ALEXANDRINSKY THEATRE (2 Ostrovskogo Square), called Alexandrinsky Theatre 1832-1920, it was granted the status of Academic in 1919, and in 1920 named the Petrograd (Leningrad) State Academic Drama Theatre (Akdrama, Gosdrama). In 1937 it was named after Alexander Pushkin, and since 1991 has been the Russian State Academic Drama Theatre also named after Alexander Pushkin (Alexandrinsky Theatre). The theatre's history dates back to 1756. Beginning in 1832, the Alexandrinsky Theatre, named in honour of Emperor Nicholas I' wife Alexandra Fedorovna, was the main stage of the Petersburg Imperial Drama Company. Originally, operas were staged along with theatre performances, and quite regularly a German troupe or guest actors would perform.Many plays that became Russian classics were performed for the first time in the Alexandrinsky Theatre, like N.V. Gogol's The Inspector General (1836), Alexander Pushkin's The Stone Guest (1847) and The Miserly Knight (1852), M.Y. Lermontov's Masquerade (1852), and many others. Comedy and vaudeville, which contributed to the perfection of a versatile acting technique, also occupied an important place in the repertoire.