Vyacheslav Starodubtsev's performance Le Rossignol gained a historic victory at the 32nd Russian National Theatre Award “Golden Mask”. Igor Stravinsky's opera has been recognized as one of the five best opera performances of the 2024-2025 season. According to the new award rules, there can be up to five laureates in each nomination. This is the theatre's first award in the opera category in 22 years — since Dmitri Tcherniakov's Aida won in 2004.
On June 20, a solemn ceremony of awarding the 32nd Russian National Theatre Award “Golden Mask” took place in Omsk, the cultural capital of Russia in 2026. This performance is the author's project of the theatre's chief director Vyacheslav Starodubtsev, who initiated, inspired and was the main mover of the production. It was he who brought this idea to life, assembled a team and brought the project to a triumph. Mikhail Tatarnikov, the chief conductor of NOVAT, became the music director of the performance.
The premiere of the opera took place on April 25, 2025 and was timed to coincide with the 220th anniversary of Hans Christian Andersen, as well as the cross-cultural year of Russia and China. Students of the Novosibirsk State Conservatory named after M. Glinka, where Vyacheslav Starodubtsev is a rector, were involved in the production. This is a joint project of the theatre and the conservatory — a unique example of a creative union, when the professional stage and the leading music institution of higher learning of the region join forces to create a high-level performance. This is Stravinsky's first opera based on the Andersen’s fairy tale of the same name, in which the composer combined a passion for oriental themes with deep symbolism. A team of professionals worked on the performance: music director and conductor Mikhail Tatarnikov, production designer Timur Gulyaev, choreographer Sergey Zakharin, lighting designer Irina Vtornikova, video designer Vadim Dulenko, chief choirmaster Maria Moiseenko.
This is NOVAT's first victory in the opera nomination in 22 years. In 2004, Dmitri Tcherniakov's Aida received the Golden Mask. In 2013, the theatre received an award in the Operetta/Musical category for the performance Mass. The current victory of Le Rossignol is the first return of the country's main theatre award to the NOVAT opera house in 22 years.
In this competition cycle, 789 performances from 164 cities of Russia were presented for the award. 68 productions became nominees.
Congratulations to all the creators and performers of the opera Le Rossignol,
this award is a recognition of the high professionalism of the entire team and an important step in strengthening NOVAT's reputation as one of Russia's leading opera houses.
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The Russian National Theatre Award "Golden Mask" was established by the Union of Theatrical Figures of the Russian Federation in 1993. In the 32nd competitive season, 789 performances from 164 cities of Russia were presented for the award. The award ceremony was held for the first time in Omsk, which has had the honourary status of the Cultural Capital of Russia in 2026.