About us

Russian State Institute of Performing Arts (former name Saint-Petersburg Theatre Arts Academy), was established in 1779 and is the oldest and largest institution of its kind in Russia that trains and educates every possible professional needed in the field of contemporary theatre. During over two hundred years of history, the Institute evolved from realistic traditions of the Emperor's Theatre School to Vsevolod Meyerhold's workshop, world renowned stage director and faculty member of the Institute in the late teens of the XX century. Nowadays the Institute's principal approach is mainly based on Stanislavsky System, especially Method of Physical Actions and Method of Action Analysis; system of actor's training also includes Meyerhold's Bio-mechanics. Thus, with true respect for classical school - a distinctive feature of Saint Petersburg's cultural landscape overall - the Institute manages to combine it with contemporary innovations based on main achievements of the Russian theatre in the 20-21st centuries.