On April 2, 2009 a theater symposium dedicated to the creative work of an outstanding Polish theater director Krystian Lupa took place in Wroclaw. At the Alexandrinsky Theater, Lupa directed “The Seagull” after A. Chekhov’s play. This year, the performance was nominated for the “Golden Mask.” The symposium was affiliated with Krystian Lupa being awarded with the prestigious European theater award “The New Theater Reality.” The official award ceremony will take place on April 5, 2009 in Wroclaw on the stage of the Jerzy Grzegorzewski Theater.

Today, April 1, 2009, Distinguished Artist of Russia Yelena Nemzer will celebrate her jubilee. Yelena Nemzer was admitted to the Alexandrinsky Company in this season, but St. Petersburg public knows her very well for her work at the Theater in Liteyny, where she had served for over 30 years. She had worked with many distinguished directors: Lev Dodin, Arkady Kats, Lev Erenburg, Grigory Dityatkovsky, Alexandr Galibin, Igor Larin, etc. At present, the actress is engaged in performances “Ksenia. The History of Love” by V. Levanov (director Valery Fokin) and “Flowers for Charly” by D. Keyes (director Iskander Sakayev).

Opening of a big exhibit called “Gogol’s Museum” will take place on April 1, 2009 at 4 PM. The exhibit honors the 200^th anniversary of Gogol’s birthday. Exhibit items provided by the Alexandrinsky Theater occupy a big place at the theater section of the exhibit. These are playbills, programs, scenery designs, costumes of Gogol’s characters, property pieces, and photos from Gogol performances of various times. The Alexandrinsky Theater was the first theater to introduce Gogol’s writings to general public. On January 9, 1835, one-act interlude vaudeville “Evening on the Farm near Dikanka” composed of Gogol’s stories was presented here. Next season, on April 19, 1835, the great comedy of “The Inspector General” was presented to the public. The young dramatist had read his play to the actors and was present at the rehearsals. Later on, not only the plays and dramatic pieces, but nearly all Gogol’s writings were performed on the Alexandrinsky Stage.

On March 31, 2009 a new exhibit “Theater. 1:20”will be opened in the 4^th circle of the Alexandrinsky Theater. It will show students’ works of the St. Petersburg State Academy Theater Institute’s Theater Direction Department (scenography master shop of Distinguished Artist of Russia Vyacheslav Okunev). Models and scenery, along with costume designs for the classic “golden fund” will be represented here. The modern language used by artists, sometimes close to kitsch, allows to breathe life into the classics, show a totally different musical theater and take a new look at the traditions of the Russian scenography.

Valery Fokin's performance “Ksenia. The history of love” by Vadim Levanov will take place tomorrow, February 27, 2009 on the Main Stage of the Alexandrinsky Theater.
Valery Fokin's performance "Ksenia. The History of Love" continues the "St. Petersburg cycle" of theAlexandrinsky Theater's performances based on the literary images, true stories and legends of "the most sophisticated" city in the world.

Valery Fokin comes up with scenic rethinking of St. Petersburg topics in the context of quest for spiritual transformation of a person struggling against the unhappiness of life, fears and sufferings destined to people, and chased by the victorious and aggressive earthliness. According to the author of the performance, one can only build a "city of spirit" through the heroic exploit of the person's inner transformation, through gaining liberty from all the earthly temptations with the help of love and inextirpable desire to pray for the soles of sinful but dear people.

Collection of the Russian Drama Museum got new exhibits: a garniture of red wood richly decorated with elegant carving, supposedly created in the middle of the 19^th century. The owners of the garniture inherited it from their grand mother, Yevgenia Sergeyevna Yustratova, whose life was inseparably related with the theater. She had worked in the costume shop of the Komissarzhevskaya Theater until she was 85 and belonged to those true connoisseurs and dedicated employees, who make foundation of the theater as of home of arts.

On January 31, 2009, Vladislav Strzhelchik Award Ceremony took place at the House of Actors (#86 Nevsky Ave.) This year, young actresses and recent graduates of G. Dityatkovsky's BDT affiliated course became Laureates of the Award: these are Polina Tolstun and Alexandra Bolshakova. The latter had her professional debut in the role of Widow Leocadia Begbik in Y. Butusov's performance "Man Equals Man" by B. Brecht. Critics, strongly varying in their estimates of the performance, were unanimous about the perfect playing of the young actress. Presently, there are several roles in Alexandra Bolshakova's repertoire: Queen Jocasta in Sophocles' tragedy "Oedipus Rex," Masha in "The Living Corpse" by L. Tolstoy, and several roles in the "Flowers for Charley" by D. Keyes.

On February 1, 2009, Distinguished Artist of Russia Mikhail Dolginin will celebrate his 60^th birthday. A student of Igor Gorbachev, Mikhail Dolginin was admitted to the company in 1975, right after graduation from the college. His charm and lyricism, as well as simple and natural performing manner allowed Mikhail Dolginin to take quickly a leading place among the young actors of the theater. He was engaged not only in episodic, but also major roles right from the very first seasons. One of his first important roles was the role of Per Gyunt. The theater review Theater Leningrad wrote: “Mikhail Dolginin’s Per Gyunt is bright and clearly outstanding. He is exceptionally emotional and vibrant, clever and daring, seized by the dream of heroic exploits which will help him to govern the world.

On February 1, 2009, actor Vadim Nikitin will celebrate his creative jubilee: 35 years of service on the stage of the Alexandrinsky Theater. A student of V.V. Merkuriyev and I.V. Meyerhold, Vadim Nikitin was admitted to the company in 1974. Perfect views, plasticity, and the unique voice of the actor were on high demand in a broad range of roles requiring bright speaking capacities and plastic characteristics. In the years of his service at the theater, Vadim Nikitin has played more than 80 roles. In 2008, he was appointed the Head of the Directing Department of the theater.

On January 20, 2009, under the umbrella of the program of "Formation of the Youth Audience and Cultural Media," representatives of the Alexandrinsky Theater took part in the meeting of the Academic Board of the St. Petersburg University of Technology and Design. President of the Alexandrinsky Foundation, People's Artist of Russia Sergey Parshin and Chief of the Department of Youth Projects Svetlana Yurtaikina thanked the University Administration and the Department of Design and Advertising for their strong support of the Alexandrinsky Theater's initiatives in working with young public. Honorable diplomas, certificates and presents were given to the University's Rector, Doctor of Technical Sciences, Professor Alexey V. Demidov; Chief of the Department of Educational Activities, Associate Professor Ludmila Y. Vinogradova; Head of the Chair of the Advertising Design, Associate Professor Galina M. Gorkina. The President and the Rector expressed their readiness to continue expa
nding of the area of further cooperation.