Forty steps (1968)

Honored Artist of the RSFSR, professor of the Leningrad Conservatory N.A. Serval performs an aria in Italian during a class at the solo singing department.

Serval interrupts the singing and gives instructions to his student, the student tries to perform the aria, Serval makes comments (synchronously).

The student performs an Italian aria, looking at the score.

Serval demonstrates correct vocals.

Faces of students of the Leningrad Conservatory.

Serval talks about the need for full dedication in art (synchronously).

Serval explains to a student the rules for performing a vocal piece from the stage (synchronously).

The student begins to perform the aria to the accompaniment of the piano, Serval makes comments during the performance, the face of the student performing the aria.

Serval explains to the student her mistakes, gives instructions on entering the image (synchronously), the face of the student.

The student is crying, gnawing on a rusk.

Serval encourages the student, cites great opera singers as an example (synchronously and off-screen), the student's face.

Serval conducts a vocal lesson with another student, explains the techniques for performing one of the vocal parts (synchronously).

Serval's face.

The pianist-accompanist at the piano, the student begins to perform the vocal part (synchronously), Serval monitors the student's breathing.

Serval talks about the difficulties of studying at the conservatory, recalls the beginning of her work in the theatre, talks about the need to give all of herself to art (synchronously and off-screen), students' faces.

An accompanist at the piano.

A student performs a vocal part (synchronously).

View of the building of the Leningrad Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre named after Kirov (Mariinsky).

Playbill for the opera "Ivan Susanin".

The surname of one of Serval's students, N. N. Grigorieva, is on the playbill.

Grigorieva puts on a wig.

Grigorieva in the dressing room before going on stage.

Grigorieva looks in the mirror, leaves the dressing room.

Serval N. A. and N. N. Grigorieva in stage costume walk along the corridor.

Serval sees a student onto the stage.

Serval's face watching Grigorieva's performance.

Grigorieva on the stage.

Grigorieva's face, her vocal part is performed off-screen.

The face of Serval, watching Grigorieva's performance from behind the scenes.

Serval at the piano.

Serval is conducting another solo singing lesson with one of the students, making comments on the performance and entering the stage image (synchronously), the student's face.

The faces of one of the students, Serval and Grigorieva during the lesson.

Serval makes a comment and gives instructions during the lesson (synchronously), the faces of Serval and the student.

The face of a smiling Serval (freeze frame).

The face of Grigorieva.