Adolf Shapiro
Honoured Artist of Latvia, Laureate of the State Prize of the Russian Federation, Laureate of the Moscow Award, Laureate of the Baltic House Theatre Festival Award, Laureate of the Stanislavski Award.
Adolf Shapiro is a graduate of the Kharkov State Kotlyarevsky University of Arts (1962). He continued his work with Maria Klebel’s creative workshop.
In 1962-1992 was the head of the Riga Youth Theatre. This theatre is a unique structure of the former Soviet Union for its two independent casts from Latvia and Russia, and is the winner of numerous international competitions.
Adolf Shapiro taught at the Riga State Conservatory and prepared two acting and one directing classes before the theatre was closed at the order of the Latvia Culture Ministry in 1992.
Since 1993 Adolf Shapiro works as an independent stage director and drama teacher. He has taught and lead workshops in the USA (Harvard University, Carnegie Mellon University, University of Indianapolis, The University of Chicago), Germany (Berlin, Bad Pyrmont, National Theatre Munich), Poland (Teatr Ochoty), Israel (Gesher Theatre, Yiddishpiel Theatre), France (Ecole Nationale Sup?rieure Arts et Techniques du Th?atre Lyon) and Italy (bi-annual festival METHODIKA 2007).
Resides and works in Estonia. In 2003 Shapiro was elected an Honoured Doctor of the Department of Performing Arts of the Tallinn Theatre Academy and Fine Arts College in Viljandi.
Adolf Shapiro is a playwright whose works are staged both in Russia and abroad. He is the author of Entr’acte and The Curtain Falls (Friendship of Peoples magazine award).
