Pushkin is the father of Russian literature and, arguably, the creator of modern literary Russian language. His poetry is still recited in Russian schools - but how relevant is his work to a nineties audience? To celebrate the bicentenary of Pushkin's birth, theatre composer Gary Yershon assesses his importance to poets and novelists in post-Communist Russia and beyond, and explores the historical development of his literary reputation. With Vladimir Ashkenazy, Professor A. Briggs, Ralph Fiennes, Elaine Feinstein, Natalia Rubinstein, Lev Loseff and Olga Segakova. Poetry read by Ralph Fiennes.

(Pushkin evening Thursday 7.30pm)