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Yerevan, Armenia – The 18th ‘Shakespeare & Co.’ International Theatre Festival successfully concluded on November 10, marking a week of vibrant artistic exchange in the Armenian capital. Held from November 4 to 10 with the support of the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture, and Sport of the Republic of Armenia, the festival brought together theatre professionals from Armenia and abroad to explore both classical and contemporary interpretations of world dramaturgy.
The closing ceremony took place at the H. Paronyan State Musical Comedy Theatre in Yerevan, featuring a performance by the acclaimed ‘Butusovtsy’ troupe. They presented ‘The Death of Tarelkin’, a new joint production by the ‘Komnata Sveta’ and ‘Storozh’ theatre companies from Saint Petersburg, directed by Alexander Tserenya.
International and Local Participation
Throughout the week, Yerevan’s stages hosted various international and local theatre troupes. International participants included:
- National Theatre ‘I. L. Caragiale’ (Moldova): ‘Macbeth’
- Ulyanovsk Drama Theatre ‘I. A. Goncharov’ (Russia): ‘Gertrude and Others’
- Toth Jozsef Theatre (Hungary): ‘The Seagull’
- ‘Tony Bulandra’ Theatre (Romania): ‘Othello’
Local Armenian theatres also showcased a diverse program, including performances by the H. Ghaplanyan Drama Theatre, the Yerevan Chamber Theatre, the K. Stanislavski State Russian Drama Theatre, and the Hamazgayin State Theatre, which presented works by Alexander Pushkin and Mikhail Zoshchenko.
Focus on Professional Exchange
Beyond performances, the festival served as a critical platform for professional development. Organizers facilitated meetings with international festival directors to discuss opportunities for presenting Armenian productions on global stages and establishing new partnerships. A key highlight was an international round-table discussion titled ‘Why Stage Shakespeare in Modern Times?’, which featured renowned Shakespearean scholars and directors from countries including the UK, Australia, Hungary, Poland, Romania, and Moldova.
Festival director Karo Balyan emphasized that the event aims to foster intercultural dialogue and provide a stage for international troupes to share their creative work in Armenia. The festival is a member of the European Shakespeare Festivals Network.
Source: https://google.com/goto?url=CAESgQEBxCJF1-TsXui4jVC_4DMoNUC3mULQILmMl3eTFkeoqpxjJf0aqE6ehGbXOnbcAKtMgWVMhY1wVGLvz-bfkhcCPPWNOqW-muxo8Qs3IwoubaMbCl15P8VZit9-IIwZEc8FjSieDquxsD0IZEJXJL7H7FILZrhnla_jJl650e7lwec&gsessionid=cKUOvVhD5QkpR64fhEYQ8eXBoDPD6xfhZ33db4T1UeUwOAZYpT5kDw
