Representing famous Moscow creative dynasties is an established tradition of the Russian State Art Library (RSAL).

The artistic director of the Moscow Hermitage Theatre, writer Mikhail Levitin, Sr and his children—actress Olga Levitina and director Mikhail Levitin, Jr came to a meeting with RSAL’s readers. Especially for this meeting, library specialists prepared an exhibition of books by Mikhail Levitin, Sr.

The sister and brother were born into Olga Ostroumova and Mikhail Levitin, Sr’s family of People’s Artists of Russia, which could not but affect their choice of profession. Honoured Actress of the Russian Federation Olga Levitina performs on the stage of the Hermitage Theatre and acts in films. The father’s directing and writing genes have helped his son, Mikhail, stage theatre plays based on his own adaptations, and in 2017 his first full-length film Scoundrel, for which he wrote the script, was released.

At the meeting, Olga Levitina spoke about her path to the theatrical arts and showed excerpts from her performances in the Hermitage Theatre. Mikhail Levitin, Jr presented selections from Scoundrel, which starred Olga Ostroumova, Valentin Gaft, Vladimir Vdovichenkov, and Olga Levitina. That evening, Mikhail Levitin, Sr presented his new book, Incredible Lightness and Terrible Curiosity.

The evening ended—as it should in the theatre—with the presentation of flowers and thunderous applause.