Alexander Lvovich Naryshkin

Alexander Lvovich Naryshkin (14 April 1760 - 21 January 1826) was a Russian noble of the Naryshkin family. He was the director of the Imperial Theatres from 1799 to 1819 and Marshal of Nobility of Saint-Petersburg from 1818 to 1826. He and his brother were famous for their lavish parties in Saint-Petersburg. Life Aleksandr Naryshkin was born on the 14th of April, 1760 into the Naryshkin family. After being tutored at home, he embarked on a Grand Tour, as was often done by upper-class young European men as a rite of passage. Upon his return, he entered the Izmailovsky Life Guards regiment, where he rose to the rank of lieutenant captain. In 1778, he was granted the position of chamber-junker and began building his career at the Imperial Court. In 1785, he was promoted to chamberlain and made friends with the heir to the throne, Catherine the Great's son Paul. After the accession to the throne of Paul I in 1797, he was awarded the Order of St. Anna of the 1st degree, and shortly after in 1798 he was awarded the Order of St. Alexander Nevsky and granted the position of chief marshal. In 1799, he was appointed director of the Imperial Theatres.