Mykola Sadovskyi

Mykola Sadovskyi , real name Mykola Karpovych Tobilevych (; 13 December 1856–7 February 1933) was a Ukrainian actor who established the first stationary Ukrainian theatre.

Biography Early life Mykola Tobilevych was born in the village of , Kherson Governorate. A member of the Tobilevych family, he was the brother of Ivan Karpenko-Karyi, Maria Sadovska Barilotti, and Panas Saksahanskyi. After graduating from a Realschule in Yelysavethrad, Mykola started playing in amateur theatrical troupes. In 1881 he debuted in professional theatre as member of the troupe led by H. Ashkarenko, Marko Kropyvnytskyi and Mykhailo Starytskyi. In 1888 Sadovskyi organized his own troupe, which ten years later merged with the company of Kyrpenko-Karyi and Saksahanskyi, and in 1900 united with the troupe of Kropyvnytskyi. In 1905 Sadovskyi was invited to managed the Ruska Besida Theatre in Lviv. During his stay in Galicia, he, along with Maria Zankovetska, greatly contributed to the development of theatrical art in Western Ukraine. He also played roles in Lesya Ukrainka's The Stone Host and Gogol's The Government Inspector. Additionally, Sadovskyi was known for his performances of Ukrainian folk songs.

Sadovskyi also translated literary works and librettos by Gogol, Moniuszko and Smetana. Many of his pupils became prominent Ukrianian actors. Together with figures such as Mykola Lysenko, Liumyla Starytska-Cherniakhivska and Vasyl Krychevsky he contributed to the emergence of a new generation of Ukrainian intelligentsia.