On January 23, 2010, the Alexandrinsky Theater performance “Uncle Vanya” directed by Andrey Serban gave start to the theater decade dedicated to the 150^th Birthday of Anton Chekhov. On the next day, January 24, another Chekhov’s performance was shown: it was “The Seagull” directed by Khrystian Lupa. In the course of the jubilee decade, the following plays will be presented: “The Three Sisters” of the Youth Theater on the Fontanka; “A Man in a Case” of the Bryantsev Youth Theater; “The Happy People” of the Theater in Liteiny; and “Chekhov. Vaudeville” of the Lensoveta Theater.

On January 16, 2010, Actress of the Alexandrinsky Theater will celebrate her jubilee. Her entire creative career is connected with the Alexandrinsky stage. She studied nuts and bolts of her profession here then still a student of Igor Gorbachev’s actor course. After graduation from the theater institute in 1983, she was admitted to the company. A temperamental, bright young actress with strong beautiful voice and good looks, Marina Roslova played the most various roles: from merchant woman Belotelova in A. Ostrovsky’s comedy “Balzaminov’s Marriage” (1984) to Marina and Akulina in L. Tolstoy’s play “The Power of the Dark” (1986); from Ganka in G. Zapolskaya’s cornball tragic comedy “Moral of Mrs. Dulskaya” (1987) to Raisa Filippovna and Zinka Pas d’Spain in N. Erdman’s comedy “A Suicide”(1988).

Yesterday, on January 13, 2010, the award ceremony for laureates of the firth youth theater award “Break-through” took place at the Comedian’s Shelter Theater. This award was founded by the Committee on Culture of the St. Petersburg Administration. The leading actors of the Alexandrinsky Theater and Dmitry Lysenkov were among the nominees. Yanina Lakovba was honored with the Award as “The Best Young Actress of a Drama Theater.” In the last season, she had played the role of Ksenia in the performance “Ksenia. The History of Love" by V. Levanov and the role of Sonya in the performance “Uncle Vanya.” The actress has also received a special prize of the MTS Telephone Compan, the general sponsor of the “Break-through” Award.

On January 13, 2010, had suddenly died Distinguished Artist of Russia Ludmila Gorbacheva. The actress had served at the Alexandrinsky Theater for more than 50 years. In the years of her work the actress had palyed more than 60 roles, among which were Nina (“The Years of Wondering” by A. Arbuzov, 1955), Girl (“The Optimistic Tragedy” by V. Vishnevsky, 1959), Irochka (“The Noble Nest” by I. Turgenev, 1959), Natasha (“A Lost Son” by A. Arbuzov, 1962), Ludmila (“Friends and Years” by L. Zorin, 1962), Beloved (“The Wild Captain” by Y. Smuul, 1965), Jane (“Maria Tudor” by V. Hugo, 1965). Her heroines were marked with charm of youth, sincerity and innocence, but with internal strength and personal integrity.

The “Choice of the 33” independent theater award was established in St. Petersburg by initiative of the Committee on Culture.

“We decided to launch this experiment because outcomes of professional awards, including the theater ones, often do not meet aspirations of many people. Jury and expert council’s members are often reproached in prejudices and lack of objectivity, along with a number of other sins. This is why we decided to establish an independent theater award,” – Anton Gubankov, Chair of the Committee, said to ITAR-TASS. Theater critics, directors and people professionally not affiliated with theater became members of the expert group.

On the eve of the New Year, the Alexandrinsky Theater published an album of the best views of the newly reconstructed theater. Photos of the best photographers show the Alexandrinsky Theater in its grand radiance with the five-circle auditorium and its gilded ornaments of the box barriers; the elegantly decorated public lobbies, walking galleries and enfilades of the Russian Drama Museum halls; the private apartments of the Royal family, offices of the Court Ministers and Director of the Imperial Theaters; dressing rooms of outstanding actors; details of the interior decorations, the antique furniture, chandeliers and mirrors created specifically for the Alexandrinsky Theater.

On December 1-10, 2009, a festival called “Andrey Moguchy’s Theater Space” will take place in St. Petersburg. It will be dedicated to the 20^th birthday of the Formal Theater established by Andrey Moguchy. Performances and festival events will be taking place on the stages of the Alexandrinsky Theater, Baltiisky Dom Festival Theater, Comedienne’s Shelter Theater, and also in the space of the Loft-Project ETAZHI Cultural Center. The festival program has two parts: “About the Theater” and “Not about the Theater.”

On November 26, 2009, the list of nominees for the “Proryv” city theater award was announced at the Committee of Culture. Young actors of the Alexandrinsky Theater were among those: Yanina Lakoba (nomination of “The best young actress of a drama theater”) for the role of Ksenia in the performance “Ksenia. The History of Love” and for the role of Sonya in the “Uncle Vanya” performance; and Dmitry Lysenkov (nomination of “The best young actor of a drama theater”) for the role of Ivan I. Telegin in the “Uncle Vanya” performance.

Yesterday, on November 23, 2009, a conversazione with Distinguished Artist of Russia Semyon Sytnik took place at the Actors Lobby of the Alexandrinsky Theater. The actor’s theater career is inseparable from the Alexandrinsky Stage: he was admitted to the theater 40 years ago, in 1969, right after graduation from the Leningrad Theater Institute. Students of St. Petersburg universities were present at the meeting, which turned into a sparkling benefit one-man show, where bright episodes from his childhood and youth went along with theater events and actor’s contemplations of the nature of the theater, profession, traditions and modern life.