Praskovia Ivanovna Zhemchugova (Praskovia Zhemchugova) |

Praskovia Zhemchugova

Praskovya Ivanovna Zhemchugova (real name Kovalyova) is a Russian actress and singer who for most of her life was a serf actress of the Sheremetev Theater in the Kuskovo and Ostankino estates near Moscow. Her best achievement was the role of Eliana in Grétry’s The Samnite Marriages (1785, the first performer on the Russian stage).

Other roles include Louise in Monsigny’s The Deserter (1781), Alzved in Rousseau’s The Village Sorcerer (1782), and roles in Paisiello’s operas. She also sang in Russian operas (Misfortune from the Carriage, Fevey by Pashkevich, etc.). In 1798 she received freedom.

E. Tsodokov