With the decision of UNESCO in March 1990 there was solemnly celebrated 100-years anniversary since the birth of eminent director, actor, thinker, public figure, artist of the USSR, professor Solomon Mikhoels (Vovsi).
He was born on 16 March 1890 in Dinaburg, 4 Postojaloja Street (nowadays Mihoelsa Street) in family of wood seller. In the family there were 9 children. In parents’ house there were observed Jewish traditions, in the family there dominated patriarchal order, and each step was accompanied by prayers. At the same time Vovsi family liked to recite poetry, to sing folk songs, to rehearse home theatre. All these factors affected child’s choice of profession. S.Mikhoels wrote that “being a man that recently had started to live, I dreamt to be the actor…”. At the age of 9, experiencing brother’s leaving from the family, he wrote his first play. Soon the family moved to Rīga. Here S.Mikhoels graduates science bias school. Here took place the acquaintance with professional theatres and eminent persons – with the poet and the representative of Jewish Enlightenment, Isajs Nemcovičs, who convinced Solomon that his real challenge is art. In 1918, after the graduating law department in Petersburg University, he resigned from the career of the lawyer and entered Jewish Theatre Workshop. Here originated his stage pseudonym – Mikhoels. In 1920 the Workshop moved to Moscow and was reorganized to State Jewish Chamber Theatre, but since 1925 – to State Jewish Theatre (Goset). In 1929 its artistic director became S.Mikhoels. He held this post till his tragic death. S.Mikhoels’ contribution to the Theatre – 14 productions and more than 30 roles played. One of his creative work’s peaks is the production of Shakespeare’s “King Lear” in Moscow State Jewish Theatre in 1935.
On 13 January 1948 the fatal thread of S.Mikhoels tragically broke. The building where he was born has two memorial plates. First one was installed on 16 March 1967, the second – in March 1990, when with the decision of UNESCO all the world celebrated S.Mikhoels 100-years anniversary. On 23 January 1990 the street, where S.Mikhoels was born, was renamed to Mihoelsa Street.