class="">Lev Dodin’s „The Cherry Orchard ” – will conquer Bucharest. Forever.

Chekhov’s «The Cherry Orchard », seen by the visionary and famous director Lev Dodin, since 1982 artistic director of the Maly Drama Theatre- Théâtre de l’Europe, Sankt Petersburg, Russia, a performance invited to the most important European stages over the past two years, since its premiere; is one of the most awaited encounters with the great works of contemporary European theatre.

The 2016 series of ten presentations at the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) in New York was a triumph both for audiences, that insisted on the programming of additional performances, and for specialists „A Revolutionary Cherry Orchard Grows in Brooklyn”, titled Vanity Fair, the New York Times considered it „wonderfully exciting...rediscovering Russian artistry” ; whereas American Theatre wrote: „A thrilling production…” and  „Lev Dodin Plants Checkhov’s „The Cherry Orchard” In the Eternal Present”...These are just a few sentences put on paper by professionals who do not play with words, connoisseurs having often in their lives seen great theatre works. The reviews in the European press are equally in praise of this not-to-miss „Cherry Orchard”.

We are therefore proud that, after two years of continuous striving- since the official opening of the „Cherry Orchard” in June 2014- Lev Dodin’s staging will be presented at the NTF as a special feast, a great cultural event scheduled for the closing of the festival’s 26^th edition, on October 29^th and 30^th.

This is not Lev Dodin’s first encounter with the festival’s universe: in 2006, the master accepted the invitation to present his version of Andrei Platonov’s „Cevengur” / a performance that bears the directors unequalled wit, that gave the Maly Drama Theatre in Sankt Petersburg its reputation, as well as the title of Theatre of Europe/ Théâtre de l’Europe.  

The soon to be presented in Bucharest „ Cherry Orchard” is Lev Dodin’s second staging of Chekhov’s masterpiece (his first staging of the play at the Maly Drama Theatre dates 20 years back) is deeply anchored in a metaphoric present-day, making it sound more contemporary than  ever. In Dodin’s transparent staging, the exceptional actors of the Maly Theatre unveil a world in which values, structures are rapidly dismantled, so fast that there are no others ready to replace them. A review of the Moskow newspaper „Kommersant” read: „the performance speaks not only about the tragedy of the collapse of a historic era and of the human being, it truly is the tragedy of the loss of cultural heritage”.

Lev Dodin confesses: “Chekhov’s last play is one of the greatest comedies in theatre / the Comedy of History in which we are the characters. And in which life becomes part of the history.  It is an historical chronicle and a prophetic vision. It is hard to comprehend how Chekhov could have anticipated, with such strong intuition and precisely 14 years in advance, what was going to happen in Russia and the world. And perhaps not only what was going to happen, but what is still happening in Russia and the world to this day- this play always remains topical. It has become a kind of myth about the unpredictability of history and its predictability, about people’s lack of power over their lives and fate, but also about their amazing strength and responsibility in terms of that life and fate, about their capacity to protect themselves and remain true to themselves / despite everything. Yes, it was undoubtedly not Anton Pavlovich himself but the Chekhovian Genius incarnate that guided the hand as word after word of The Cherry Orchard`s magical text appeared on the pages of the 1904 manuscript.”

The main parts are played by actors with a flourishing international career in theatre and cinema, Ksenia Rappoport and Danila Kozlovsky, both recipients of the „Stanislavski Award”, for their performances as Ranevskaja and, respectively, Lopahin, in „The Cherry Orchard”.

Acclaimed by her compatriots, awarded the title Honored Artist of the Russian Federation, Ksenia Rappoport was invited to join the Maly Drama Theatre immediately after her graduation, in  2000, and played under Lev Dodin’s direction several remarkable parts (Nina Zaretchnaya, in „The Seagull”, Elena Andreyevna in Chekhov’s „Uncle Vanya”, or Lady Milford in the spectacular staging of Schiller’s „Love and Intrigue”). She has a prestigious career in cinema, both in Russia and in Europe: 4 films directed by Giuseppe Tornatore- among them

„La sconosciuta” (2006), for which she was rewarded with the David di Donatello Award of the Italian Film Academy. She also has a Copa Volpi / granted in 2009 by the Venice Film Festival, for „La doppia ora”, directed by Giuseppe Capotondi.

Danila Kozlovsky, an astonishing actor, as well as a singer and dancer, capable of creating emotion whenever he plays a part on stage. His talent has been acknowledged with many distinctions, ranging from the Best Theatre Debut Award in Sankt Petersburg „Zolotoi Sofit” to Russian Cinema Critics Guild "White Elephant Award" for the best leading role (in 2006) and the National "Golden Eagle Award" (2012).

At only 31, he has already played in 37 films and TV series (Garpastum-2005, Black Hunters-2008, Rasputin-2011, Vampire’s Academy/2014). Though often invited to work abroad, the actor said on a very decisive tone: „To me staying in Russia is very important. I am, first of all, a Russian actor, but it’s also because I have the great joy of working together with very talented directors, in theatre, as well as in film. At the same time, it truly is important to develop my career in the Western world, we do live in a globalised world these days, don’t we?” 

In Lev Dodin’s „Cherry Orchard”, all actors shine, the entire cast of the Maly Drama Theatre: Elizaveta Boiarskaia, the new star of Russian theatre, plays Varia.She has been with the company for 10 years now. At the Maly, she also plays Louise in „Love and Intrigue” by Schiller, Masha in „Three Sisters” by Chekhov and Ophelia in the Shakespeare adaptation after „Hamlet”- the most recent premiere of the company. In cinema, she has participated in over 30 productions, among them she played the title figure in the series “Anna Karenina”, directed by the renowned Karen Şahnazarov / a Mosfilm production for the television channel „Rossia”.

The surprising set design of the performance has been acclaimed in Paris and in New York, the refined space is designed by an old theatre companion of Lev Dodin’s, Aleksander Borovsky. The set and the original music, composed by Paul Misraki create an unforgettable atmosphere.  Chekhov’s old “Cherry Orchard”, craftily imagined by Lev Dodin, one of the great names of contemporary theatre,will conclude the National Theatre Festival 2016.

The two presentations, with Romanian and English surtitles, are scheduled for October 29^th and 30^th, at 19.00, at the Grand Hall of the National Theatre Bucharest.