The Triumph of "Anna Karenina" in Paris

About the Lithuanian theater giant Rimas Tuminas's guest performances of "Anna Karenina" in Paris, the most influential French press publications—from "Le Parisien" and "Marianne" to "Le Monde" and "Le Figaro"—wrote extensively. The phrase "the audience expressed admiration with standing ovations," echoed across several reviews, accurately encapsulates the sentiments of both the viewers and the critics.

Tickets were available online with a limit of two per purchaser and sold out swiftly. "When French producers offered us to play ten performances, we thought it was madness," admits Lena Kreindlina, the general director of the "Gesher" theater. "However, the morning after the first performance, attended by many invited guests and theater critics, saw the tickets completely sold out."

"Anna Karenina" marks the first of three plays Tuminas has directed at the Israeli "Gesher" theater since leaving Moscow and Russia. Tuminas continues the thematic journey begun in "War and Peace," his pre-war masterpiece when he helmed the Vakhtangov Theater. This play maintains the purity of dramatic lines, simplicity in decorations, and the intense emotionality of the actors, bringing Tolstoy's text to life with a compelling physical presence. The use of music and movement is just as poignant and integral as in his previous works.

"Nous sortons du théâtre un peu chamboulé par cette grandiose histoire d'amour. Inutile de préciser que ce spectacle – construit comme une galerie de tableaux mêlant souvent danse et musique ensorcelantes - a répondu à notre curiosité. D'une implacable beauté." — "Le Monde"

"Anna Karenina" left a lasting impression in Paris, reminiscent of the acclaim for Tuminas's previous productions "Eugene Onegin" and "Uncle Vanya." The upcoming performances in Riga at the Daile Theater promise to be a highlight, offering a profound theatrical event.

"Puissante Anna Karénine mise en scène par l’immense Rimas Tuminas et superbement jouée par des acteurs du théâtre Gesher de Tel-Aviv: un mythe en chair et en os. …la moindre chose que l’on puisse dire, c’est que cette relation viscérale à Tolstoï est présente à chaque instant de la pièce qui se joue actuellement aux Gémeaux. Et dans chacun des gestes des neuf acteurs… La troupe du théâtre Gesher livre une performance de jeu rare, et assez fascinante pour le spectateur français…" — "Transfuge"

Supported by the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Latvia, the Embassy of Israel in Latvia, and other partners, these guest performances are an unmissable cultural offering. Tickets are available through "Biļešu Paradīze" and its online platform, inviting audiences to experience a theatrical masterpiece.