The VIII Chekhov International Theatre Festival will take place in Moscow between May 26 and August 2, 2009.
This Festival will stand out for two things: its guest of honor will be France and its program will feature theatre/circus shows staged by the most interesting troupes from foreign countries, including France, in the style of Nouveau Cirque.
Some of the internationally acclaimed companies will perform for the Russian audiences for the first time. They are James Thierree’s "Compagnie du Hanneton" ("Junebug Company"), Victoria Chaplin’s and Jean-Baptiste Thierrée’s “Le Cirque Invisible”, “Compagnie Des Petites Heures”, Johann Le Guillerm's “Cirque Ici”, Mathurin Bolze’s company called “Les Mains, les Pieds et Ia Tête Aussi”, the Canadian troupe "Les 7 Doigts de la Main" ("The Seven Fingers"). The program also features "Nebbia" created by "Cirque Eloize" from Canada and "Teatro Sunil "(Switzerland) and "Icaro" of "Teatro Sunil" from Switzerland, staged by Daniele Finzi Pasca.
Other participants in the VIII Festival are well-known and much loved by the Russian public. Bartabas and his " The Zingaro Equestrian Théâtre", Philippe Genty, Robert Lepage, Pina Bausch will present their new or renewed stagings. Matthew Bourne will bring his “Dorian Gray” (premiered in Edinburgh in 2008).
The Oriental theatre will be represented at the Festival by the Theatre “Bunraku” company from Japan, Guo Guang Opera Company and the unique “Cloud Gate Dance Theatre" from Taiwan.
The audiences in Moscow will for the first time see Mats Ekk's dramatic work "A Dream Play" that has been premiered at the "Dramaten" in Stockholm.
"Mayakovsky Russian Drama Theatre" from Dushanbe (Tadjikistan) will present the production of "Rustam and Sukhrab". The program of the Festival also features modern opera "The Navigator" (Australia) and the puppet theatre adaptation of Gogol's "The Overcoat" produced by "Teatro Milagros" from Chili.
The Moscow Program features new productions by famous Russian directors Yu. Lyubimov, P, Fomenko, A. Borodin, A. Shapiro, K. Ginkas, A. Titel, D. Krymov, K. Serebrennikov, A. Ratmansky.