GALLERY
10 photos
On September 18th, a press conference was held in Vladivostok to mark the opening of the 4th Pacific International Theatre Festival (PITF). Over almost a month, until 11 October, audiences will be able to enjoy performances by theatres and companies from 13 countries, an international co-production, special projects, an educational programme and professional meetings.
The Pacific Festival is organised by the team of the Chekhov International Theatre Festival. For us, it is a continuation of many years of work to foster international theatrical dialogue and create opportunities for Russian and international artists, directors, theatres and audiences to come together.
The Festival is supported by the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation, with the assistance of the Government of Primorsky Krai.
International Theatre on the Shores of the Pacific Ocean
This year’s programme brings together theatre companies from Russia, Mexico, Mongolia, China, Kazakhstan, India, South Africa, Armenia, Belarus, Colombia, Malaysia, Brazil and France. For the Russian Far East, the Festival is not only an opportunity to experience world-class performances, but also an important instrument for developing international cultural cooperation.
Elena Bronnikova, Deputy Chair of the Government of Primorsky Krai and Minister of Culture and Archives of Primorsky Krai, noted:
“The Far East is called ‘far’ for a reason: we are a long way from Moscow and St Petersburg. Yet we are incredibly fortunate, because year after year, for three weeks, we get to see productions not merely from other regions of the Russian Federation, but from theatres of international standing.”
According to Elena Bronnikova, the Festival is also becoming an important driver of cultural tourism. Audience demand is another indication of its success, with tickets for many performances already sold out.
Theatre Without Borders: From Historical Epic to Contemporary Dance
The programme of the 4th Pacific Festival features 13 productions, showcasing a remarkable variety of theatrical languages and genres.
The line-up includes large-scale historical epics and psychological drama, outdoor performance and puppetry, classical and contemporary dance, sound drama, musical theatre and international co-production. This diversity and the opportunity to experience contemporary theatre in its many forms is one of the Festival’s defining features.
Karina Tsaturova, Head of the Pacific International Theatre Festival, says:
“We have the opportunity to observe not only the development of our Festival, but also the evolution of theatre itself and the ways in which contemporary theatre is changing. The programme encompasses large-scale historical epics, psychological drama, outdoor performance, puppetry, classical and contemporary dance, sound drama, musical theatre and international co-production.”
Behind every Festival production lies an enormous amount of international coordination. The Mexican company needed around 40 hours to reach Vladivostok, while Mongolia brought several lorry-loads of stage scenery and a team of 75 people.
Opening the Festival: Theatre Under the Open Sky
The Festival opened with LOStheULTRAMAR, a production by the Mexican company Focus on Air! (Foco alAire!), directed by Marcela Sánchez Mota.
This outdoor physical-theatre performance takes place on Tsesarevich Embankment. Live musical accompaniment by musicians from the Primorsky Regional Philharmonic adds a distinctive atmosphere to the event.
Opening the Festival in a public urban space is a meaningful gesture. The Pacific Festival is conceived not only as a meeting place for the professional theatre community, but also as an opportunity to make world culture part of everyday life in Vladivostok and throughout the Russian Far East.
Mongolia, Chekhov and the Festival’s First International Co-production
One of the Festival’s major highlights is the Russian premiere of The Mongol Khan, produced by Hiro Entertainment and directed by Hiro Baatar. The production is based on A State Without a Seal, a work by a classic of Mongolian literature.
Another important milestone is the first co-production in the history of the Pacific Festival.
How Volcanoes Die is inspired by Anton Chekhov’s Uncle Vanya. This international project was developed by the Pacific Festival in collaboration with the Primorsky Regional Youth Drama Theatre, under the direction of Brazilian director Ada Luana Rodrigues de Almeida Bresani.
For the director, working in Vladivostok has been a particularly meaningful experience:
“There is a stereotype, shared by people around the world–including myself–that Russians are reserved, closed off and do not express their emotions. But working in Vladivostok with the actors of the Youth Theatre has shattered that stereotype. They are completely honest, open and ready for dialogue.”
The Brazilian team travelled for more than 40 hours to reach Vladivostok. Here, Ada Luana was able to fulfil a long-held artistic ambition: to complete her trilogy based on the works of Anton Chekhov.
For the Chekhov Festival team, it is particularly important that the work of Russia’s great playwright has become the starting point for a new international creative dialogue–this time on the shores of the Pacific Ocean.
A Festival as a Space for the Future of Theatre
The Pacific Festival is about much more than performances. A significant part of its programme is devoted to professional exchange and education.
A special laboratory has been organised for students of the theatre department at the Far Eastern State Institute of Arts. Its outcome will be a new production directed by Boris Morozov, People's Artist of Russia, and Tatyana Morozova. The educational programme also includes practical workshops in acting, stage movement and make-up.
Projects of this kind are especially important to us. A festival must engage not only with theatre today, but also with its future – helping young actors and students build professional connections, discover different theatrical traditions and gain experience of international collaboration.
A Major International Project Created in Vladivostok
The 4th Pacific International Theatre Festival is the result of many months of intensive preparation. For the team of the Chekhov International Theatre Festival, the Pacific Festival offers an opportunity to continue what we have been doing for many years: creating a space for international theatrical dialogue, establishing new connections, supporting joint projects and introducing Russian audiences to the diversity of contemporary world theatre.
The Festival is a flagship event within the state Programme for the Development of Theatre Arts in the Russian Far East, initiated by the Theatre of Nations. Its mission is to give residents of the region access to outstanding examples of world theatre without having to leave the Far East, while connecting theatres in Primorsky Krai with the contemporary international cultural landscape.
We invite audiences to follow the programme of the 4th Pacific International Theatre Festival and become part of this major international theatrical event in Vladivostok.
