Sanskrit plays on European stages (and elsewhere)

[Klaus Karttunen]

Dear colleagues

 During the days I have not opened my e-mail the questions seems to
have moved beyond European stages, but perhaps an answer to the
original question is still in place. To make the post not too long, I
just list those cases I know of, without adding information about
theatres, directors etc. I am certain that even these are but a
small part of actual cases.

English
1899 ZakuntalA, Monier Williams' translation (1855) staged in London.
1912 same, in Cambridge, by Indian students.
1913 same, in London.
1924 MRcchakaTika, in New York, directed by Morgan and Irene Lewisohn
(famous).

German
1820 a stage version of the ZakuntalA by W. Gerhard published. I do
not know, whther it was actually staged.
1869 New stage version of the Zakuntala by A. von Wollzogen
published. It was staged several times in different parts of Germany
(e.g. Breslau).
188? VikramorvazIya in Munich
1892 MRcchakaTika, stage version by E. Pohl published. Staged several
times in different places both in Germany and elsewhere.
1903 ZakuntalA freely adapted by M.Möller, performed in Berlin.
1916 MRcchakaTika adapted by L. Feuchtwanger, often performed in
Germany and elsewhere.
1917 MAlavikAgnimitra by Feuchtwanger, performed by Winternitz.
1973 MAlavikAgnimitra, Weber's old translation staged in Plauen, DDR.

French
1835 ZakuntalA in Paris, apparently the earliest performance of an
Indian play in the West.
1850 or 58 MRcchakaTika by Mery and Nerval, in Paris, with little
success.
1895 MRcchakaTika by Barrucand in Paris.

Spanish
198? ZakuntalA, in Cuba

Dutch
1958 ZakuntalA. Kern's old translation adapted into a famous theatre
performance.

Swedish
1894 Pohl's German MRcchakaTika translated and performed in Stockholm.
1905 Möller's German ZakuntalA translated and performed in Stockholm.

Russian
1910 or 14 ZakuntalA in Moscow, directede by A. Tairov, a famous
performance.

Polish
1960 ZakuntalA in Warsaw, directed by J. Grotowski.

Czech
1922 BhAsa's CArudatta translated by V. Lesny, performed in Prague.

Finnish (unlike others, this is fairly complete)
1895 Pohl's German MRcchakaTika translated and performed in Helsinki.
again in 1903-04, now also in other towns.
1906 Möller's German ZakuntalA translated and performed in Viipuri,
1908 same in Helsinki.
1926 Feuchtwanger's German MRcchakaTika translated and performed in
Helsinki.
1950 ZakuntalA, from a German version, adapted to the Finnish radio
1987 ZakuntalA, my own translation adapted to stage, in Kuopio

I have left out ballets and operas as these were discussed a few
months ago under the heading Romantic India.

See also R. Van Baumer and J. R. Brandon, Sanskrit Drama in
Performance. Honolulu 1980.

Regards

Klaus