Rovina, Hannah

(1892–1980)

   Israel actress. Hannah Rovina was one of the earliest and greatest stars of Habimah, the first professional Hebrew theatre in the world, founded in Moscow in 1917. Habimah was run as an artistic co- operative and followed the methods of the Russian director Stanislavsky. At first it received the support of the Soviet establishment and was endorsed by STALIN, Gorki and Lunacharski, but eventually political and artistic difficulties forced the company to leave Russia. After several years’ wandering, it settled in Palestine in 1931. Rovina was widely acclaimed as the country’s leading actress. Habimah was declared the national theatre of Israel in 1958, and its new auditorium was opened in Tel Aviv in 1970.