August 30, 2011 marked the 255 years since the birth of the oldest national theatre of Russia - Russian state academic drama theatre. A. S. Pushkin – the legendary of the theater. This day is considered the date of approval by the Empress Elizabeth of the Senate decree on the establishment of the "Russian tragedy and Comedy theatre". From that day began the history of Russian professional theater, as well as the development of the Russian state system atre.

Alexandrinsky theatre was named in honor of Alexandra Feodorovna, wife of Emperor Nicholas I. In 1937 to commemorate the centenary of the death of Pushkin, the theatre was given the honor to wear the name of poet, so now he calls and Alexandrine, and Pushkin.

From 1832, the theater is housed in a magnificent building built by the project of the great architect Carlo Rossi. The facade of the building facing Nevsky prospect. Five-tiered auditorium, a huge stage, palatial Grand lobby, a majestic facade that rises to the attic of the building a sculptural composition "Apollo's Chariot", this elegant architectural ensemble is one of the most vivid embodiments of Russian classicism.

The repertoire traditionally consists of Russian and foreign classic dramas. On this scene played almost all the world premieres of Russian classical drama. The productions of the theater frequented by Pushkin and Turgenev, Belinsky and Block, Lermontov and Gogol, Dostoevsky and Tolstoy, Chekhov and Tchaikovsky, Gorchakov and Witte, Stolypin and Mannerheim, and even ladies of Royal families of Europe.

Here with great success went Ostrovsky's plays. Here Chekhov rejoiced in the triumph of "Ivanov" and lamented on the failure of the first staging of "the Seagull". Currently in the repertoire of not only literary works, but also ballet performances with the participation of Russian stars choreography.

The troupe of the Alexandrinsky theatre, the "theatre of masters, is one of the strongest in St. Petersburg. Here were V. Karatygin, A. Martynov, I. Gorbachev, B. Freundlich, V. Komissarzhevskaya, E. Korchagina-Aleksandrovskaya, and many others. Alexandrinsky theatre glorified the great theatrical Directors who worked in it - Sun. Meyerhold, L. Viviano, G. Kozintsev, G. Tovstonogov, N. Akimov.

Academician D. S. Likhachev has rightly considered the Alexandrinsky theatre national treasure of Russia.