Russia Celebrates the 150th Anniversary of Anton Pavlovich Chekhov's Birth

29.01.2010 11:39

The main festivities to commemorate the classic of the Russian literature Anton Pavlovich Chekhov will be held in Moscow. But on Friday Chekhov's native city of Taganrog will become the center of the celebration. The President of Russia Dmitry Medvedev will specially come to this city, where together with admirers of the great Russian writer he will celebrate the anniversary of the writer.

In the City Library named after Chekhov, the fund of which was continually replenished by Anton Pavlovich, who often went here as a gymnasium student, a new museum exposition “Anton Pavlovich Chekhov to His Hometown and the World” will open. In the area of more than 2 thousand square meters more than one and a half thousand exhibits are represented, among which is the test in arithmetic, written by Chekhov in the second year at gymnasium.

The stands united by the name “The World Reads Chekhov” represent both the writer's books and the books about his creativity and life from around the world. The “Worldwide recognition” section among other exhibits represents a playbill of the première of Chaika (The Seagull), which took place in Prague in 1899, with the autograph of the author. In the exposition original works by painters Ilya Repin - illustrations for the French edition of the novel Muzhiks - are exhibited, as well as those by Isaac Levitan, who was on friendly terms with Chekhov.

The actions connected with the name of the great writer in Taganrog will continue in May, when the 4th Chekhov Book Festival and the Checkov Southern Russia Cultural Center will open here. In June, the city will host an international scientific-practical conference dedicated to the creativity of the writer, as well as children's drawing competition, in October - the traditional International Theater Festival “At Chekhov's Homeland”.