Russian mighty talent. The Presidential Library marking the 200th anniversary of the famous playwright Alexander Ostrovsky

On April 14, 2023 at 11:00 Moscow time the Presidential Library will host a video lecture marking the 200th anniversary of the birth of the Russian playwright Alexander Nikolayevich Ostrovsky (1823–1886). The event is held within the framework of the city-wide festival "Our Ostrovsky", which involves libraries, museums and cultural institutions of St. Petersburg.

The phenomenon of Ostrovsky is that his works have never been forgotten. For more than 150 years the author's plays have been in demand in the theaters of our country. The founder of the Russian national theater, he wrote about five dozen dramatic works, and one of the most famous is the play "The Storm". Ivan Turgenev, after watching this play, called it "the most amazing, most magnificent work of a Russian, powerful, completely self-mastered talent".

However, few people know that Alexander Ostrovsky has another "The Storm". The speech of Nadezhda Gennadievna Mikhnovets, Doctor of Philology, Professor of the Department of Russian Literature of the Herzen State Pedagogical University of Russia will be devoted to this fact at the Presidential Library’s video lecture. She will tell how the conflict of the famous literary work "The Storm" is built and why this drama is important and topical at all times. Then the story will go on about the libretto for the opera "The Storm", which Ostrovsky wrote in 1867. Professor Mikhnovets will explain how the works complement each other.

Critics have repeatedly noted that, despite the fame of the works of Alexander Ostrovsky, his personality has always remained mysterious. “We do not know”, - wrote critic Alexander Urusov, “what are his ideals, what are his religious and poetic convictions. He writes comedies for himself, without any prefaces and nothing more. Tatyana Arkadyevna Sinelnikova, Head of the Sector of Archival Materials of the Rare Book Department of the St. Petersburg Theater Library, will lift the veil of uncertainty at the video lecture. She will talk about Ostrovsky's letters to various recipients, as well as introduce unusual documents related to the preparation of performances based on the plays of the playwright as well as other unique materials.

The video lecture dedicated to the life and career of Alexander Ostrovsky will be of interest to both lovers of the theater and literature, and professional researchers.

The event is free. The meeting will be broadcast on the Presidential Library’s portal in the Live broadcasts section in accordance with the program of live events, on the Rutube-channel of the institution, as well as on the pages on the social networks VKontakte and Odnoklassniki.

The Presidential Library regularly holds interactive lessons and video lectures. The detailed information about them is available on the institution's portal in the Multimedia Lessons section and in the Video lecture for school section. Video recordings of lectures and open lessons are also available here.

Accreditation of media representatives is until 12:00 April 13, 2023

Please forward applications for accreditation following the attached form marked Media Accreditation at media@prlib.ru, hudjakova@prlib.ru Alexandra Khudyakova, tel.: (812) 305-16-21, ext. 167; mob. +7 (981) 788-28-08.

The letter should contain the full name, date and place of birth, passport data (series, number, place of registration), a list of carry-on equipment, contact phone numbers, the name of the media.

We draw the attention of the media representatives that it is necessary to forward applications for accreditation and arrive at the event in advance.

Entrance to the Presidential Library is carried out only by prior registration and upon showing a passport: for media representatives - through entrance № 2, participants and guests of the event - through entrance № 1.

In order to reduce the risks of the spread of a new coronavirus infection (COVID-19), the use of personal protective equipment during the event is mandatory for all attendees.