Press conference marks opening of 17th International Chekhov Theatre Festival
On 23 May 2025, the TASS Press Centre hosted a press conference dedicated to the opening of the 17th International Chekhov Theatre Festival.
The event was addressed by representatives of relevant government bodies, festival participants and organisers, as well as heads of embassies and cultural centres from participating countries.
Karina Tsaturova, General Director of the Chekhov Festival, welcomed the guests and provided a detailed overview of the programme and the theatrical discoveries awaiting audiences.
Edita Isaakyan, Deputy Director of the Department for State Support of Art and Folk Creativity at the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation, highlighted the Festival's role in supporting and developing cultural ties with China within the framework of the Russia–China Years of Culture, as well as its significance for relations with Colombia, as this year marks the 90th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
H.E. Enrique Ignacio Ferrer Vieyra, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Argentine Republic, and H.E. Héctor Isidro Arenas Neira, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Colombia, expressed their gratitude to the Festival for its comprehensive collaboration with theatres from Spanish-speaking countries. They noted that the productions from Colombia and Argentina are national treasures of their respective countries, which underscores the uniqueness and distinctiveness of the performances featured in the Chekhov Festival programme.
Jing Xiaoyong, President of the Group of Eastern Performing Arts (China), thanked the organisers and remarked that it is an honour for his company to open the Festival. Russia is one of the few countries where this gem of Chinese theatrical art will be presented. Mr Jing expressed his belief that cultural exchange will help deepen the bonds between our nations.
Evgeny Pisarev, Artistic Director of the Pushkin Moscow Drama Theatre and Deputy President for Creative Affairs of the International Confederation of Theatre Unions, spoke about another important component of the Chekhov Festival – its educational programme. Under his artistic direction, the Laboratory for Young Directors from CIS Countries and Georgia will take place. The central theme will be the poetics of the absurd, with Nikolai Gogol – the father of absurdism in Russian literature – as its key inspiration. The Laboratory will culminate in a production to be staged by the participants together with director-pedagogue Denis Azarov.
The Chekhov Festival will also host the world premiere of the production Penelope. Narine Grigoryan, Honoured Artist of the Republic of Armenia, Artistic Director of the S. Sarkisyan State Theatre "Amazgain" and lead actress in the production, provided further insight into the work. She paid special attention to her collaboration with French director Simon Abkarian, who also authored the stage adaptation. Penelope offers a fresh, unconventional take on the story of Odysseus's wife and Telemachus's mother – one of the central figures of Homer's Odyssey.
Madhur Kankana Roy, Director of the Jawaharlal Nehru Cultural Centre at the Embassy of India in Russia, welcomed the press conference participants and spoke about the uniqueness of the Mandali Talkies group's performance, for which only 15 performers were selected from over 4,000 applicants – truly the best of the best.