German theatrical company that toured Europe from 1874 to 1890. The group, inspiring theatrical reforms wherever it performed, was a major influence in the movement toward modern theater. George II, duke of Saxe-Meiningen, who had organized the company, strove to perfect ensemble acting and as a designer used historically accurate costumes and settings. He was the first to recognize the importance of central artistic control, which anticipated the function of the director in the production of plays.
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