The Moscow Art Theater professor shared the details of the selection of performances in the Golden Fund

The possibility of high-quality filming of performances represents a huge breakthrough for the preservation of theatrical heritage. Olga Yegoshina, professor of the Moscow Art Theater School, Doctor of Art History, expert of the Federal selection Committee for the Golden Fund of Theatrical Productions of Russia, told this at the Izvestia News Center on August 21 during a press conference dedicated to the launch of the premiere screening of television versions of performances within the framework of the Golden Fund of Theatrical Productions of Russia project.

"I am a theater historian, after all, and I read the history of the Russian theater of the XX-XXI centuries. And, as they say, I know on my fingers what it means to tell students about Stanislavsky's production. Because there were no performances filmed then, so you wave your hands, roll your eyes and try to portray what it was like. And in this sense, when it became possible to shoot high—quality performances, it was, of course, a huge breakthrough for the future," said Yegoshina.

The expert emphasized that theater, unlike books or paintings, is a "volatile" art form — performances are born and die. The creation of the video library of the Union of Theatrical Figures will allow us to preserve productions for the audience of the future — in five, ten or even a hundred years.

The selection of performances for the Golden Fund was carried out with the participation of numerous experts according to ten criteria, which ensured the objectivity of the process. According to Yegoshina, this was not the taste of three people — a large number of specialists worked, which guaranteed the independence and relevance of the choice.

The fund includes 100 performances from different regions of Russia, representing various theaters and productions. As the expert noted, this allows us to assess the current state of the Russian theater and its geographical diversity. The project is becoming particularly important on the eve of the 150th anniversary of the Union of Theatrical Figures (STD).

"I dream that there will be a video library of the Union of Theatrical Figures, that by its 150th anniversary the Theater is really starting some new stage of its life, in this sense. It seems to me that we are present, it can be called a historical event too," said the professor of the Moscow Art Theater Studio School.

She also noted the importance of continuity in the work — some performances previously supported by the Foundation for Cultural Initiatives have now been included in the Golden Fund, which demonstrates a systematic approach to preserving theatrical heritage.

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