Honoured Artist of Russia.
Born in an acting family. After leaving school she joined
the company of the Murmansk Region Drama Theatre where she performed
minor roles in various productions in the theatre’s repertoire.
In 1957 Irina Voznesenskaya entered the Leningrad Theatre Institute
(course taught by the legendary actress and coach Yelizaveta Time.
In 1961 after graduating from the institute the young actress was
invited to join the Leningrad State Academic Pushkin Theatre. Her roles
have included Diana (The Famous 702, 1962), Marina
(Dances on a High Road, 1962), Lida (Plato
Krechet, 1964), Ottilia (Before Sunset, 1964), Laura
(Little Tragedies, 1965), Matilda (The Wild
Captain, 1965), Lyuba Gabai (The Cause You
Serve, 1967), Yulinka (A Profitable Post, 1968),
Vernova (Man and the Globe, 1969), Ћilina
(The Legend of Ulenspiegel, 1971), Irina Lavrovna
(The Last Victim, 1971), Charlotta (The Cherry
Orchard, 1972), Chernobrivtseva
(The Hurricane, 1974), Harpie (Conversations with
Socrates, 1976), Valeria (Alone without Angels, 1977),
Babakina (Ivanov, 1978), Tanya (Airport, 1978), Lida
(The Veranda in the Forest, 1979), Clytemnestra (My Love
Elektra, 1980) and de Beausйant (Le Pиre
Goriot, 1982) among others. Over her years at Russia’s oldest theatre,
Irina Voznesenskaya has performed some seventy roles.
Her incredible sense of humour, sense of observation with regard to acting
and her ability to paint a subtle psychological portrait and express
a specific kind of personality have allowed the actress to create an
entire gallery of comedy characters. Roles in recent years have included
Mrs Prostakova (The Minor, 1990), Ariane
(Blaise, 1992), Emilia (Othello, 1993), Assunta
(Cap and Bells, 1993), Paulina (A Winter’s
Tale, 1995), Mrs Higgins (Pygmalion, 1998), Anna
Petrovna (A Pair of Bay Horses, 2000) and Lady Jedburgh
(Lady Windermere’s Fan) among others. In 2006 Irina Voznesenskaya
was awarded the prestigious Pushkin Medal government award.