Biography

In 1991, she graduated from the Moscow Financial Academy (now the Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation).

In 1988, she was admitted to the Union of Theatre Workers of the USSR as an economist.

In 1991, she was appointed by Kirill Lavrov as chief accountant of the Union of Theatre Workers of the USSR.

From 1992 to 1997, she served as chief accountant of the International Confederation of Theatre Unions (the successor organization to the Union of Theatre Workers of the USSR, one of the founding bodies of the Chekhov International Theatre Festival), and from 1997 to 2003 she held the post of Head of the Finance and Economics Department.

Since 1993, Karina Tsaturova has played an active role in the creation of co-productions of the Chekhov International Theatre Festival (hereinafter referred to as the Chekhov Festival), involving leading foreign and Russian directors and theatres, such as Peter Stein, Declan Donnellan, Daniele Finzi Pasca, Anatoly Vasilyev, Vladimir Pankov and others.

From 2003 to 2010, she was the head of the municipal programmes funding section within the Moscow City Department of Culture.

From 2010 to 2021, Karina Tsaturova served as Executive Director of the Regional Public Foundation for the Support of the Chekhov International Theatre Festival, under whose auspices the Chekhov Festival began actively promoting productions from the festival programme across Russia’s regions. More than 40 productions were presented in 24 cities across the country. Audiences were treated to performances by outstanding figures from the world of theatre: Peter Brook, Anatoly Vasilyev, Declan Donnellan, Philippe Genty, Lin Hwai-min, Ohad Naharin, Giorgio Strehler, Robert Sturua, Aurélia and James Thierrée-Chaplin, Daniele Finzi Pasca, Russell Maliphant and many others.

Since 2017 to the present — Associate Professor at the Higher School of Cultural Policy and Management in the Humanities (Faculty of Lomonosov Moscow State University). Teaches a course on festival management.

In 2018, Karina Tsaturova oversaw the organization of the Chekhov Festival’s international street programme as part of the events marking City Day (Moscow).

From 2014 to 2022 — First Deputy Director General of the Chekhov International Theatre Festival.

From 2023 to 2025 — Vice-President of the International Confederation of Theatre Unions.

From December 2022 to the present — General Director of the Chekhov International Theatre Festival in Moscow and Director of the International Pacific Theatre Festival in Vladivostok.

From July 2025 to the present — President of the International Confederation of Theatre Unions.

For Karina Tsaturova, the Chekhov Festival is not just a place of work, but her lifelong endeavor. From the very beginning, she has been involved in the formation of the festival; for many years she was a close colleague of Valery Shadrin – the festival’s founder and creative director – sharing his convictions and development strategy.

Carrying on the work of Valery Shadrin at the helm of his team, Karina Tsaturova carefully upholds the traditional approach to curating the Chekhov Festival programme, including productions by both renowned masters of world theatre, much loved by Russian audiences, and new talents who have already gained recognition abroad but are still relatively unknown to our audience. Most importantly, thanks to their boundless faith, perseverance and professionalism, the festival team is succeeding in developing the festival movement and, despite the challenges of the times, continuing to build theatrical bridges between countries and continents.

“I would like to offer you my heartfelt congratulations on the successful conclusion of the Chekhov Festival! Given the circumstances imposed on you by the current political situation, you have achieved a true feat, maintaining your dignity and artistic standards. And you have reminded society that theatre is a universal art form, one that transcends all humanity and is not confined to phenomena of a purely European scale, however important they may be. The theatre’s audience and foundation is all of humanity, not just a single continent. I am delighted by your success, both creative and organizational. The ideas that guided Valery Shadrin live on” (Alexey Bartoshevich, Soviet and Russian theatricologist, theatre historian, specialist in the works of William Shakespeare, Doctor of Arts, Professor, Honoured Scientist of the Russian Federation, and one of the founders of the Chekhov Festival – from a congratulatory message marking the conclusion of the 17th Chekhov International Theatre Festival, 25 July 2025)

“It is our aim that, as has traditionally been the case, everyone who comes to the Chekhov Festival for the first time as a participant should leave having become our close friends. My team and I always stay in touch with them and do our best to ensure that our ‘theatrical bridges’ endure for many years to come, and that the Chekhov Festival and its projects remain a prominent cultural event that audiences look forward to with anticipation” (Karina Tsaturova)

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