SUBJECTS OF THE RUSSIAN STAGE LECTURE SERIES

August 30, 2021 marked the 265th anniversary of the establishment by Decree of Empress Elizabeth Petrovna of the first Russian state professional drama troupe, the history of which is rightfully inherited by the National Drama Theatre of Russia (the Alexandrinsky Theatre). Alexander Chepurov is a world—renowned Theatre critic, professor, laureate of of the Stanislavsky Prize, author of books on the history of the Alexandrinsky Theatre. Under the leadership of Alexander Anatolyevich, the "Museum of Russian Drama" was created in the space of the third tier of the Theatre an exposition dedicated to the history of the oldest drama troupe in Russia. The first lecture of the cycle "THE BIRTH OF THE Theatre" tells about how, when and under what historical circumstances the Alexandrinsky Theatre appeared. The second lecture, PARADOXES OF ENLIGHTENMENT, tells about how Empress Catherine the Great influenced the development of the Russian drama Theatre. Can we call her the first woman director? How did the National Drama Theatre of Russia begin and emerge?

The third lecture, "ENLIGHTENED THEATREGOERS", tells about the first Stone Theatre, as well as about who and how determined the theatrical repertoire at the end of the XVIII — the first quarter of the XIX century. The appearance and influence of the figures of Alexei Olenin, Alexander Shakhovsky, Nikolai Gnedich on the development of theatrical art in Russia. The fourth lecture, "THE STATE STAGE", tells about how the Theatre began to bear the name Alexandrinsky, about the first cast of the Theatre under the direction of Vasily Andreevich Karatygin, as well as about the figure of Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol. Director Irina Gunkina, editor Olesya Pushkina, editing by Victoria Otsvera, Yana Khamenok, producer Oksana Mavrina. The cultural value of the project is that it tells about one of the most important cultural assets of Russia: the Russian repertory Theatre, its history and traditions, which reflect both the history of our Motherland and its powerful culture.