The Life and Work of Sergei Esenin.
In this lecture and poetry reading commemorating the lives of David and Lyudmila Matthews, David Brummell introduces the short, turbulent, and brilliant life of the poet Sergei Esenin (1895-1925). From his humble upbringing and his numerous love affairs, to his suspicious death, Esenin’s fame in his home country is immense — but he’s almost unknown in the West.
Then, we hear readings from 11 of Esenin’s poems, read by David Brummell and Lucy Daniels, in David and Lyudmila Matthews English translation, and recited in the Russian original by Alla Gelich.