The Figaro Prize has found its heroes

Averin, Tkachuk, Libabov, Surikova and others at the Andrei Mironov Theater

Today, on the birthday of the great Russian artist Andrei Mironov, the traditional Figaro Award ceremony is taking place in St. Petersburg on the stage of the theater that bears his name. Fourteenth in a row. According to the founder of the Prize and the creator of the Russian Entreprise Theater of Andrei Mironov, Rudolf Furmanov, all its laureates form the “Figaro theatrical box.” But in fact, they are a free creative union that unites the “best of the best” of Russian theater solely on the basis of mutual love and talent.

In the famous house with towers on the Petrograd side, which once belonged to Andrei Mironov’s grandfather, on this day a large theater opened in a very small hall. In the sense that the meeting of great artists named this year as Figaro laureates is organized, as always, in a large theatrical form and on a grand scale – the organizers alternate spectacular musical, plastic, theatrical performances with the announcement of the names of the winners.

Every year the prize is awarded in three main categories: “Best of the Best” (for performing roles on the Russian theater stage), “For service to the Russian repertory theater” and “For service to the Theatrical Fatherland”. The 14th Prize is elegantly hosted by Oleg Kulikovich and Marianna Semenova. This year, among the laureates are Maxim Averin, master of deep social images Vladimir Gostyukhin, legendary film director Alla Surikova, translator, author of many art projects Ekaterina Rozhdestvenskaya, actor, director and founder of the VelesO equestrian drama theater Evgeny Tkachuk, actor MDT Theater of Europe Sergei Kuryshev, well-known actor Anvar Libabov throughout the world, owner of a rare coloratura soprano Albina Shagimuratova and Albert Asadullin, owner of a rare tenor-altino voice, an incredible actress who will forever remain “the mother of the Bagrov brothers” Tatyana Zakharova. And also actors Victoria Isakova, Alexander Chevychelov, Vladimir Steklov, a deep expert and connoisseur of world literature, professor Evgeny Zharinov. A magnificent white porcelain figurine depicting Andrei Mironov in the role of Figaro was presented to them by their colleagues from Moscow and St. Petersburg – Svetlana Nemolyaeva, Emmanuil Vitorgan, Alexander Oleshko, Nika Strizhak and others.

Let us remind you that the Figaro Prize, created in 2011 with the support of the Government of St. Petersburg, is not of a competitive nature and is awarded not for achievements in the last theater season, but for exceptional achievements in the art of acting. The first ceremony took place on March 8, 2011, on the day of Andrei Mironov’s 70th birthday. Its President for many years was Valentin Gaft; after his departure in 2021, Sergei Bezrukov became the President of the Prize. Among the Figaro laureates of past years are Yuri Yakovlev, Oleg Tabakov, Yulia Borisova, Vera Vasilyeva, Inna Churikova, Vladimir Vasiliev, Valery Gergiev, directors Valery Fokin, Lev Dodin, world theater and film leaders Emir Kusturitsa, Theodoros Terzopoulos, artists of different generations from Moscow, St. Petersburg, Yaroslavl, Tyumen, Kirov (Vyatka), Yekaterinburg, Perm, Ozersk, Petrozavodsk.