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Alexander Pushkin

Alexander Pushkin

Writing

Biography

Aleksandr Sergeyevich Pushkin (1799–1837) was a Russian poet, playwright, and novelist of the Romantic era. He is considered by many to be the greatest Russian poet and the founder of modern Russian literature. Pushkin was born into Russian nobility in Moscow. His maternal great-grandfather was Central-African-born general Abram Petrovich Gannibal. He published his first poem at the age of 15, and was widely recognized by the literary establishment by the time of his graduation from the Tsarskoye Selo Lyceum. Upon graduation, Pushkin recited his controversial poem 'Ode to Liberty', that led to his exile by Tsar Alexander I. While under the strict surveillance of the Tsar's political police, Pushkin wrote his most famous play, the drama 'Boris Godunov'. In 1820, he published his first long poem, 'Ruslan and Ludmila', with much controversy about its subject and style. His novel in verse, 'Eugene Onegin', was serialized between 1825 and 1832. Critics consider many of his works masterpieces, such as the poem 'The Bronze Horseman' and the drama 'The Stone Guest', a tale of the fall of Don Juan. His poetic short drama 'Mozart and Salieri' was the inspiration for Peter Shaffer's 'Amadeus' as well as providing the libretto (almost verbatim) to Rimsky-Korsakov's opera 'Mozart and Salieri'. Pushkin is also known for his short stories. In particular his cycle 'The Tales of the Late Ivan Petrovich Belkin', including 'The Shot' and 'The Stationmaster', and 'The Queen of Spades', a story frequently anthologized in English translation.

Known For

The Tale of Tsar Saltan
5.6

One dark winter evening, the young tsar Saltan was lucky enough to find himself a tsarina from a simple Russian family. He was so impressed by the speech of the young charmer that he married her the same evening, and took her two sisters with him to the palace as servants. However, the treacherous girls do not share the happiness of their luckier sister and begin to plot. Saltan leaves for a long military campaign, during which the young queen gives birth to his son. The evil sisters write a dispatch to the tsar, where they brazenly lie about the child: they say, the queen gave birth to someone unknown, "neither a son nor a daughter." Saltan is upset, but orders to wait until his return. The sisters substitute the letter, and as a result, the girl and her son are sealed in a wooden barrel and thrown into the ocean in the best sadistic traditions.

The Tale of Tsar Saltan

2026Movie
Boris Godunov

Nobleman Boris Godunov accumulates power in Russia, first as regent, then as tsar. But the ghosts of the past catch up with him and he ends up losing not only his power but his sanity. Russia sinks ever deeper into a mire of corruption, intrigue and coups. In his grand choral opera, Modest Mussorgsky deals with a theme that offers poignant parallels to today’s world: the extremes to which one man’s thirst for power can lead. The director Kirill Serebrennikov incorporates his own experiences in Russia to present his take on an opera about political turmoil and its consequences. Serebrennikov’s production focuses on the effect on the people of high-stakes political scheming. Conductor Vasily Petrenko makes his Amsterdam debut leading the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. A top-flight cast is led bass-baritone Tomasz Konieczny, celebrated for his ability to get into the skin of his characters both vocally and dramatically, singing the title role for the first time.

Boris Godunov

2025Movie
Boris Godunov
7.3

This is the Andrei Tarkovsky production of the famous Pushkin/Mussorgsky opera, performed in 1990. Modest Mussorgsky's opera in prologue and four acts is performed by the Kirov Opera with performances from Olga Borodina, Alexei Steblianko and Sergei Leiferkust. Boris Godunov has obtained the throne of Russia by murdering the rightful heir Dmitry. An old monk, Pimen, witnessed this, and convinces his apprentice Grigory to avenge Dmitry's death. In the following years Grigory poses as Dmitry, raising an army against Boris, who is now convinced that he is being punished for the murder. Filmed in Russia during the collapse of the Soviet Union, this particular production of Mussorgsky's 1872 tale of political upheaval is considered a highly unique and historical moment in opera. Robert Lloyd stars in the title role of Boris Godunov.

Boris Godunov

1990Movie