"Life is alive and wants to live. So does art. It cannot be stopped," the theater's director said.Continue reading
Eighteen productions from eleven countries will take part in the 11th Madách International Theater Meeting (MITEM), which will be held at the National Theater from April 6 to 28.
Magdolna Závogyán, State Secretary for Culture, said at a press conference on Tuesday that the meeting, now entering its second decade, is a testimony to the enriching power of togetherness, mutual respect, interest, diversity, and the universality of art. She pointed out that
MITEM is a cornerstone of Hungary’s cultural diplomacy and that the Hungarian-Turkish cultural year is the special feature of this year’s meeting.
Péter Hoppál, the government commissioner responsible for the preparation and implementation of the Hungarian-Turkish cultural year, said that two Turkish performances would be presented at MITEM in connection with the joint cultural year. On April 18, the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality City Theater will present a stage adaptation of War and Peace, and on April 20, a production of Mother State (Devlet Ana), based on the play by Kemal Tahir. A joint production of the National Theater and the Hungarian National Dance Ensemble, Carousel, will be staged on May 22 and 23 at the Antalya International Theater Festival in Türkiye in the framework of the cultral year.
Attila Vidnyánszky, CEO of the National Theater, said that the success of the theater Olympics has confirmed that culture is the tool that can build bridges over any conflict. He noted that the best theaters from all over the world applied to the festival. “We are on the map of the most important theater meetings in Europe,” he added.
The meeting will open with a performance of Odysseus by Bulgarian director Diana Dobreva.
The program will also include a photo exhibition, professional events, and discussions. Many returning artists will take part in the festival, and the themes of the performances will be based on the great moments of humanity’s destiny,”
said chief organizer Edit Ágota Kulcsár.
MITEM will also see the world premiere of Italian director Alessandro Serra’s production of TRAGÙDIA – the song of Oedipus and Belgian artist Jan Fabre’s eight-hour production of PEAK MYTIKAS (On the Top of Mount Olympus). Theodoros Terzopulos will bring Beckett’s Waiting for Godot to the stage, while his pupil Savvas Stroumpos’ Greek company will present Chekhov’s drama The Seagull.
Also on the program is Tel-Aviv’s production of Anna Karenina by Lithuanian Rimas Tuminas. The Tragedy of Man, directed by Tata Tavdishvili and Tato Geliashvili, will be staged as a contemporary dance production. Director Avtandil Varsimasvili brings Tbilisi Theater Center & Liberty Theater’s production of They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?.
The National Theater Košice will bring a modern dance production of Anne Frank’s Diary. The Bashkir State Academic Drama Theater Majit Gafuri will come to MITEM with The Black-faces (The Slandered), a play based on a work of the theater’s namesake.
Via MTI, Featured image: Facebook/MITEM