Meeting of Romanian National Theaters opens in Moldovan capital today

The Meeting of Romanian National Theaters opens in Chisinau today. “We Are What We Love…” is the subject of the 11th edition, which takes place on September 9-21. The event will open with William Shakespeare’s “Richard III,” directed by Petru Hadarca, a production about the thirst for power, manipulation and the price paid by a society that tolerates evil.

During a news conference dedicated to the opening of the Meeting, Romania’s interim Culture Minister András István Demeter referred to the connection the theater creates between artists and the sense of belonging he feels every time he returns to Chisinau.

“Every time I come to Chisinau, the impression is powerful, but this time it is even more intense, because we are talking about the extended family of theater. Every artist who serves this profession knows an old and immutable truth: you are at home whenever you step onto a stage, regardless of where it may be. There is a profound sense of belonging that no adversity of fate can dilute or corrupt,” said András István Demeter.





For his part, Moldova’s Culture Minister Dan Suruceanu emphasized the importance of the Meeting for cultural dialogue and for strengthening ties through theater.

“This event means much more than a succession of performances. It is a space for cultural dialogue, a demonstration of the power of the Romanian language, and confirmation that theater continues to unite us, challenge us, and help us better understand the world in which we live. It is an investment in culture, in people and in our common European future,” said Dan Suruceanu.





The first production presented as part of the event is William Shakespeare’s “Richard III,” directed by Petru Hadarca. The performance brings to the forefront a character obsessed with power and willing to resort to manipulation, aggression, and murder, in order to achieve his goals.

The director and head of the Mihai Eminescu National Theater, Petru Hadarca, says that the new production was conceived from a contemporary perspective, detached from the historical context in which the play was written.

“I have seen numerous productions of ‘Richard III’ and, every time we set out to bring a text to the stage, we try to view it from a new perspective. This year, we chose to begin the season with this new premiere. We removed the play from the historical context in which the author placed it and brought it into the present. For us, the character of Richard III is extremely relevant today: we encounter him every evening in the news. We see him fostering aggression and murder, reflected in the realities of global political power. In fact, there is nothing new under the sun, and, paraphrasing the classics, Shakespeare remains forever alive through the deeds he describes,” said Petru Hadarca.

Actor Anatol Durbala, who plays Richard, says that the role is one of the most difficult of his career, both because of the length of the text and the psychological complexity of the character.

“For me, this is the most difficult role: a text of approximately 50 pages that is hard to deliver. The part is complicated both physically and morally, because it concerns an evil character. Nevertheless, every role is a challenge. We hope that, through this performance, we will convey our concerns and share them with the audience, so that spectators ask themselves questions, because the play is extremely relevant today. We are surrounded by too many ‘Richards’ around us,” said Anatol Durbala.





For 12 days, Chisinau will become a meeting point for European Romanian theater. The 11th edition of the Meeting of Romanian National Theaters, organized by the Mihai Eminescu National Theater, will bring together 19 theaters and present 24 performances to the public.

Artists from 14 cities—Bucharest, Iasi, Sibiu, Craiova, Targu Mureș, Cluj, Timisoara, Constanta, Suceava, Oradea, Galati, Cahul, Balti, Kyiv, and Chișinău—will meet in Chisinau through theater.

The Meeting of Romanian National Theaters will take place in the Moldovan capital till September 21.