Richard Nash in National Theatre" Ivan Vazov " / 1997 /; The Award "Honorary Asker" for honor and creative contribution to the development of theater / 2008 /. He was awarded the Order "Stara Planina" - first degree / 2003 / for overall contribution to Bulgarian culture. Among his many awards are the First Award of the review of Chamber theaters and Award of the National Academy of Arts. He was awarded the title of Doctor Honoris Causa of the National Academy for Theatre and Film Art (2003 /. He died on December 2, 2008 in Sofia.