VII edition of Biennale at the „Eugene Ionesco” Theatre began

The 7-th edition of the International Theatre Festival-Biennale “Eugene Ionesco” (BITEI) started on Tuesday, May 16, in Chisinau, having the slogan “Between East and West”. Being the organizers and the hosts of the Biennale, the actors of “Eugene Ionesco” opened the Festival with the play “Si cu violoncelul ce facem?” (What shall we do with the violin) by Matei Visniec and staged by Petru Vutcarau, performed on the stage of the National Theatre „Mihai Eminescu”. Even if this year the theatre “Eugene Ionesco” celebrates 15 years since foundation, till now, it does not have its own headquarters, Petru Vutcarau, artistic manager of the theatre and director of the festival, noted. Present at the opening of the Biennale, the Minister of Culture and Tourism, Artur Cozma, as well as the interim mayor of the capital, Vasile Ursu, made no comments upon the most serious problem of the troupe of „E. Ionescu”, but showed their satisfaction with the fact that one of the most important theatric events is held in Chisinau. More than this, Artur Cozma made a parallel between the sovereignty of Moldova and the theatre „Eugene Ionesco”, created in the year of proclaiming the independence and called by the minister „sacred ideal of nonconformist independence”. At this BITEI edition, the single international theatre festival to be held in Moldova, are participating theatres from 14 countries of the world – France, Italy, Spain, Romania, Russia, Lithuania, Georgia, Southern Korea, Poland, Turkey, RM, Ukraine, Japan, and Switzerland. Those about 500 participants will perform 36 plays on the stages of the theatres „M. Eminescu”, „Licurici”, „A. P. Cehov”, National Opera, Cultural Center „Ginta latina” and City Club. At the Festival BITEI-2006 will be launched books, and held exhibitions. The closing day of the Festival „E. Ionesco” is foreseen for 28 May with the play „Cum doriţi sau Noaptea de la spartul targului” (As you wish) by William Shakespeare, performed by the National Theatre of Craiova, Romania.