Tenth International Theatre Festival "Baltic House"\
Riga, September 25-October 4

The New theatre Institute of Latvia is a partner of the Tenth International Theatre Festival "Baltic House" which will take place in late September - early October 2000 in Riga, Kaunas, Tallin, St.Petersburg.
The festival has been existing in St. Petersburg since 1991.
Its founders are Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation, Culture Committee of the St. Petersburg Administration, St. Petersburg Organization of the Theatre Workers Union of Russia, Baltic International Festival Centre and the "Baltic House" Theatre.

History of the festival

The "Baltic House" Festival appeared just when traditional culture relations started being broken upon disintegration of the USSR. Such ties always joined St. Petersburg and republics of the Baltic Sea Region. The festival "Baltic Theatre Spring" which had given a powerful cultural fund to theatre public from the Baltic Region stopped existence that time. So the "Baltic House" Festival tried to make up for this loss and bind the broken threads of theatre co-operation again. Attempts of St. Petersburg enthusiasts found a broad response among colleagues from Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia.

Gradually the "Baltic House" Festival became more and more representative. 19 countries, 87 theatres, 124 performances participated in the festival for nine years. 

The first "Baltic House" Festival replaced the "Baltic Theatre Spring" in some way. The anniversary tenth festival returns to this idea on the new level.

X Festival in the fall 2000

It is planned that the "Baltic House - 2000" will take place not only in St. Petersburg. It may be common for four countries and festivals with the same name will go off in Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia. Thus the theatre wave would roll about three Baltic Republics and give a start to the festival in St. Petersburg. The festival "Baltic House - Latvia", "Baltic House - Lithuania" and "Baltic House - Estonia" will take place in late September. The final performances will start being shown in St. Petersburg on September 29. The Expert Council including the leading theatre figures from Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia and St. Petersburg will select the performances.

Each festival will have its own characteristic features. The common would be participation of the best national performances and performances from Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, St. Petersburg, Moscow and a couple of performances from Western Europe included in the repertoire of the "Baltic House - St.Petersburg".
A special group will be organized to unite theatre workers and journalists from the Baltic countries, St. Petersburg, Moscow and guests from Western Union. The group moving from one country to another would have a possibility to see the best theatre performances. Free discussions will be held in the frame-works of the festivals. They must help to consider the local performances in the context of the all-European tendencies of the theatre development.

"Baltic House - Latvia", September 25-October 4 is planned to be held in Riga in conjunction with the New Theatre Institute of Latvia.

 The possible programm

•  O.Korshunovas theatre (Lithuania) “Midsummer night dream”(W.Shakespear), dir.O.Korshunovas

• TJUZ (Russia) “Black Monk” (A.P.Chehov), dir. K.Ginkas 

• Showcase of Latvian plays to approx. 45 theatre critics and journalists from Baltic states and Russia

• The performance “The eldest son”  (A.Vampilov) directed by Regnars Vaivars (Latvian National theatre) will go touring in all festival cities and the New Riga Theatre with the performance “XX.century.Vision Express” by Alvis Hermanis will be performed in St.Petersburg.

Kaunas will be the place of the "Baltic House - Lithuania", as it is the traditionally theatre city. Here audiences will be able to see performances on seven theatre stages. Simultaneously celebrating of two theatre holidays will take place in Vilnius. These are 60th anniversary of the National Theatre of Lithuania and the 10th anniversary of the Small Theatre. The latter is of the same age with the festival and is the constant participant of the "Baltic House". 

"Baltic House - Estonia" Festival will be in Tallinn on the basis of the City Theatre and the Russian Drama Theatre of Estonia.

Organizer

Coproducers

Ministry of Culture of Estonia

New Theatre Institute of Latvia

National Drama Theatre of Lithuania

Kaunas Youth Chamber Theatre (Lithuania)

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