The 59th BITEF - Dare to Know - opened before a full house at the Main Stage of Atelje 212 Theatre with the performance The Merchant of Venice, directed by Strahinja Padežanin and produced by KPGT. The opening was attended by Jelena Medaković, City Secretary for Culture.
Vasil Vasilev, a member of the jury of the 59th BITEF, director and General Manager of the Ivan Vazov National Theatre in Bulgaria, delivered a welcoming speech marking the opening of the 59th BITEF:
« Dear friends, colleagues, dear audience,
As a director and a man who has devoted his entire life to the stage, I believe in one great force: theatre is living proof that light always triumphs over darkness. In a world that too often speaks the language of borders, doubts and passing storms, the stage remains an eternal temple of the human spirit. It does not divide; it brings us together. It does not serve ideologies; it searches for truth. Every performance is a courageous act of hope - a sacred pact between artists and audiences that beauty has meaning, that the free spirit is indestructible, and that the future is not built out of fear, but out of our imagination. Theatre outlives eras, empires and political shadows. Its power is the power of humanity, and its mission is to awaken consciousness and light the way towards tomorrow.
Let us open our hearts to the miracle of a live encounter. Let us celebrate the courage to dream greatly, freely and without borders!
I hereby declare the 59th BITEF open.
May the spirit of art illuminate the world!”»
The performance was met with a standing ovation, followed by a conversation with the artists moderated by dramaturg Bojan Munjin.
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