hiː deɪbjˈuːd æz dᵻɹˈɛktɚɹ ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd fˈɪfti wˈʌn, wɪððə pɹədˈʌkʃən ʌv lˌæ tɹˌævɪˈɑːɾə ɪnðə mˈɑːli ˈɑːpɚɹə θˈiəɾɚɹ ɪn lˈɛnɪŋɡɹˌæd nˈaʊ nˈoʊn æz ðə mˌɪkheɪlˈʌvski θˈiəɾɚ.
He debuted as director in 1951, with the production of La traviata in the Maly Opera Theatre in Leningrad (now known as the Mikhailovsky Theatre).