Published on: 2026-09-17
Source: Moscow Government – Правительства Москвы –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
On the chamber stage “Pokrovka.Theater” an important premiere took place — “Anna Karenina” Directed by Dmitry Bikbaev. This is the first dramatic performance in Russia created entirely without analog scenery, where the text of Leo Tolstoy enters into dialogue with neural networks, kinetic structures, and jewelry art.
How a classic novel gained new expression and why this production will become almost the main theatrical event of the season? We’ve gathered the most interesting behind-the-scenes facts about how eternal classics turned into a technological and deeply humanistic manifesto about the human soul and the right to forgiveness.
From “Moscow. Twilight” to the estate in Khamovniki: how the play was born
The production unexpectedly appeared in the theater’s plans. The premiere of the play took place in the autumn “Moscow. Twilight”. It was then that Dmitry Bikbaev recognized the incredible potential of actress Maria Volkova, a laureate of the “Golden Mask,” and decided to stage a large-scale classical tragedy specifically for her.
Preparation for the premiere turned into a complete cultural journey. The playwright Andrey Gorbaty Jr.’s first sketches of the play were presented in authentic settings — the memorial estate of Leo Tolstoy, and before the premiere, the audience attended immersive tours and watched open rehearsals.
At the same time, “Pokrovka. Theater” remained true to its historical code. The founder, Sergey Artsibashev, originally conceived the stage on Pokrovka as experimental. Dmitry Bikbayev picked up this impulse: under the slogan “First in Classics,” he produced an innovative performance without distorting a single thematic line of Leo Tolstoy’s novel.
“Party of Life” instead of household props
One of the director’s boldest decisions was the complete abandonment of everyday objects. On stage, you will not see cups, sofas, writing desks, or 19th-century furniture. The actors exist in a pure, stripped-down space where their skill and symbolic metaphor are the only support. The main thematic core of the production became chess.
“When you give up everyday life, the plot still has to remain clear and vivid,” explains Dmitry Bikbaev. “We were inspired by the image of chess — as the awareness of every move. It’s the game of life: you can make a move impulsively, driven by passion, and lose. Or you can weigh the consequences. The chessboard on the poster and on the stage is a reminder of the cost of our decisions.”
Neural networks, dispersion, and kinetics: how technologies work
The visual sequence was created by multimedia artist Maria Gutkova. For the theatrical stage, this is a technological breakthrough.
Complex light: The video content direction involves direct, rear, and laser projections, as well as the optical effect of dispersion. The onstage screen responds to the artists’ movements in real time.
Artificial Intelligence: The visual content was created using a combination of neural networks of different versions, followed by manual refinement by artists — through live physical and mathematical simulations.
At the same time, the authors emphasize: artificial intelligence will never replace a human on stage.
“A person has a soul and consciousness — it is precisely this that gives birth to true art,” says Maria Gutkova. “Neural networks helped us generate visual images and simulations more quickly, but at the heart of the story there is always a living human emotion. Technology here is only a tool that enhances what is happening in the souls of the characters.”
280 hours of handcrafted work: a jewelry masterpiece on stage
A separate visual dominant was the precious transforming necklace “Anna,” created specifically for the production.
This is a performing member of the stage ensemble. It includes white gold, a central blue topaz (Swiss Blue) weighing over six carats, about 40 diamonds, topazes, sapphires, and 183 natural pearls. A team of five craftsmen worked on creating the jewelry. — more than 280 hours over the course of two months.
The necklace transforms into an elegant brooch, and on stage, on Maria Volkova, it simultaneously symbolizes the incredible sparkle of high society and the weight of precious shackles constricting the heroine.
Karenina’s forgiveness and Levin’s return
Most film and stage adaptations focus on Anna’s love drama, almost leaving out the second most important storyline of the novel — the Levin family. And in it, Tolstoy embodied his thoughts on faith, labor, and light. Dmitry Bikbaev paid special attention to this.
In the finale, a metaphysical shift occurs: on the screens, Anna encounters replicated cinematic images of herself — from Tatiana Samoilova to Keira Knightley. The production shows how mass culture has turned a destructive behavior stereotype into a trend.
But Dmitry Bikbaev does not judge his heroine. “Yes, Anna acted wrongly, making fatal mistakes in her ‘chess game.’ But is she to be cursed? From the standpoint of mercy and Christian love — no,” says the director. “Therefore, at the end of our production, Anna will be met by two angels — and they will greet her with kindness, peace, and forgiveness.”
Musical pulse
The sound design of the performance, developed by Dmitry Bikbaev in collaboration with contemporary composers, combines immersive sound design and two poignant original songs set to the poetry of Anna Akhmatova and Marina Tsvetaeva, which have become the emotional climaxes of the piece.
Learn about performances, concerts, exhibitions, and other interesting events on the official channels of “Mosbilet” onin messengers “Max” and “Telegram”.
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