On 29 January, A.P. Chekhov's birthday, an award ceremony was held for the winners of the XIII Chekhov International Recitation Competition. A.P. Chekhov.

The genre of the art word is our national treasure, an exclusively Russian cultural phenomenon. The annual Melikhov elocution competitions are designed to identify and encourage elocutionists, revive and support the interest of young professionals in the art of elocution.  

The theme of the thirteenth competition was "Chekhov and Ostrovsky", so the works of two classics of Russian literature were performed on the museum stage.

The gala concert was attended by representatives of the Chekhov City District Administration, members of the Museum's Board of Trustees, Tatiana Karzubova, a deputy of the Moscow Regional Duma, and Irina Revina, a deputy of the Chekhov City Council of Deputies.

Opening the winners' gala concert, Anastasia Zhuravleva, General Director of the Museum, said: "For thirteen years Melikhov has been hosting an annual international elocution competition, in which more than 500 artists have taken part during all this time. The artistic word, voiced and enlivened by the masters of artistic reading finds a response from the audience. Every year the contest gathers more and more spectators in the hall, who are ready for several hours to evaluate the performances of the participants, empathise with them, rejoice at their successes".

Chairman of the jury Yuri Golyshev emphasised: "Artistic reading is, if I may say so, a separate kind of acting. It requires a special gift: it is not enough to be a good dramatic artist - you need to be able to keep the attention of the audience, being on stage without partners, scenery, props, special costume. The actor has only one instrument at his disposal - his voice, with which he must convey the author's thought, draw vivid images, because it is not without reason that this reading is called "artistic". Judging by the participants of this competition of reciters named after A.P. Chekhov, the "sounding word" has a future".

35 young professional artists and students of leading theatre universities of Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Latvia competed in a difficult type of performing skills.  From which the jury of the competition chose the following winners:

Diploma winners:

1. Mikhail Konovalenkov, Boris Shchukin Theatre Institute, Moscow, Russia. Boris Shchukin Theatre Institute, Moscow, A.P. Chekhov "Steppe";

2. Veronika Yushkevich, Belarusian State University of Culture and Art, A.P. Chekhov, "Whitefoot". 3;

3. Gulina Alieva, Kazan Theatre School, Republic of Tatarstan, A.P. Chekhov, "From the Diary of a Girl";

4. Daria Medvedeva, Tula Regional College of Culture and Arts, A.N. Ostrovsky, Vyshnevskaya's monologue from the play "Profitable Place";

5. Sofya Kulishina, Altai State Institute of Culture, A.P. Chekhov, "Volodya the Big and Volodya the Little";

6. Vasilisa Sunarchina, Ekaterinburg State Theatre Institute, A.P. Chekhov, "Tina";

7. Dmitry Astashevich, Theatre "At Nikitskiye Vorota", Moscow, A.P. Chekhov, "... from the diary of the assistant accountant";

8. Ekaterina Anisimova, Ekaterinburg State Theatre Institute, A.P. Chekhov, "In the Dark";

9. Christina Bochkareva, Higher Theatre School named after M.S. Shchepkin. M.S. Schepkin, A.N. Ostrovsky "Thunderstorm", monologue of Katerina;

Laureates of the III degree:

1. Maria Denkova, Boris Shchukin Theatre Institute, A.N. Ostrovsky "Thunderstorm", Katerina's monologue. Boris Shchukin Theatre Institute, Moscow, A.P. Chekhov, "Woman's Kingdom";

2. Regina Pustovoytova, Latvia, A.P. Chekhov, "The Princess";

3. Egor Titov, Puppet Theatre "Stray Dog", St. Petersburg, A.P. Chekhov, "The Sinner from Toledo";

Laureates of the II degree:

1. Natalia Shturbina, S.A. Gerasimov All-Russian State University of Cinematography, Moscow, A.P. Chekhov, "Two Scandals";

2. Damir Madiev, Kazakh National Academy of Arts named after T.K. Zhurgenov, Kazakhstan, A.P. Chekhov "Uncle Vanya";

Laureate of the I degree:

1. Yuri Antonov, Ekaterinburg State Theatre Institute, A.P. Chekhov "Student".