Saint Petersburg

State Academic Drama Theatre named after Alexander Pushkin

1937-1991

Over the years the theatre has had the following names: 1832–1919 – Alexandrinsky Theatre 1920–1936 – State Academic Drama Theatre 1937–1991 – State Academic Drama Theatre named after Alexander Pushkin 1991–2020 – Russian State Academic Drama Theatre named after Alexander Pushkin (Alexandrinsky Theatre) since 2020 – National Drama Theatre of Russia (Alexandrinsky Theatre) In 1937, the Alexandrinsky Theatre was named after Alexander Pushkin and officially became the State Academic Drama Theatre named after Alexander Pushkin. During this period, the theatre staged performances such as "Home of the Gentry" by Ivan Turgenev (1940, directed by Alexander Muzil), "An Optimistic Tragedy" by Vsevolod Vishnevsky (1955, directed by Georgy Tovstonogov), "The Gambler" by Fyodor Dostoevsky (1956, directed by Leonid Vivien and Antonin Dawson), "Little Tragedies" by Alexander Pushkin (1962, directed by Leonid Vivien), and "Ivanov" by Anton Chekhov (1978, directed by Arseny Sagalchik). From 1938 to 1966, the artistic director of the theatre was Leonid Vivien, and from 1975 to 1991, it was Igor Gorbachev. During the Great Patriotic War, the theatre company was evacuated to Novosibirsk, where it continued to perform on the stage of the "Krasny Fakel" (Red Torch) Theatre. In 1981, the theatre celebrated its 225th anniversary and was awarded the Order of the October Revolution. In 1991, the name "Alexandrinsky" once again became official. The online collection of the Bakhrushin Theatre Museum features costume and set design sketches, photographs, and archival documents related to the theatre's activities from 1937 to 1991.