Published on: 2026-09-21
Source: Moscow Government – Правительства Москвы –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Why is Aleksandr Vertinsky called “the Russian Pierrot” and when did he manage to live three lives? Why did the image of the “little man” become iconic in Russian literature and still attracts the interest of literary scholars around the world? How are the traits of centuries-old European culture reflected in the image of Odysseus? All this and much more can be learned in lectures at The Alexander Solzhenitsyn House of the Russian Diaspora, N.A. Nekrasov Central Universal Scientific Library, State Museum of V.V. Mayakovsky.
How an expelled gymnasium student became a world-famous artist
In every school class, there was a student who skipped lessons or simply broke the rules. At the time, it might have seemed that, despite their talents, such a person would achieve little because discipline and diligence are crucial for success. But life puts everything in its place: a former underachiever can become a scientist, architect, or company executive, and the fact that they act freely and boldly is an important strong point of theirs.
This happened with Alexander Vertinsky — a composer, actor, and world-renowned stage performer. Hardly anyone, looking at the troublemaker struggling with the loss of loved ones and loneliness, could have guessed what a rich life awaited the young man. Today it can be confidently said: Alexander Vertinsky lived not just one, but three entire lives — the pre-revolutionary period, the years of emigration, and the Soviet era when he gained recognition in his homeland. To learn what the artist’s life was filled with, recall his songs, and discover rare facts about his work, one can attend the lecture-tour “Alexander Vertinsky. The Three Lives of the ‘Russian Pierrot'” at the Alexander Solzhenitsyn House of the Russian Abroad.
Alexander Vertinsky was born in 1889 into the family of a journalist and a hereditary noblewoman. His parents passed away when Alexander was only five years old. He stayed with his older sister Nadezhda, but soon the children were sent to different families of their mother’s relatives. Only years later did they meet again. At the age of nine, the boy passed the entrance exams to the First Kyiv Gymnasium with honors, but two years later he was expelled for bad behavior. Then Vertinsky was transferred to the Fourth Kyiv Gymnasium — it was there that he revealed himself in a new way: he began to show literary talent and became interested in theater. Soon the young man easily wrote short stories and reviews of acting performances.
During World War I, Vertinsky served as a medic: in one year he performed 35,000 dressings and received a silver medal. In 1915, he performed in Russia with original acts, portraying Pierrot, then left abroad, where he gave concerts on stages, in restaurants, and cabarets in the USA, Germany, Lebanon, Romania, Poland, France, and China. A new chapter in the artist’s life began in 1943, when he returned to the USSR after years of wandering.
Alexander Vertinsky developed a unique stage format — a one-man variety theater, in which he combined the roles of poet, composer, and performer. The repertoire included songs set to the poems of Sergey Yesenin, Alexander Blok, Anna Akhmatova, as well as his own compositions.
The lecture tour will begin on September 26 at 16:00. Tickets are available in the service “Mosbilet”.
Outrageousness and loneliness
The great poet and artist, as well as director, actor, and playwright — Vladimir Mayakovsky. Much has been said about his work and fate, yet he remains a mystery, like many talented people. Was his life happy? How did a boy from a small Georgian town become a poet of world renown? And why was he afraid of germs?
Lectures dedicated to the poet are held in the memorial apartment on Studenetsky Lane (a branch of the State Museum of V.V. Mayakovsky). The apartment, which once belonged to Vladimir’s sister, holds many warm memories of him. Furniture and household items, letters, manuscripts, and drawings were transported by the poet’s family from Georgia, where he grew up and spent happy years. It was there that his literary talent, passion for oratory, and public performances first took root.
At the lectures, you can learn many interesting things: what was hidden behind the futurist’s flamboyance, why he wrote his poems in a stair-step manner, and why he was freely allowed to travel abroad. The lecturer will dispel popular myths, read poems and manuscripts by Vladimir Mayakovsky.
The lecture will begin on October 18 at 5:00 PM, tickets can be purchased through the service “Mosbilet”.
On the legacy of Mikhail Lermontov and the phenomenon of Odysseus
In his short but incredibly rich life, Mikhail Lermontov created more than 400 poems, over 20 long poems, six dramas, and an unfinished novel “A Hero of Our Time.” The poet died at the age of 26 in a duel, leaving such a vast legacy that he is still studied in international universities and professional communities. It seems impossible to write so much in such a short life — yet for a genius, there are no barriers.
One of Mikhail Lermontov’s most enigmatic works is the poem “The Demon”: he worked on it for 10 years. It was this poem that inspired composer Anton Rubinstein to create the eponymous lyrical-dramatic opera in three acts, and later artist Mikhail Vrubel to create paintings and sketches imbued with mysticism and the hero’s charm.
On September 30 at 7:30 PM in Nekrasovka, a free lecture dedicated to Rubinstein’s opera and his interpretation of the poem will begin. At it, you can immerse yourself in an atmosphere of mystery and learn how the music was created.
Registration is available in the service “Mosbilet”.
Preservation and Study. How literary communities live and work in Moscow
It is possible to set off on a journey full of adventures and dangers together with the hero of an ancient Greek epic! All it takes is a little imagination.
On September 30 at 19:30 in Nekrasovka, there will also be a lecture “Under Apollo’s Wing,” revealing the phenomenon of Odysseus, which has intrigued researchers for the past several centuries. He became the image of a wandering man, engaged in a battle with his own nature and doomed almost eternally to seek the way home. His story has been told by Dante Alighieri, James Joyce, and Alfred Tennyson.
By the 20th century, Odysseus had become part of world European culture, losing his exclusive association with the ancient Greek tradition. For modern Greek literature, this became a challenge — it had to reclaim its hero. However, the image of Odysseus acquired so many different interpretations that it seems to have long departed from the original intention. And yet the question remains open: who is he — a fearless traveler or a solitary seeker?
The lecture will be given by philologist Vera Ziman, a graduate of the Department of Byzantine and Modern Greek Philology at Lomonosov Moscow State University. You can register through the service “Mosbilet”.
Moscow poster, cultural events and other leisure options — in the “Mosbilet” channels on messengers “Max” and “Telegram”.
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