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OVERVIEW OF THE 9TH THEATRE OLYMPICS
The 9th Theatre Olympics
Co-hosted by Japan and Russia
Theme: Creating Bridges
| Japan Program | August. 23 (Fri) ‒ September 23 (Mon), 2019 |
|---|---|
| Artistic Director | Suzuki Tadashi |
| Hosting Sites | Toga TOGA ART PARK of Toyama Prefecture Kurobe Unazuki International Hall “Selene” Maezawa Garden Open Air Stage (YKK) |
| Russia Program | June 15 (Sat) - December 15 (Sun),2019 |
|---|---|
| Artistic Director | Valery Fokin |
| Hosting Site | St. Petersburg Alexandrinsky Theatre, and more |
THE 9TH THEATRE OLYMPICS
Owing to the global development of the system of information and communication, people everywhere can now feel and know closely about other than their own cultures. Compared with the olden times when people experienced everything on the spot and thus nurtured wisdom required for coexistence with other human beings, our world is permeated by something completely new, a change which enables us to know and understand things without actually ‘being there’. The change has been brought about by means of thorough exploitation of 'non-animal' energy (electricity, oil, nuclear power etc.) and is necessarily going to increase in the future.
It is, however, dangerous to trust this ‘non-animal’ energy too much, which claims to connect people with each other with maximum speed. For it can lead to the forgetting or weakening of the rich possibilities of ‘animal’ energy stored up in the bodies of human individuals. Human cultures have bloomed and borne fruits through the refined uses of ‘animal’ energy. It is precisely in this way that performing arts, such as theatre, dance, and opera, have become a heritage of humankind irreplaceable by such media as television or film.
The same applies to sports. Both performing arts and sports provide the ground for better understanding of and deeper caring for human beings by means of bringing people together to the very spot where they are taking place. No matter how enormous and necessary the system of communication by ‘non-animal’ energy may become for our actual life, it would be suicidal for humankind to forget or ignore the values embodied by performing arts and sports.
Needless to say, the way people train, refine, and enjoy the ‘animal’ energy varies from nation to nation, from place to place. But it is those very differences that preserve and assert the cultural identities and raisons-d'être of each nation. The greater the amount of ‘non-animal’ energy, which tends to reduce our lives to uniformity, the greater the contribution which performing arts are expected to make to the quality of human life in the future. The significance of cultural projects in these technological days lies in the fact they help to make possible shared experiences of similarities and differences inherent in various nations.
It is the belief of the International Committee of the Theatre Olympics that the powerful existence of performing arts must prove a sign of profound encouragement and hope for truly global communication.
Suzuki Tadashi
Artistic Director
THEATRE OLYMPICS CHARTER
1.
This entity shall be entitled Theatre Olympics, and sub-titled Crossing Millennia, which implies the cross-fertilization of the past with the future.
The ancient theatre at Delphi
2.
An international committee shall be formed. This committee is responsible for planning and management of all activities undertaken by Theatre Olympics.
The members of the committee are:
Theodoros Terzopoulos ( Chairman / Greece )
Nuria Espert ( Spain )
Antunes Filho ( Brazil )
Tony Harrison ( England )
Yuri Lyubimov ( Russia )
Heiner Müller (Germany )
Tadashi Suzuki ( Japan )
Robert Wilson ( USA )
3.
The members of the committee shall not only be responsible for expressing opinions in the planning stages, but shall also work interactively, thus making this organization unique.
4.
In principle the committee shall meet once a year.
QUARTET
(Directed by Teodoros Terzopoulos)
5.
Additional members of the committee, recommended by one of the existing members, must gain a two- thirds approval.
The Trojan Woman (Directed by Suzuki Tadashi)
6.
The committee shall be chaired by Theodoros Terzopoulos.
7.
The administrative headquarters of Theatre Olympics shall be located in Athens, Greece.
8.
The first several Theatre Olympics events shall be held, in principle, in the countries of the committee members. The committee member whose country hosts the Theatre Olympics event shall be responsible for its artistic direction. This host committee member shall plan the theme and programming for the Theatre Olympics event and submit his or her proposal to the committee for approval.
Krapp's Last Tape
(Directed by Robert Wilson)
9.
In each host country, a national committee shall be formed to meet that countryʼs respective needs so that the success of the Theatre Olympics event is ensured. This national supportive committee shall consist of prominent figures in that countryʼs cultural life.
Toga Sanbo
10.
An official logo shall be used in each of the Theatre Olympicsʼ activities.
11.
The content of the Theatre Olympics event:
- a. Every few years a Theatre Olympics event shall be held, presenting high level productions as well as symposiums and workshops.
- b. In addition to the above, ongoing projects including conception, production, and education programs shall be held in various places.
- c. The preservation and documentation of historical work in the performing arts. Although texts remain as writing, a system needs to be created by which directorial work and actual productions can be preserved.
- d. Creation of an international network of theatre artists.
- e. Training and encouragement of younger artists.
Marat/Sade
(Directed by Yuri Lyubimov)
June 18th, 1994 Athens, Greece
The Founding Members of Theatre Olympics International Committee
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Theodoros Terzopoulos
1945~, GreeceProfileA director, a representative of Attis Theatre, a founding member of the International Institute of the Mediterranean Theatre, and a former member of the board of the North Greece National Theatre. As a director, he has worked all over the world. As an artistic director, he worked at the Delphi International Theatre Festival and the Mediterranean Sea Theatre Festival. As a theatre organizer, he plays an important role in Europe.
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Suzuki Tadashi
1939~, JapanProfileA director, founder of the Suzuki Company of Toga (SCOT). He organized the first international theatre festival in Japan, the Toga Festival, in 1982. He presented his works in many countries and co-produced many co-works with famous artists. His acting method, the Suzuki Method of Actor Training, has been adopted in many countries. His modern interpretation of classics such as Greek tragedies and his unique pieces based on his actor training have influenced theatrical artists around the world.
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Robert Wilson
1941~, U.S.AProfileA director. His works, synthesizing performing arts, music, art, and architecture, have shocked world audiences. Working as a visual artist on one side, he also founded the Watermill Center, NY, to encourage international collaboration among artists. He leads the world with his art practice that embraces many different genres of art.
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Nuria Espert
1935~, SpainProfileA renowned director and actress of contemporary Spanish theatre. She gained international fame as a director of Yerma, written by Federico Garcia Lorca. In addition to leading her own theatre company, she has worked in Spain’s National Theatre, directed operas, and presented her pieces in many different countries.
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Antunes Filho
1929~2019, BrazilProfileHe is a representative of Grupo di Teatro Macunaima. As a top Brazilian director, he has been working in America and in European countries. In addition to creating his own works in Brazil, he has also contributed to the development of South American theatre by introducing foreign performing arts and by educating younger artists.
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Tony Harrison
1937~, UK -
Yuri Lyubimov
1917~2014, RussiaProfileIn 1964, he founded the Taganka Theatre in Moscow, now known as the world’s center for contemporary theatre. As a permanent director, he presented shocking pieces on the stage of the Taganka Theatre. He fled from his country in 1984 and returned to the Taganka Theatre in 1989. During his exiled period, he directed many plays and operas in Europe. His works have greatly influenced to world theatre.
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Heiner Muller
1929~1995, GermanyProfileA playwright and director. He is described as one of the most important playwrights of the 20th century. He worked as an artistic director at the Berliner Ensemble, founded by Bertolt Brecht. Although his works based on Greek tragedies and Shakespeare were banned in his own country East Germany for a long time, they were still performed at many festivals over the world.
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History of The Theatre Olympics
| Country | City | Theme | Period | Artistic Director |
No. of Participating Countries/Works |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st (1995) |
Greece | Delphi Athens Epidaurus |
Tragedy | August 19th - 27th, 1995 |
Theodoros Terzopoulos |
9 works from 7 countries |
| 2nd (1999) |
Japan | Shizuoka | Creating Hope | April 16th - June 13th, 1999 |
Suzuki Tadashi |
42 works from 20 countries |
| 3rd (2001) |
Russia | Moscow | Theatre for the People |
April 21st - June 29th, 2001 |
Yuri Lyubimov |
97 works from 32 countries |
| 4th (2006) |
Turkey | Istanbul | Beyond the Borders |
May 11th - June 6th, 2006 |
Theodoros Terzopoulos |
38 works from 13 countries |
| 5th (2010) |
Korea | Seoul | Sarang : Love and Humanity |
September 24th - November 7th, 2010 |
Choi Chy-rim |
48 works from 13 countries |
| 6th (2014) |
China | Beijing | Dream | November 1st - December 25th, 2014 |
Liu Libin |
46 works from 22 countries |
| 7th (2016) |
Poland | Wroclaw | The World as a Place for Truth |
October 14th - November 13th, 2016 |
Jaroslaw Fret |
86 works from 14 countries |
| 8th (2018) |
India | New Delhi and other 16 cities |
Flag of Friendship |
February 17th - April 8th, 2018 |
Ratan Thiyam |
465 works from 35 countries |
-
1st (1995)
- Country
- Greece
- City
- Delphi, Athens and Epidaurus
- Theme
- Tragedy
- Period
- August 19th - 27th, 1995
- Artistic Director
- Theodoros Terzopoulos
- No. of Participating Countries
- 9 works from 7 countries
-
2nd(1999)
- Country
- Japan
- City
- Shizuoka
- Theme
- Creating Hope
- Period
- April 16th - June 13th, 1999
- Artistic Director
- Suzuki Tadashi
- No. of Participating Countries
- 42 works from 20 countries
-
3rd(2001)
- Country
- Russia
- City
- Moscow
- Theme
- Theatre for the People
- Period
- April 21st - June 29th, 2001
- Artistic Director
- Yuri Lyubimov
- No. of Participating Countries
- 97 works from 32 countries
-
4th(2006)
- Country
- Turkey
- City
- Istanbul
- Theme
- Beyond the Borders
- Period
- May 11th - June 6th, 2006
- Artistic Director
- Theodoros Terzopoulos
- No. of Participating Countries
- 38 works from 13 countries