Winners of the Russian National Theatre Award "Golden Mask" in the nomination For Outstanding Contribution into Development of Theatrical Art have been announced.

      The award in this category goes to:

      the People's Artist of the USSR, the art director of the Chekhov Moscow Art Theatre, Oleg Tabakov:

      the People's Artist of the USSR, Vladimir Etush;

      the soloist of the Mariinsky Theatre Irina Bogacheva;

      and Nikolai Marton, an actor of the Pushkin Russian State Academic Drama Theater.

      The Golden Mask will also be awarded to the People's Artist of Russia, Georgy Kotov from the Omsk State Music Theatre; Yakut stage director Andrei Borisov; and the People's Artist of Russia and Dagestan, Aygum Aygumov, the art director of the Dagestan Kumyk State Music and Drama Theatre; and Rezo Gabriadze, the art director of the Tbilisi Marionette Theater.

      The highest award in the nomination For Support of Russian Theatre Art will be conferred on the charity fund Art, Science and Sports, founded by Russian businessman and philanthropist Alisher Usmanov in 2006.

      The Golden Mask festival will be held in Moscow from February to April 2017. The award ceremony will take place on stage of the Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko Moscow Music Theater on April 19, 2017