The official inauguration of the Reunion of Romanian National Theatres in Chisinau will take place tonight, starting at 06:00 p.m., at “Mihai Eminescu” National Theater in Chisinau, with the premiere of “The Glass Garden”, based on the novel with the same name by Tatiana Țîbuleac. The schedule of the meeting was announced at a news conference given by officials from both banks of the Prut River, including the adviser to the President of Romania Klaus Iohannis, IPN reports.

For the fourth consecutive year, the Reunion of Romanian National Theatres is organized under the high patronage of the President of the Republic of Moldova Maia Sandu and the President of Romania Klaus Iohannis.

“Mihai Eminescu” National Theater director Petru Hadârcă, said that he started this project ten years ago. “I’m very happy that, from year to year, this project develops from all points of view. The title of this year’s event is “European Connections” and we will have a lot of guests, including the National Theater of Athens, the Theater of England, the Ivan Franko Theater of Kiev. I hope that next year we will bring other theaters alongside the Romanian theaters,” stated Petru Hadârcă.

Minister of Culture Sergiu Prodan said that the participation in this prestigious meeting “fills us with pride and confidence”. The official thanked for the financial support provided by the Romanian authorities in the organization of this event. “With the Minister of Culture of Romania, we have an intense, well-organized cooperative relationship. As I said, we have two ministers and a culture. Together we serve the Romanian culture on both banks of the Prut River. This year’s experience made us consider the idea of broadening the coverage area of this festival, not only to Ukraine, but to the whole of Europe. Together with the integration of the Republic of Moldova into the EU, towards 2030, not much will reunion up to a reunion of European theaters,” stated Minister Prodan.

Sergiu Nistor, adviser to the Romanian President Klaus Iohannis, said that this high common patronage could not have been granted if the political and social course of the Republic of Moldova had not gone towards democratization, Europeanization, a course offered by President Maia Sandu. He transmitted a message on behalf of President Iohannis, which says that the current edition of the Reunion of Romanian Theatres in Chisinau takes place in the context of Moldova’s entry into the EU, and the actors of the Romanian theatres will take the stage with a message of solidarity, of Moldova’s integration into the EU, for which Romania remains a firm supporter.

The opening conference was also attended by Romanian senator Lucian Romașcanu. “The important thing is to understand that there are no borders in culture. We are the same and we intend to come up with a project to collect donations and rebuild the building of “Mihai Eminescu” National Theatre so that the theatre in Chisinau is the desired one. I hope it’s good news. Formalization procedures follow,” stated the Romanian parliamentarian.

UNITER president, scenographer Dragoș Buhagiar noted that they came to Chisinau in a double capacity: both as artists and as continuators of these decisive projects. “And as long as it is a selection based on value and not on other criteria, we will remain by your side. Our organization, the Romanian Theater Union, is an NGO, a small team, but it makes great efforts to continue these projects bequeathed by Ion Caramitru,” said the UNITER president.

In connection with the Reunion of Romanian Theatres, a number of cultural personalities and representatives of the Romanian and international theatre will be present in Chisinau, including Matei Vișniec, Ana Blandiana, Gigi Căciuleanu, Ludmila Patlanjoglu, Ion Bogdan Lefter, Stella Kanu, Raul Ribeiro, Aura Corbeanu, along with the troupes of the National Radio Theatre, “Matei Vișniec” Municipal Theatre of Suceava.

The ninth edition of the Reunion of Romanian National Theatres entitled “European Connections” will last until September 22. The festival is organized by “Mihai Eminescu” National Theater in Chisinau, in cooperation with the Ministry of Culture of Romania, the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Moldova, and the Romanian Cultural Institute.