Foreign Students Take Part in Pushkin Birthday Celebrations

Celebrating Alexander Pushkin’s birthday, students from the Institute of International Education’s Preparatory Department attended the “Red Square” Festival. The highlight of June 6 was the musical show “Awakened Was the Soul,” presented by the Moscow Gubernsky Theater on the festival’s main stage. The actors recited Pushkin’s poems and excerpts from his works, while an orchestra conducted by Sergey Pashchenko accompanied them with musical pieces and romantic songs by Russian composers, including Mikhail Glinka’s overture to his opera Ruslan and Lyudmila, Georgy Sviridov’s musical illustrations to the story Snowstorm, and Pyotr Tchaikovsky’s Polonaise from the opera Eugene Onegin. The festival created a special atmosphere celebrating both the Day of the Russian Language and Pushkin’s birthday, making the event especially meaningful for foreign students studying Russian.

In addition to attending the festival, the students enjoyed a guided walk through historic parts of Moscow where Pushkin spent much of his time. Starting on the famous Tverskaya Street, they took in its lively atmosphere and architecture. On their way to Red Square, they passed the impressive monument to Pushkin, a symbol of respect for the poet and his contribution to Russian literature. This monument, surrounded by greenery, became a natural starting point for a discussion of Pushkin’s life and work.

The students learned interesting facts about how Pushkin was inspired by Moscow’s beauty, culture, and history. Visiting places connected to his life helped them feel the spirit of the time when the great poet created his works. For these foreign students, the day was not only a celebration but also an opportunity to deepen their understanding of the Russian genius’s legacy.