Nizhny Novgorod students became winners of the Smolensky Reading Competition.

      The competition took place at the B. Shchukin Theatre Institute in Moscow.

      Photo: Maria Ermakova, Nizhny Novgorod Theatre School. Students from the Nizhny Novgorod Theatre School were among the winners of the XXVIII inter-university reading competition named after Y.M. Smolensky. The competition was held from April 13 to 15 at the B. Shchukin Theatre Institute in Moscow. This was reported by the Ministry of Culture of the Nizhny Novgorod Region. In 2026, the competition was dedicated to the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the Department of Stage Speech at the B. Shchukin Theatre Institute. A total of 64 applications were submitted from specialized educational institutions in Moscow, Saransk, Kazan, Perm, Voronezh, Samara, Nizhny Novgorod, Yaroslavl, Yekaterinburg, and the CIS countries. After selection, 52 students were admitted to the auditions. Among them were representatives from 27 Russian universities and one participant from the Belarusian State Academy of Arts. The readers were evaluated by a jury, chaired by Pavel Lyubimtsev, a distinguished figure in the arts of Russia, honored artist, laureate of the Government of the Russian Federation award in the field of culture, professor, and head of the Actor's Mastery Department at the B. Shchukin Theatre Institute. Also among the competition experts were Maxim Genesin, chairman of the Y.M. Smolensky Foundation, People's Artist of Russia, laureate of the Government of Moscow award in the field of literature and arts, author and performer of reading programs at the Moscow State Philharmonic, professor at the Russian Academy of Theatre Arts Antonina Kuznetsova, honored worker of culture of the Russian Federation, candidate of art studies, professor, head of the Stage Speech Department at the M.S. Shchepkin Higher Theatre School (Institute) Natalia Shtoda, honored figure in the arts of the Russian Federation, laureate of the Stanislavsky International Award, honorary professor at GITIS, head of the Stage Speech Department at GITIS, professor Vera Kamyshnikova, candidate of art studies, professor, head of the Stage Speech Department of the Acting Faculty at VGIK Irina Avtushenko, and associate professor of the Stage Speech and Vocal Department at the Moscow Art Theatre School Alexander Nikolaev. As a result of the competitive auditions, the Laureate of the III degree was a third-year student under the artistic direction of director and educator Yuri Filshin from the "Actor of Dramatic Theatre and Cinema" department of the Nizhny Novgorod Theatre School named after E.A. Evstigneev, Rodion Gonchar. Under the guidance of the school's stage speech teacher Yulia Kosareva, he prepared a fragment from L.N. Tolstoy's novel "War and Peace." A fourth-year student under the guidance of honored artist of the Russian Federation, director Andrei Yarlykov from the "Actor of Dramatic Theatre and Cinema" department, Maria Ermakova, who, together with the stage speech teacher from the Nizhny Novgorod School Natalia Ivanova, prepared a reading of the work by Nadezhda Teffi "Will," received a Special Award named after A.I. Genesin. "For us, this is a great honor and a huge responsibility. For several years in a row, we have maintained leadership positions, and this season is no exception. For example, the special award named after Genesin is equivalent to second place. The Shchukin students are welcoming; we have already become friends, but the excitement does not leave our guys, as such a trip is a significant event, an opportunity to declare themselves, to be heard. These few days are filled with great meaning, communication, and the pleasure of listening to each other—all of this is about immersing oneself in the profession, about the community of people living it. It is a great gift to be part of such an event, to read works by authors of the highest caliber, to be among people who love and cherish our language," noted the stage speech teacher from the Nizhny Novgorod Theatre School Yulia Kosareva. The full list of competition winners can be viewed on the website of the B. Shchukin Theatre Institute. In addition to the competitive auditions, the students were able to take a tour of the B. Shchukin Theatre Institute with 2025 graduate Maxim Khritankov, as well as attend master classes by associate professors of the Stage Speech Department at the B. Shchukin Theatre Institute Margarita Radtsig, Sofia Vysokovskaya, and honored figure in the arts of the Russian Federation, associate professor of the Stage Speech Department at the B. Shchukin Theatre Institute Elena Laskova.

      The gala concert of the winners took place on the main stage of the Educational Theatre of the B. Shchukin Theatre Institute.

      More news about the event:

      Students from the Nizhny Novgorod Theatre School won the reading competition named after Smolensky.

      Photo: provided by the Nizhny Novgorod Theatre School.

      Students from the Nizhny Novgorod Theatre School were among the winners of the XXVIII inter-university reading competition named after Y.M. 18:08 22.04.2026 NIA Nizhny Novgorod - Nizhny Novgorod.

      Nizhny Novgorod students were among the winners of the reading competition named after Smolensky.

      The competition took place at the B. Shchukin Theatre Institute in Moscow.

      Photo: Maria Ermakova, 17:55 22.04.2026 Vremya N - Nizhny Novgorod.

      News from neighboring regions on the topic:

      Young musicians from Reutov won three awards at the regional choir competition.

      Students of the Children's School of Arts – Musical Theatre became laureates of 1st, 2nd, and 3rd degrees at the G.A. competition. 12:29 22.04.2026 ProReutov.Ru - Reutov.

      The head of the Kurmanaevsky district Vasily Saulin became a laureate of the "Service" award.

      As part of the forum "Small Homeland - Strength of Russia," the awarding of 40 winners and laureates of the III All-Russian Municipal Award "Service" took place on April 21. 08:50 22.04.2026 Orskaya Gazeta - Orsk.

      Ufa director awarded the title of honored figure in the arts of Tatarstan.

      The chief director of the Ufa State Tatar Theatre "Nur" Azat Ziganshin became an honored figure in the arts of Tatarstan. 17:14 21.04.2026 TRK Tatarstan-New Century - Kazan.

      The Union of Theatre Workers of the Russian Federation is accepting applications for participation in the project "Specialists for Theatres. Stage Speech."

      The Union of Theatre Workers of the Russian Federation is accepting applications for participation in the project "Specialists for Theatres." 16:16 21.04.2026 Actor's House - Yekaterinburg.

      "The World of Theatre"

      On April 16, the doors to the amazing world of theatre opened for students of the Mishkinsky Professional Pedagogical College at the Mishkinsky House of Culture. 09:07 21.04.2026 Unified Culture Center - Mishkino.