Russian actor Yevgeny Mironov, artistic director of the State Theatre of Nations, has admitted feeling nervous before his first day playing composer Pyotr Tchaikovsky in director Felix Umarov's upcoming movie The Nutcracker, despite his extensive screen experience.
Speaking during a panel titled Theatre and Charity at the fifth International Children's Cultural Forum, the People's Artist of the Russian Federation revealed that taking on the musical icon left him anxious about his performance. Mironov, who has appeared in more than 80 films, said he accepted the small role because playing Tchaikovsky was an opportunity no actor could refuse.
To prepare for the part, Mironov traveled to Klin, the town where Tchaikovsky lived. He noted that acting remains a difficult profession regardless of experience, comparing every new role to taking an exam and adding that he does not wake up happy every day for work.
Production details and storyline
Pyotr Tchaikovsky was one of Russia's most renowned 19th-century classical composers, whose famous ballet score for The Nutcracker premiered in Saint Petersburg in 1892. The town of Klin, located northwest of Moscow, was his final home and now houses a state memorial museum dedicated to his life and legacy.
Filming for the Christmas fantasy movie recently completed in Saint Petersburg, director Felix Umarov previously told news agency TASS. The plot is set in Saint Petersburg on New Year's Eve in 1892, following young ballerina Marie after she joins the theatre troupe of Madame Drosselmeyer as they prepare a staging of The Nutcracker.
When the mysterious Mouse King threatens to destroy the performance, Marie and her freedom-loving companion Franz must act as a bridge between hostile worlds, defend their love, and save the theatre.
The feature film stars Mark Eydelshteyn, Sofia Lopunova, Svetlana Khodchenkova, Anna Zavtur, Timofey Timkov, Yevgeny Mironov, Alexey Kolgan, Aleksandr Ilyin, and Maksim Khanzhov. The Nutcracker is scheduled to enter wide cinema release on January 1, 2028.
