Máté, Szerző | 10th Theatre Olympics

Csaba Kutszegi: ‘The profession can only benefit from this series of events’

The diverse programme of the 10th Theatre Olympics included dance, a special genre of theatre. Among more than 40 performances were classical ballet, contemporary dance, movement art, and folk dance. We asked critic Csaba Kutszegi for his views on the performances.

Theodoros Terzopoulos: ‘The 10th Theatre Olympics was an excellent event in every respect’

The founder of the Theatre Olympics, Teodoros Terzopulos, is currently in Budapest rehearsing with the company of the National Theatre of Hungary for the production of Mother Courage and Her Children. We talked about the 10th Theatre Olympics hosted by Hungary, his relationship with tradition and audiences, and also the upcoming play.

Connections, Opportunity, Community – This was the 10th Theatre Olympics

Hungary’s stages hosted the world’s top theatre artists during the 10th Theatre Olympics from April 2023. The genre-rich programme attracted 200 000 viewers and put the country on the world theatre map.

Leaning Church: The Voices of a Vanished City

The program of the 10th-anniversary edition of the Madách International Theatre Meeting (MITEM) included an entire festival – Synergy World Theatre Festival – in its “theatre embrace”.

The Overcoat: A Balaganza of Absurdity and Travesty

The 10th MITEM Theatre Festival continues to showcase the theatre achievements of Hungarian national theatre and productions from other countries.

Impressions of the 30-year-old Transcarpathian Regional Hungarian Drama Theatre

The Transcarpathian Regional Hungarian Drama Theatre, founded in 1993, is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, which will also be commemorated as part of the 10th MITEM. Speaking of which, we asked the theater’s three artists, the founder Zsolt Trill, as well as Magdolna Vass and József Rácz.

‘The Book of Ruth’: Kaddish For Peaceful Life

The 10th edition of the Madách International Theatre Meeting in Budapest coincided with the Jewish holiday Sukkot (Festival of Booths).

‘Gulliver’s Travels’: A lesson in satire for children

The program of the 10th edition of the Madách International Theatre Meeting (MITEM), which is an echo of the International Theatre Olympiad, seems to be diverse and varied, but in fact, it is calibrated and stylistically very precise.

“This Is by No Means a Passive, Enervated Generation” – Interview with Attila Vidnyánszky

If we play back the footage of this production a few years from now, we wonder what we will find the demeanor of this generation, the unique features of their perception of the world and the overall image which the camera recorded the moment they stepped onto the stage.

Harmony of Diversity and Unity – Scenes from the 9th MITEM

The Madách International Theatre Meeting, held in the framework of the 10th International Theatre Olympics, once again provided many exciting lessons. It raised three major themes: the war, humankind’s ecological responsibility and the dialogue between East and West in the language of theatre – and sometimes these themes overlapped.

Nice to MITEM you – The 10th edition of the Madách Theatre Meeting opens

2023 is a milestone in the history of the Hungarian Theatre. In the spring of 2023, the Theatre Olympics took place here, which was the largest in the history of this project. The special edition of Madách International Theatre Meeting is also perceived as a continuation of the Theatre Olympics.

“From great ideas come great performances” – Romanian director Anca Bradu on the Madách Project

Anca Bradu, Director and Professor of the Department of Theatre Directing at the UNATC I. L. Caragiale University of Theatre and Film Arts, wrote about the international programme of events involving young theatre professionals and actors.

Emiliia Dementsova: ‘Theatre today has a humanitarian function.’

Emiliia Dementsova is critic who is currently living in Israel, shared her experiences of her time in Hungary for the Theatre Olympics, as well as her essential thoughts on the role of theatre today.

Indian Chorus Repertory Theatre cancels

According to the National Theatre of Hungary, the Chorus Repertory Theatre of India will not be able to hold its guest performances rescheduled from the original date to 6-7 June, and has therefore been cancelled from the MITEM programme.

‘A fruitful ground for new theatre projects’ – interview with Tarlan Rasulov

Tarlan Rasulov is an Azerbaijan theatre director and founder of the dOM independent theatre company. We have talked about his visions of the future theater, his favourite performances, and the next festival with him.

Savas Patsalidis: ‘Cultural events like this are necessary more than ever’

Savas Patsalidis is a Greek professor who is the author of fourteen books on theatre criticism and theatre theory, and is currently editor-in-chief of Critical Stage. We talked about the 10th Theatre Olympics.

Heiner Goebbels holds workshop in Budapest

European Theatre Prize and International Ibsen Prize-winning German composer and director, Heiner Goebbels will hold a workshop entitled The Aesthetics of Absence at the Uránia National Film Theatre on 26 May as part of the 10th Theatre Olympics.

‘We are on our way to salvation’ Roundtable discussion on the Passion play of Csíksomlyó

Csíksomlyói passió by the National Theatre in Budapest premiered in the Csíksomlyó mountain saddle on August 18, 2018. This version of the production, transformed for an open space and expanded with local folk dance ensembles and choirs, was seen by 25,000 spectators.

“Young Barbarians”: Non-serious Seriousness and Hungarian Drive

They say the best way to get to know each other is to go on a trip. The best way to get to know contemporary theatre is to go to the Theatre Olympics.

“Report to an Academy”: To Be or Not to Be Human?

As part of the Theatre Olympics, the director Savvas Stroumpos is presenting his production, Report to an Academy, created at Zero Point Theatre, of which he is the chief director.

Nora: Present continuous hell

Theodoros Terzopoulos, whose play Nora (Attis Theatre) opened the MITEM festival as part of this year’s Theatre Olympics in Hungary and which has resonated around the world, proved once again to be a master of this art.

Thoughts of Liu Libin on the trip to Budapest for the 10th Theatre Olympics

Great anticipation precedes the Chinese performance of Faust at the 9th Madách International Theater Meeting (MITEM) taking place within the framework of the 10th Theater Olympics.

Climate consciousness workshops with Helen Crevel and Anne Langford

The Climate Fresk workshop offers an opportunity for participants to organise and have an overview of the fundamental science behind climate change.

This summer Budapest is set to be among the top cultural getaways

Budapest will play host to the 10th Theatre Olympics, a festival taking place from 1st April – 1st July.

With Faith and Trust into the Future

The 2023 Olympiad is a particularly responsible, post-traumatic Theatre Olympics, because it reflects the experience of a fracture not only in world harmony, but also in the theatrical fracture.

Complicité and Cheek by Jowl represent UK at the Theater Olympics

From Easter to Midsummer’s night, Budapest and Hungary will become a celebratory meeting point for the theatrical world as 400 companies from 58 countries converge to perform in the 10th International Theatre Olympics.

Attila Vidnyánszky is officially a member of the International Committee of the Theatre Olympics

On 19 April 2023, the International Committee of the Theatre Olympics officially elected Attila Vidnyánszky, Director of the National Theatre of Hungary, as a member of the Committee.

Dimitris Papaioannou talks about INK

The Greek director, choreographer, and visual artist Dimitris Papaioannou speaks exclusively about his art.

Danubia – A multimedia immersive experience to wet your feet in

As part of the Theatre Olympics, Des châteaux en l’air’s production The Mirror of Waters will be performed twice on 27 and 28 April at the Bethlen Téri Theatre.

Yngvild Aspeli: ‘Moby Dick focuses on questions of human existence’

Plexus Polaire’s Moby Dick will be staged twice on 20 April at the Győr National Theatre as part of the Theatre Olympics. An interview with artistic director Yngvild Aspeli was published on the theatre’s website.

The 10th Theatre Olympics has officially begun

On 15 April, the 10th International Theatre Olympics officially kicked off with a series of opening events in Budapest, featuring a variety of events, artist productions, concerts and street theatre performances.

The Journey of the Mask – Paris & Olivier Py

The last stop on the Journey of the Mask was the wonderful city of Paris, where we visited the director of Le Théâtre du Châtelet, French artist Olivier Py.

The Journey of the Mask – Berlin & Heiner Goebbels

The world-famous German director Heiner Goebbels was visited at his home in Berlin by the Mask and crew of the 10th Theatre Olympics.

Culture is the Body – Suzuki Tadashi’s book available in Hungarian

On 22 April at 20:30, during a public meeting after the SCOT-Suzuki Company’s performance of The Trojan Women, Suzuki Tadashi’s book The Culture in the Body will be presented in the upstairs lobby of the National Theatre with the author.

Water in the spotlight – Papaioannou’s INK in Hungary

In INK, his new production Papaioannou puts water in the spotlight. The show will be presented in Budapest in 2023.

The next stop on the Theatre Olympics road trip was Salzburg

The next stop on the Theatre Olympics road trip was Salzburg, where we visited Romeo Castellucci during the Salzburg Easter Festival.

‘Theatre is about relationship’ – Road movie continues in Bergamo

The next stop on the 10th Theatre Olympics roadshow is Bergamo and the Teatro Tascabile Di Bergamo.

Thinking Olympics – A conversation with Suzuki Tadashi and Theodoros Terzopulos

On 18 April at 19:00, Teodoros Terzopulos and Suzuki Tadashi will hold a discussion entitled The Mindset and Collaborations of the Theatre Olympics at the National Theatre’s Attila Kaszás Hall.

The Return of Dionysus – Theodore Terzopulos’ book available in Hungarian

On 16 April, at 20:30, after the Attis Theatre’s performance of “Nora”, there will be a public meeting with the author of Theodore Terzopulos’ book The Return of Dionysus.

The Journey of the Mask: a road movie

Following the handover, the mask “set off” on a European tour to visit a few of the artists participating in the Theatre Olympics.

An exhibition of works by scenic, set and costume designers opens at the Theatre Olympics

As part of the Theatre Olympics, an exhibition of the works of the Hungarian Society of Set, Costume and Scenic Designers will open on 20 April at 5 pm at the Vigadó, as a side programme of this year’s MITEM.

Alessandro Serra: ‘Theatre is the place where you can save your soul’

Alessandro Serra and his company are coming to Budapest to perform Shakespeare’s The Tempest. We spoke with the Italian director about his Hungarian experiences, the play, and the role of the theatre.

“We create an ideal little world” – The Mask visits Slava Polunin in Trieste

He has a penchant for the absurd, works with people with a tendency to be happy, and has many more ideas he would like to bring to life. The Mask and the crew met the father of 30-year-old SNOWSHOW, Slava Polunin, and his company at the Teatro Rossetti in Trieste during their Italian tour.

The journey of the mask: Athens

During the Athens stop on the journey of the mask, founder Theodoros Terzopoulos was visited by our crew in his theatre, the Attis. Video highlights of our time at the theatre of the Greek director giant.

Oscar-winning actress and Ukrainian performances in the final programme of the 10th Theatre Olympics

With over 400 companies from more than 50 countries, the 10th Theatre Olympics kicks off on 1 April with French actress Juliette Binoche as the special guest.

Avtandil Varsimashvili: ‘The magic of the theater is the acting’

Award-winning Georgian director Avtandil Varszimashvili recently presented a Brecht play at the National Theater of Hungary, and on April 26-27 he will come to the 10th Theater Olympics with two Shakespeares. We talked about making theater and what a director’s greatest virtue is.

World Puppetry Day – Message from Nina Malíková

21 March is not only the beginning of meteorological spring, but also World Puppetry Day. Below is the international message of the World Day, written by Czech puppet theatre expert Nina Malíková.

Road movie is filmed under the auspices of the Theatre Olympics

On the occasion of World Theatre Day a traditional theatrical mask donated by Theodoros Terzopoulos to the 10th Theatre Olympics will “go on a journey” to visit some of our guest artists.

“I did not expect to like it, let alone love it” — Slava Polunin to visit Hungary again

Between 16-18 June, as part of the Theatre Olympics, there will be five performances of SnowShow by the legendary company of French-based international cultural icon Slava Polunin.

Juliette Binoche: ‘We are granted the privilege of peeking into the secret of secrets”

These are some of the questions Juliette Binoche addresses in the interview by Enikő Sepsi on her reading performance at MITEM The Matter of Light, based on the book Talking with Angels.

Faust, Young Barbarians, Kafka and others — New performances at MITEM

Organisers of the MITEM announced newest additions to the line-up of performances. Tickets already available.

Slava Polunin: ‘I have always been attracted to the absurd and the grotesque’

From 16-18 June, the legendary company of Slava Polunin will be presenting SnowShow five times as part of the Theatre Olympics. We spoke to the artist about the play, which has been a huge success for three decades.

Madách 200 – The 10th Theater Olympics offers a variety of programs

Theater Olympics 2023 also commemorates the work of the famous Hungarian writer, Imre Madách, who was born 200 years ago, on January 20, 1823.

Award-winning dance performances at the 10th Theater Olympics

This time we recommend productions presented as part of the Theater Olympics by Transylvanian, Slovenian, Greek, and French companies.

The ABSTRACT International Puppet Festival is being organized for the first time

As part of the 10th Theater Olympics, the ABSTRACT International Contemporary Puppet Festival will be held in Budapest for the first time between May 6-19, 2023.

Unique installation brings the legendary settings of Madách’s The Tragedy of Man to life

On the occasion of the 200th anniversary of the birth of Imre Madách, a special exhibition opens in the National Theater of Hungary as an accompanying program of the 10th Theater Olympics.

Exchange platform – Theodoros Terzopoulos about the Theatre Olympics in Hungary

Theodoros Terzopoulos, one of the founders of the Theatre Olympics, sent the following message to the Hungarian organisers of the event of the world theatre.

10th Theatre Olympics – 550 performances in 70 venues all over Hungary

200 companies from 35 countries will come to Hungary between 1st April and 1st July 2023 for the 10th International Theatre Olympics.

What is in the ark?

Attila Vidnyánszky – “We have chosen the ark as the symbol of the festive 10th Theatre Olympics and within it, the 9th MITEM.”

Zoltán Rátóti: “The Madách project can launch an international discourse”

With the Madách Project, the 2023 Hungarian Theatre Olympics will pay tribute to the memory of Imre Madách, the immortal Hungarian playwright born 200 years ago this year.

Gábor Tompa continues as president of the The Union of European Theatres

The UTE members decided unanimously that Gábor Tompa, current UTE President will reprise his mandate for another 2 years.

György Selmeczi appointed Professor Emeritus

György Selmeczi, Professor of Budapest University of Theatre and Film Arts has been appointed to the rank of Professor Emeritus.

Valery Fokin: ‘Spectators want genuine human encounters’

András Kozma asked the Russian director Valerij Fokin about the Theater Olympia.

It Has Been a Real Inauguration of Theatre

A Flash Report on MITEM 2016

Valery Fokin: ‘The theater can be a tool for reunification’

Russian director Valery Fokin, a member of the International Committee of the Theater Olympics and a regular participant of the MITEM Festivals, expressed his thoughts in an exclusive video about the following Theater Olympics hosted by Hungary in 2023.