Stepanakert Russian Drama Theater Participates in Arctic Stage Festival in Murmansk
By invitation of the organizing committee of the second international theater festival "Arctic Stage" and with the support of the DIALOGUE organization, the Stepanakert Russian Drama Theater participated in this significant cultural event held in Murmansk from November 15 to 22, 2024. The theater was awarded two special diplomas for its performance.
This marked the first international debut for the young theater, which was founded in Stepanakert in 2022 at the initiative of Alexander Bordov, president of the local Russian community. Following the forced displacement of the population of Nagorno-Karabakh in September 2023, the theater, with the support of the DIALOGUE team and friends, was reborn and is now operating in Yerevan.
The theater troupe presented “At Full Voice”, inspired by the works of Vladimir Mayakovsky. The play holds special significance as it was the last performance staged in the blockaded Nagorno-Karabakh in July 2023 and the first performed on a Yerevan stage in January 2024 after the theater’s revival in Armenia.
Actors Marta Altunyan, Zoya Sarkisyan, Rudolf Hayryan, Bella Patvakanyan, Eliza Krikoryan, Emma Ogoltsova, and Harutyun Andreasyan delivered a harmonious ensemble of black and white through music by Alfred Schnittke and expressive movements. Reflecting on Mayakovsky’s enduring themes, they expressed their views on what has happened to their homeland and what continues to unfold around us.
Directed by the theater’s artistic director Zhanna Krikorova, the production merged Mayakovsky's sharp reflections on the issues of his time with the voice of Artsakh today, creating an emotionally charged experience that deeply moved the audience. Many could not hold back tears.
In the audience were festival jury members, participants, and Murmansk residents, including many local Armenians. The performance was warmly received, with its history and challenges seen as a testament to resilience. After the performance, Elena Krinzina, head of Murmansk’s Cultural Committee and the regional branch of the Russian Theater Union, congratulated the guests from Armenia. She praised the actors for their skillful presentation of emotions and perspectives through the works of the great Russian poet and commended Zhanna Krikoryan for her unique artistic solutions to complex issues. Addressing Yuri Navoyan, president of the DIALOGUE organization and chairman of the Stepanakert Russian Drama Theater’s board of trustees, Elena Krinzina expressed gratitude on behalf of the festival committee for supporting cultural traditions and ensuring the theater’s participation. During the festival, 14 theaters from five countries showcased their best performances on Murmansk stages, evaluated by an expert jury of renowned theater artists and critics from Russia. At the festival’s closing ceremony on November 22, the Stepanakert Russian Drama Theater was awarded the special diploma “For the Preservation of the Russian Language.” Additionally, the alternative jury presented the theater with a diploma “For Demonstrating a Civic Position through the Preservation and Presentation of Russian Language and Culture.” The artistic director and actors of the Stepanakert Russian Drama Theater also actively participated in masterclasses and lectures led by leading figures of theatrical art and attended performances by other festival participants. The theater held a meeting with the Armenian community of Murmansk, for whom the participation of a theater group from Armenia in the Arctic Stage Festival was a significant event. During the visit, Yuri Navoyan held meetings with representatives of Murmansk’s administration and local cultural organizations. As a result, plans were made for a future visit by a Murmansk theater troupe to Armenia, a performance on an Armenian stage, and the organization of a joint Armenian-Russian youth theater camp in collaboration with the Stepanakert Russian Drama Theater.
