Rezo Tabukashvili


 

Georgia Flag waving

 

Revaz (Rezo) Tabukashvili (2 August 1927 – 5 August 1990) was a Georgian writer, playwright, translator, film director, and actor. He made ten documentaries; wrote a script for 13 films, and librettos for two Georgian operas ("Mindia" composed by Otar Taktakishvili and "Kajana" composed by Meri Davitashvili).

His poems and translated works started to be published regularly from the 1940s. He translated from English to Georgian all sonnets by William Shakespeare; 100 sonnets were published in 1968 while the complete collection of the sonnets was printed in 1979. The language and accuracy of his translations are equally magnificent to the brilliance of Shakespeare’s language itself.

Apart from writing and translating, Rezo Tabukashvili was an intellectual activist. He supervised the process of bringing back to Georgia many historical manuscripts, photos, and other types of materials kept in the archives of different countries.

Rezo Tabukashvili made valuable documentary films about the cultural interaction between Georgia and other countries, which remain interesting and important for modern society to watch today, too.

 

Rezo Tabukashvil and love of his life, Medea Japaridze
Rezo Tabukashvil and love of his life, the Georgian movie star Medea Japaridze

 

Rezo Tabukashvili was married to one of the most beautiful Georgian actresses of all time, Medea Japaridze. Both are buried in Didube Pantheon.

One of the streets in Tbilisi is named after Revaz Tabukashvili.

 

Revaz Tabukashvili Street in Tbilisi centre. Credit: GoogleMaps
Revaz Tabukashvili Street in Tbilisi centre. Retrieved from GoogleMaps