Irina Chechik (center) with students in the garden of the Derzhavin estate
In April-May 2026, international students at the SPbGASU Preparatory Department had a very rich cultural program with visits to museums, theaters, and the Philharmonic.
On 5 April, international students from the Preparatory Department and master's students from SPbGASU visited the LDM. New Stage Theatre. They saw the musical "Marco Polo. White Lotus"—a production that transports audiences to the Chinese city of Shangdu in 1878. To create a realistic atmosphere, the directors and actors visited six Chinese cities, and the costumes and sets were recreated from antique engravings and sketches by an international team of designers. For the Chinese students, this evening was more than just a cultural experience; it was a true immersion into the living Russian language and theatrical movement, where the language of music and light combined with an original stage interpretation. This delighted the students and their teacher Elena Safronova, Professor at the Department of Intercultural Communication, and led to lengthy discussions on the way home.
On 18 April, another group of students from the preparatory department visited the G. R. Derzhavin Estate Museum on the Fontanka River Embankment. The students viewed the main exhibition and strolled through the estate park, learning a lot about the personalities of G. R. Derzhavin and A. S. Pushkin, their creative biographies, social life in the capital, and the life of noble families in the 18th and 19th centuries. The students examined the antique collectibles on display with great interest. After the tour, the students shared their impressions with their teacher, Irina Chechik, Associate Professor at the Department of Intercultural Communication, and added that they had never imagined: literally across from their dormitory, "time stood still, and you find yourself in a beautiful ancient atmosphere."
On 21 May, Chinese students from the preparatory department, along with Natalia Tishchenko, Associate Professor at the Department of Intercultural Communication, visited the Mariinsky Theatre to see the ballet "Shurale" with music by Farid Yarullin. This year, our students visited all three Mariinsky Theatre venues.
On 27 May, St Petersburg's birthday, two groups of international students from the SPbGASU preparatory department visited the Great Hall of the Philharmonic. At the gala concert, they heard masterpieces of world classical music from foreign and Russian operas performed by soloists from the Elena Obraztsova International Academy of Music and the Leningrad Region Symphony Orchestra.
On 28 May, international students from the SPbGASU preparatory department —future master's students—joined by Anastasia Gubaidullina, Associate Professor at the Department of Intercultural Communication, visited the Bridge Museum. During a specialized tour, they learned about engineering discoveries and the principles of bridge construction from the 17th century to the present day.
