About Golden Mask

The Golden Mask is a National Theatre Award established in 1993 for productions in all genres of theatre art: drama, opera, ballet, modern dance, operetta, musical, and puppet theatre.

Golden Mask is also an all-Russian Performing Arts Festival that takes place in Moscow in the spring of each year, presenting the most significant performances from all over Russia.

The main festival programme includes Russian productions, selected by experts from among the premieres of the previous season and nominated for the Golden Mask Award. During the festival the two juries - one for drama and one for musical theatre - composed of recognized Russian actors, directors, conductors, choreographers and theatre critics - decide on the winners of the Golden Mask Award in over thirty nominations. The Awards are made at the Golden Mask Awards Ceremony in mid April.

The festival of performances nominated for the Golden Mask Award is a major forum, representing a full and objective picture of the Russian theatrical life to professionals and the public at large.

The Golden Mask is not only a reputable and prestigious award in the field of theatre art, but also a cultural institution, performing a complex of key strategic tasks for the theatre. The history of the Golden Mask is a chronicle of contemporary Russian theatre, including all of its major developments and trends.

Apart from the main (competition) programme, the Festival organizes a number of other significant events and projects, with a special focus on the promotion of Russian theatre and presentation of the best Russian productions in Russian cities and abroad.

The Golden Mask Awards are given to the winners at the Awards Ceremony that takes place on the last Festival day in one of the most prestigious Moscow venues. The Golden Mask Ceremony is widely covered by the press and broadcast by a central TV channel.