In 1977, Svetlana Smirnova graduated from the Leningrad State Institute of Theater, Music, and Cinematography (Korogodsky`s studio). In 1970-1980s, she worked at the A. Bryantsev Youth Theater, the Lenfilm`s Actor Studio, the Theater-studio “Time,” the Lensovet Theater; she had also been filming quite frequently.

Svetlana Smirnova came to work to the Pushkin Academy Drama Theater in 1992. A gifted actress of deep dramatic nature and bright charisma with an expressive way of acting, she took the leading positions in the theater company very quickly. Her first role on the Alexandrinsky stage was Sonya in the Red Poppy -- a play written by Z. Gippius, D. Merezhkovsky, and D. Philosophov. Her next one was Beatrice in L. Pirandello’s Cap with the Jingle Bells (directed by Vladimir Vorobiev, 1994).  Among the roles she played on the Alexandrinsky Theater stage we could mention Princess Vera (Monsieur George. Russian Drama after M. Lermontov, 1994), Iolan (The Devil by F. Molnar, 1995), Natalia Dmitriyevna Gorich (Woes of Wits by A.S. Griboyedov, 1996), Mrs. Erlynne (Lady Windermere’s Fan by Oscar Wilde, 1998), Marina Mnishek (Boris Godunov by A.S. Pushkin, 1999), Baroness Shtral (The Masquerade by M. Lermontov, 2003) and others. 

One of her most significant roles of the recent years was Anna Andreyevna in N. Gogol`s Inspector General directed by Valery Fokin (2002). Smirnova made her character modern and recognizable. She managed to create a character of a strong and ambitious woman, striving for her husband’s promotion, and made it in a very smooth and artistic way.

Svetlana Smirnova participated in several pilot projects of the Alexandrinsky Theater. The role of Siri von Essen in Strindberg’s triptych The Stringer (director Alexander Nordshtrem, 1997) marked a new phase in Smirnova’s career. Her scenic charm and sense of irony helped the actress in her work with complicated and seemingly dangerous material of The Snow Queens monodrama written by Kerstin Specht and directed by Andrey Moguchy for the Festival of Modern German Drama (1999). The successful creative alliance with Director A. Moguchy was continued in creation of the performance Petersburg (after A. Bely`s novel). Smirnova played the role of Anna Petrovna, mother of Nikolai Apollonovich Ableukhov, in the techniques of theater minimalism. Her impersonating is full of confidence and preciseness. Meetings with her son and her abandoned husband are too short; talks are abrupt and sketchy. She is just a reminiscence of the past and lost life, painful and impossible for her husband and son – the Ableukhov father and son.

She continued her successful creative alliance with Director Andrey Moguchy in their work on the performance Petersburg after Andrey Bely’s novel (2005). Svetlana Smirnova played Anna Petrovna, mother of Nikolay Ableukhov, in the patterns of theater minimalism.  She drew the contour of the role in one exact and masterful stroke of hand. Her meetings with her son and abandoned earlier spouse are vehement and fragmentary. She is just a remembrance from that life, gone for ever and lost, painful and impossible for both the son and father Ableukhovs.   In Andrey Moguchy’s new theater project – The Ivans after N. Gogol’s novel The Story How Ivan Ivanovich Quarreled with Ivan Nikiforovich and other Gogol’s writings (2007); Svetlana Smirnova plays an accumulated female character of a Baba (Woman); turning it into different images in the course of the performance: a court girl Galka, a formidable guardian in a sheepskin, a mother softly calling for her son to come home, a young and cheerful girl laughing under the skies…    

Presently, Svetlana Smirnova’s repertoire includes the role of a holy fool Marfusha in the performance Ksenia. The History of Love by V. Levanov (Director Valery Fokin, 2009) and the role of Maria Vasilievna Voinitskaya in A. Chekhov’s Uncle Vanya (Director Andrey Serban, 2009).

For the moment, Svetlana Smirnova has more than 20 roles on her cinema account. In 2005, she was honored with the ttile of a People’s Artist of Russia.