On 15 November 2022, the programme for the Second International Pacific Theatre Festival was announced in the foyer of the Primorye Stage of the Mariinsky Theatre.
Press conference participants:
Elena Bronnikova – Deputy Chair of the Government of Primorsky Krai – Minister of Culture and Archival Affairs of Primorsky Krai;
Irina Trostnikova – Deputy General Director of the International Chekhov Theatre Festival;
Eldar Aliev – Artistic Director of the Ballet Company of the Primorye Stage of the Mariinsky Theatre;
Mikhail Milkis – Chief Director of the Moscow Theatre on Pokrovka, pedagogue.
The press conference was moderated by Daria Shadrina, Press Secretary of the International Chekhov Theatre Festival and the International Pacific Theatre Festival.
The 2023 programme is available on the official website: WWW.PACIFICFEST.RU
ABOUT THE FESTIVAL
The International Pacific Theatre Festival is a significant part of the state Programme for the Development of Theatre Arts in the Far East, initiated by the State Theatre of Nations, led by its Artistic Director, People's Artist of Russia Evgeny Mironov. The idea for this large‑scale project was supported by the President of Russia, Vladimir Putin. The International Pacific Theatre Festival is the centrepiece of the programme.
The Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation entrusted the preparation and execution of the Festival to the International Chekhov Theatre Festival, which has many years of experience in organising and staging major international theatre events. Over its thirty‑year history, the Chekhov Festival has presented more than 600 performances from 54 countries in Moscow and other Russian cities. The author of the creative concept for the Pacific Festival in Vladivostok is Valery Shadrin, General Director of the Chekhov Festival.
The aim of the International Pacific Theatre Festival is to introduce Far Eastern audiences more closely to the finest productions from the Pacific region and other countries around the world. The Pacific Festival programme reflects the diversity of cultural and theatrical traditions and is aimed at strengthening international cultural and humanitarian cooperation. In addition to performances, an open educational programme – including creative meetings, lectures and post‑show discussions – is offered to the city's residents.
ABOUT THE 2023 PROGRAMME
From 21 September to 7 October 2023, Vladivostok will host the Second International Pacific Theatre Festival.
The first edition took place in autumn 2021. Despite the challenging conditions of the pandemic and sanitary restrictions, nine companies from eight countries presented their productions. The programme was seen by more than 12,000 spectators: each festival performance played to a full house and was met with prolonged applause. From the very first days to the final curtain, it was an unforgettable celebration, full of creative discoveries, vivid impressions and hope – hope that such gatherings would become a fine tradition and that the miracle of the festival would be repeated. In preparing the programme for the Second Pacific Festival, the organisers understood that to live up to these shared expectations, the new encounter would have to be no less engaging and substantial.
The forthcoming festival programme includes nine performances across a range of genres from eight countries around the world – Argentina, Armenia, Brazil, China, Cuba, Russia, South Africa and Vietnam. Festival performances are scheduled to take place at the Primorye Stage of the Mariinsky Theatre (Grand Hall and Small Hall), the M. Gorky Primorye Academic Regional Drama Theatre and the Art‑Congress Hotel "Ekvator". The date for the opening of ticket sales for the Second International Pacific Theatre Festival will be announced separately.
Particular attention will be paid to the Educational Programme, which in 2021 was attended by over a thousand people. Free lectures, meet‑the‑artist sessions, seminars and masterclasses by directors, choreographers, actors, designers, composers, theatre critics and journalists will once again be offered to all who wish to attend – students, theatre professionals and the general public. Given the high demand and social significance of the Educational Programme, special laboratories and masterclasses for students of creative higher education institutions in Vladivostok are also being held between festivals as part of the International Theatre School of the Pacific Festival. In particular, from 14 to 24 November 2022, students of the Theatre Institute of the Far Eastern State Institute of Arts will take part in: a laboratory led by director, pedagogue, playwright, poet and musician Mikhail Milkis; online lectures by renowned Russian theatre critic Pavel Rudnev on trends in contemporary Russian theatre; and an intensive course in stage speech by Sergey Sotnikov, Senior Lecturer at the Department of Stage Speech and Vocal Studies of the Moscow Art Theatre School‑Studio.