MOSCOW, May 23. /TASS/. Argentina and Colombia will showcase several plays at the 17th Chekhov International Theater Festival in Moscow, the countries’ ambassadors to Russia told TASS.
“This year’s festival will once again highlight its global nature thanks to the participation of members of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and BRICS, Middle East and Latin American countries,” said Argentine Ambassador to Russia Enrique Ignacio Ferrer Vieira.
“Participation in this festival represents an exceptional opportunity to show the world the vitality and innovation of Argentine theater. That is why we are proud to present the play ‘Measure for Measure (It’s Your Fault)’, a bold adaptation of William Shakespeare’s play, staged by the renowned Argentine director Gabriel Chame Buendia and Buenos Aires’ Theatre Complex, one of the most influential cultural institutions of our country,” he said at a press conference dedicated to the event.
The diplomat emphasized that this play received numerous accolades, including the prestigious Argentine Maria Guerrero Prize, which was awarded to it by the National Theater of Cervantes in 2023. Thanks to its contemporary narrative and ability to blend tradition and avant-garde trends, Buendia’s work reflects the multifaceted nature of Argentine theater, which made this play an internationally respected benchmark, the ambassador noted.
“The Chekhov International Theater Festival presents stage art and at the same time reaffirms the power of culture to unite peoples. As people of Argentina, we reiterate our commitment to maintaining intercultural exchange and promoting art as a tool for mutual understanding,” Ferrer Vieira said.
The Moscow audience will have the opportunity to enjoy this artistic production from July 15 to 18, the diplomat said.
New interpretations of Marquez and Dostoevsky
Colombia’s Ambassador to Russia Hector Isidro Arenas Neira, for his part, spoke about the plays based on the works of famous Colombian and Russian writers, Gabriel Garcia Marquez and Fyodor Dostoevsky.
“This year Colombia and Russia celebrate the 90th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations, and we are very excited to show a piece of Colombian culture in Russia,” the ambassador said.
“The first project from Colombia is [the play] ‘No One Writes to the Colonel,’ directed by Jorge Ali Triana. He stands among the most famous directors in Colombia – not only because he directs, but because he helped establish a whole culture of theater in Colombia,” the diplomat noted. The play combines features of classical and contemporary theater, the ambassador said.
“The second project we are taking part in is a short piece. It is an international project that involves directors and artists from different countries like Colombia, China, and Brazil. The work will be brief; it is a novel by Dostoevsky, [which] offers a profound [look] into the soul,” he emphasized.
The 17th Chekhov International Theater Festival is running in Moscow from May 23 to July 25.
