Experimental USSR - Victory over the Sun
As much as I don't like the history of the 20th century (basically anything after WWI), I think stating that the early USSR was one of the most interesting countries in history wouldn't be an overstatement. One of the first countries that legalized gay marriage (taken away by Stalin later), literacy campaign (from 56% in 1916 to more than 80% in 1937), legalized abortions (undermined by Stalin), legalized divorce, providing maternity leave, equal rights, NEP... It was a bloody time, but a lot of things changed for the better for most people. I don't like the later USSR, but even then it still tried to provide good living conditions to most people. Central heating, housing, bathrooms in apartments, etc. Obviously, we can say a lot about how bad it was (for example, peasants didn't have passports until 1974, making the USSR a state with serfdom). But looking only at the bad things won't show us the full picture. This is why I want to talk about some experiments in the Soviet Union -cultural, social, and maybe even scientific. Today we will start with a play with costumes by none other than Malevich himself...
Victory over the sun.
"Victory Over the Sun" is an experimental opera staged in December 1913 at Luna Park in St. Petersburg. It was the result of collaboration between key figures of the Russian avant-garde: poet Alexei Kruchyonykh, composer Mikhail Matiushin, and artist Kazimir Malevich. They called themselves "budetlyani" (people of the future). The production was rooted in futurist ideas of radical departure from the past, a rejection of traditional art forms, and a drive to create something entirely new and unconventional.
The opera’s text was written by Alexei Kruchyonykh in a so-called "zaum" (smart-ass) language - a unique blend of sounds, words, and symbols meant to express new meanings detached from the logic and grammar of a conventional language. The Zaum language was intended as a way to break away from old literary and artistic canons, embodying the Futurist ambition of freeing art from its historical forms.
Mikhail Matiushin’s music was equally unconventional, far from traditional melodies and harmonies. It featured complex, dissonant, and unpredictable musical forms that challenged the audience's expectations of what an opera should sound like. The experimental use of dissonances and rhythms created an auditory landscape that heightened the futurist themes of the production. In this video, you can hear how it sounds.
Сайт театра Стаса Намина - http://www.stasnamintheatre.ru/Реконструкция оперы "Победа над Солнцем" Казимир Малевич, Алексей Крученых, Михаил
Kazimir Malevich’s set designs and costumes became one of the most iconic aspects of the opera. Drawing inspiration from suprematism, Malevich rejected traditional depictions of space and reality. His stage design consisted of abstract geometric shapes that starkly contrasted with conventional theatrical art. The costumes were cubist and rectangular constructions, symbolizing mechanization and a rejection of the human figure.
Not only that but decorations were destroyed during the play. They were part of the play - not just a scenery. Here are some of the sketches of the costumes by Malevich. You can find more examples in this Wikipedia article.
The plot of Victory Over the Sun symbolizes futurism and modernism's triumph over the old world. In the opera, the Sun, representing the established order, is "captured" and caged by futurists who seek to destroy old norms and create a new world. The meaning was veiled and ambiguous, sparking debates and confusion among the audience. Some consider it science's victory over nature (you can somewhat compare it to a Dyson Sphere), while others thought that it dismantles the "Sun of Russian poetry - Pushkin.
The first performance caused an explosive reaction. The audience didn’t understand what was happening on stage - the libretto seemed absurd, the music cacophonous, and the set design too radical. The response was mixed, ranging from admiration to outright rejection. It was one of those moments when art challenged its viewers, offering a completely new aesthetic.
Victory Over the Sun had an impact on the development of avant-garde art, especially in Russia. It was during the work on this opera that Kazimir Malevich created the first version of his famous Black Square - a symbol of suprematism.



















