Based on Anna on the Neck, the famous Chekhov's story the TV ballet Anyuta, which appeared on screens in 1982, was extremely successful amongst the audience and was soon endorsed by professional awards. That same year, the film received the Intervision prize at the International TV Film Festival Zlata Praga and in 1984 was given a State Prize of the RSFSR named after the Vasiliev brothers.

Thanks to this unprecedented success, the course of things changed its traditional order: usually popular performances were filmed, but in this case a fortunate screen adaptation found its way on to the stage. The world premiere of the ballet Anyuta took place in Naples at the Teatro San Carlo on the 21st January 1986, but less than six months later, on the 31st of May, the premiere was held at the Bolshoi Theatre.