Today is the premiere (1965)

The curtain rises, a view of part of the auditorium of the Leningrad Gorky Bolshoi Drama Theatre.

Theatre workers remove covers from the seats in the auditorium.

Lighting technicians prepare equipment for the performance.

Various theatre services prepare for the performance.

The theatre's chief director G.A. Tovstonogov gives orders.

Tovstonogov talks with artist Sofia Yanovich.

A view of the stage before the start of the performance.

The sound engineer at the console.

Setting up the scenery on the stage.

The lighting technician connects the cable to the lighting fixture.

The interior of Sergei Yursky's dressing room, autographs on the ceiling.

An announcement about a rehearsal.

The face of actor Efim Kopelyan.

Tovstonogov explains to the actors their task and the main idea of the play "Three Sisters" (synchronously), Vladislav Strzhelchik sits in the back.

Kopelyan expresses his point of view on the idea of the play (synchronously), Kirill Lavrov sits nearby, faces of actors Oleg Basilashvili, Mikhail Volkov, Georgy Shtil, Nikolay Trofimov, Vladislav Strzhelchik.

Tovstonogov continues to reveal his idea for the play, Lavrov expresses his point of view on his character (synchronously), the actors conduct a substantive discussion with the director (synchronously), faces of Kopelyan, Lavrov.

Tovstonogov conducts a reading of the play with the actors, actors Sergei Yursky and Tatyana Doronina read monologues (synchronously).

Tovstonogov examines the scenery on stage.

The actors on stage during one of the first rehearsals of the play.

Basilashvili and Strzhelchik during a rehearsal.

Yursky argues with Tovstonogov during a break, G. Shtil stands nearby.

The actors discuss the progress of the rehearsal during a break.

Actor Volkov rehearses the role of Lieutenant Fedotin.

Nikolai Trofimov reflects on the role of Doctor Chebutykin.

Zinaida Sharko rehearses the role of Olga on her own.

Tovstonogov works with the performer of the role of Natasha, Lyudmila Makarova.

Lyudmila Volynskaya rehearses the role of nanny Anfisa.

Rearranging the furniture on the stage.

Prompter Tamara Gorskaya talks with Efim Kopelyan.

Vladislav Strzhelchik during a rehearsal.

Kopelyan works on the role of Colonel Vershinin.

Tovstonogov discusses the role of Baron Tuzenbach with Yursky.

Emma Popova, Tatyana Doronina, Kirill Lavrov during a rehearsal.

Tovstonogov explains the next mise-en-scène to the actors.

Tovstonogov goes down to the hall and gives the command to begin the rehearsal.

A fragment of a rehearsal.

The prompter looks over the text of the play.

Tovstonogov explains the actors' task, supervises the rehearsal, the actors perform a romance to the guitar.

Tovstonogov points out to Nikolai Trofimov the correct placement of accents in the delivery of lines (synchronously).

The bell rings in the dressing room, there is a mirror on the table.

The announcer makes an announcement to the audience.

The costume designers prepare the costumes for the performance.

The actors undress in the cloakroom.

Yursky enters the dressing room.

Kopelyan and the other actors sign opposite their names.

The actors arrive at the premiere of the performance, Mikhail Volkov undresses in the cloakroom.

The actors disperse to their dressing rooms.

View of the service corridor.

Actors Lavrov and Kopelyan during their makeup.

The actors prepare for the performance.

Oleg Basilashvili in front of the mirror in the dressing room.

Tovstonogov watches Basilashvili from the audience, reading a monologue during a rehearsal.

Tovstonogov makes comments to Basilashvili during the performance of the monologue, explains the task to him (synchronously), Lavrov and Doronina watch Tovstonogov.

The actors' faces.

Basilashvili reads the monologue again taking into account Tovstonogov's comments (synchronously), Tovstonogov watches Basilashvili's performance, inserts lines of approval.

Basilashvili in makeup in front of the mirror.

Tovstonogov walks along the service corridor, looks into one of the dressing rooms.

Yursky at the door of his dressing room.

Tovstonogov walks with Lavrov along the corridor, discusses aspects of performing the role.

Tovstonogov's face.

Lavrov during a rehearsal.

Tovstonogov and Strzhelchik rehearse one of the scenes of the play, Kopelyan's face.

Tovstonogov explains their task to Kopelyan and Lavrov (synchronously), Mikhail Volkov listens to Tovstonogov.

Tovstonogov directs the rehearsal from the audience, Lavrov's face.

Tovstonogov returns to the audience and gives the command for the next scene.

Lavrov, Shtil, Yursky, Basilashvili during a scene rehearsal, Tovstonogov's face watching the actors' performance.

Tovstonogov argues with Zinaida Sharko.

The prompter turns the pages of the play.

Sharko is on stage during a rehearsal.

Tovstonogov gives instructions on changing the scenery.

Rehearsal of the next scene with the participation of Yursky, Basilashvili, Trofimov, Volkov.

Lavrov and Yursky deviate from the text of the play, everyone laughs, the prompter's displeased face.

Yursky and Lavrov discuss the characters of their heroes with Tovstonogov during one of the rehearsals, Yursky's face in makeup.

Tovstonogov expresses his point of view on the image of Yursky's hero (synchronously).

Tovstonogov adjusts Lavrov's wig, discusses makeup options with the actor (synchronously).

View of the theater auditorium.

The actors "break in" their characters' costumes.

Lavrov walks across the stage.

Costume designers adjust Georgy Shtil's uniform.

Trying on and adjusting stage costumes.

Actresses trying on dresses.

Zinaida Sharko walks around her dressing room before the start of the performance.

Georgy Shtil fastens the collar of his uniform and leaves the dressing room.

Makarova and Lavrov adjust their makeup before the start of the performance.

Tovstonogov smokes in the corridor before the premiere, Strzhelchik puts on his uniform.

Tovstonogov in the aisle of the auditorium during the dress rehearsal.

A fragment of one of the scenes of the play with the participation of Kopelyan and Doronina.

Tovstonogov watches the progress of the dress rehearsal, standing in the auditorium.

Fragments of the performance with the participation of Trofimov, Doronina, Sharko.

Tovstonogov sums up the first run-through of the performance, thanks the actors (synchronously), the actors' faces, the actors begin to disperse.

Panorama of the auditorium on the day of the premiere (from bottom to top).

The announcer announces the beginning of the performance over the radio.

The actors get dressed and go onto the stage.

The faces of Basilashvili and Strzhelchik.

A cat runs in front of Trofimov as he walks along the corridor, Trofimov turns around and goes another way.

Sharko checks the clasps on the sleeves of his dress in front of the mirror.

Makarova and Yursky before the start of the performance.

The actors enter the stage with the curtain closed and take their places.

Tovstonogov walks along the aisle of the auditorium.

Tovstonogov takes his place in the auditorium, the bell rings.

The actors part each other before the start of the premiere.

The actors take their places on the stage.

Panorama of the stage before the curtain rises.

The curtain opens.

Tovstonogov's face.