Majesty in minimalism

The events of War and Peace began in 1805, following Napoleon's conquest of most of continental Europe through war or alliance. In line with Tolstoy's philosophy, Tuminas chose "family thought" as the core of the production.

"The family is a microcosm of the human community, the beginning and foundation of society. The Napoleonic Wars become the background for the lives, ambitions, hopes and sorrows of the families: the Rostovs, the Bolkonskys, the Kuragins," goes the introduction on the theater's website.

"Adapting such an epic for the stage poses significant challenges. The director originally planned to stage it over two nights but changed his mind, in the hopes that the audience would be immersed in the production in the course of a single night, and their emotions and thoughts would not be interrupted," Anton Prokhorov, deputy general manager of the Vakhtangov Theatre, said before the show on Sept 5.

He also noted that the China tour was the first international outing for the play since its premiere. Following sold-out monthly shows in Moscow, and after garnering extensive acclaim during its Russian tours, the theater was eager to see the reactions of the Chinese audience on social media.

"When Tuminas was working on War and Peace, he was in poor health. This production may become his final legacy to the theater," Prokhorov added, saying that the production brought together all generations of Vakhtangov actors.