The XIV Chekhov International Recitation Competition has begun. A.P. Chekhov, which take place in the branch of the Melikhovo Museum - the Lopasnya-Zachatievskoye Estate Museum. The theme of this year's Competition is "Chekhov and Pushkin".

Thirty-five young actors and senior students from the leading theatre universities of the country and abroad made it to the second round of in-person auditions. Every year the geography of the Competition expands, this year in the second round of the competition participants from Belarus, as well as from different cities of Russia: Moscow, Novosibirsk, Yaroslavl, Tula, Yekaterinburg, Saratov, Barnaul, Nizhny Novgorod, etc. will compete in this difficult type of performing skills.

The jury of the Melikhov Competition includes professional artists who regularly perform recitation recitals on the elocution stage. The jury is chaired by Yury Ivanovich Golyshev, Honoured Artist of Russia, Master of the Artistic Word.

Participants' performances will be evaluated according to the following criteria:

- The choice of the piece and its complexity;

- mastery of the art of composition;

- Having a clear plot, climax and denouement;

- preserving the author's style and internal intonation;

- the completeness of the work's disclosure;

- the vividness of artistic images;

- artistry, charm, etc.

On the eve of Chekhov's birthday, on 28 January at 15.00 at the Chekhov's Museum-Reserve "Melikhovo" there will be a gala-concert where the best recitation works of this year will be presented and the winners will be awarded.

We wish good luck to all participants!