Svetlana Smirnova, the People’s Artist of Russia, is celebrating her 50th Birthday on 25 April 2006.

This actress became known to the wider audience after her cinema performances in films ‘Somebody Else’s Letters’ (1975), ‘First Time Married’ (1978), ‘The Life of Klim Samgin’, ‘Dead Man’s Letters’ (1986), ‘Lady with a Parrot’ (1988), ‘The Royal Hunt’(1990), ‘The Streets of Broken Lamps’ (episode ‘The Pale Moth’, 1998 – TEFI Award), ‘The Fourteen Colours of the Rainbow’ (Directed by Dmitry Svetozarov, 2000 – Kinotavr Award for the best female performance). 

Svetlana Smirnova joined the A.S. Pushkin Russian State Academic Drama Theatre in 1992. She soon became one of the leading actresses of the Alexandrinsky Theatre owing to her remarkable artistic talent, distinctive temperament and expressive performances.  Smirnova has played twelve roles in Alexandrinsky including Sonya (‘The Poppy Blossom’ by Z. Gippius, D. Merezhkovsky and D. Filosofov, 1993), Beatrice (‘Cap and Bells’ by L.Pirandello, 1994),  Princess Vera (‘Monsieur George. The Russian Drama’, 1994), Mrs Erlynne (‘Lady Windermere"s Fan’ by O. Wilde, 1998’), Siri von Essen (‘The Stronger’ 1997), Marina Mnishek (‘Boris Godunov’, by A.S.Pushkin, 1999), Baroness Schtral  (‘Masquerade’ by M.Yu. Lermontov, 2003). Among  her recent roles is the part of Anna Andreyevna in N.Gogols’s play ‘The Inspector General’ (directed by Valery Fokin, 2002). Smirnova’s heroine appears recognisable and modern. The actress skilfully portrays a strong and ambitious woman, who would give everything to ensure her husband’s elevation up the social and professional ladder. Smirnova successfully works with director Andrey Moguchy. After Smirnova’s role in Moguchy’s production of  ‘The Snow Queens’ shown at the Festival of German Drama, he invited her to take part in the theatre project ‘Petersburg’ based on the novel by Andrey Bely (2005). Svetlana Smirnova plays Anna Petrovna, mother of Nikolay Apollonovich Ableuhov using the method of theatrical minimalism. The role is clearly outlined, as if it was sketched with one precise and confident stroke. Her character’s encounters with her son and abandoned husband are brief, conversations - brisk and hurried. She is just a faint memory of a lost life, forever gone, a memory which is too painful, almost impossible for the father and son to bear.     
At the moment Svetlana Smirnova is rehearsing a part in ‘Ivans’, a new production by Moguchy (based on Gogol’s story ‘The Tale of How Ivan Ivanovich Quarrelled with Ivan Nikiforovich”).