Masquarade

MITEM

Director: Rimas Tuminas

MITEM

2 hours 30 minutes with 1 breaks.

Act 1:
During a twilight evening in a square near the Moyka River in St. Petersburg a group of noble men (Arbenin, Kazarin, Shpiech and Prince Zvezditch) gather to play cards. Excitement rises as they talk about the Masquerade Ball, which they are going later.
The Masquerade is at its high point when the Baroness Schtral, who is secretly in love with the Prince, gives him a bracelet as a token of her affection. As the Baroness is discussed behind her mask, the Prince does not know who she is. The Price proudly shows Arbenin the bracelet he has received and promises to discover the identity its beautiful owner.
At home, Arbenin notices that his wife, Nina, is missing a bracelet. This infuriates Arbenin as he suspects that Nina has given the bracelet to the Prince. Nina tries to reassure him that she probably lost her bracelet during the Masquerade.
Nina goes to the Baroness Schtral's home in search of her lost bracelet. The Prince is there and Nina explains the reason of her visit. After Nina leaves, the Prince announce that he has Nina's bracelet and that she must be the beautiful masked woman at the ball trying to seduce him. It is not long before gossip about Nina's presumed infidelity begins to spread.
Arbenin is furious, he is convinced that Nina has been unfaithful to him and wants revenge.
In the meantime, Baroness Schtral confesses to the Prince that it is she who loves him, and as a result of her deception Arbenin now suspects his wife of infidelity.

Act 2:
The Prince and Nina meet each other at another ball, and he returns her bracelet, warning her of Arbenin's plans for revenge. Nina does not believe him and refuses to take any precautions. During the evening Nina asks Arbenin for some ice cream, which he secretly poisons.
Later that evening Nina starts to feel the affects of the poison. Arbenin talks to her about the love and happiness that has been lost, and shame she has caused him. He tells her that he poisoned the ice cream and she will soon die. Nina is terrified and as she swears her innocence, she dies. Arbenin is desperate, and begins to understand what he has done.
A stranger appears who declares that Arbenin has killed his wife. The Prince confesses to Arbenin that there was no affair between Nina and himself and gives him a letter from the Baroness which explains everything.

Mihail Lermontov:
ÁLARCOSBÁL
Rendező: Rimas Tuminas
Vilniusi Kis Színház, Litvánia

Mikhail Lermontov:
Masquarade
Director: Rimas Tuminas
Small Theatre, Vilnius, Lithuania,

Díszlettervező/Stage designer: Adomas JACOVSKIS; Jelmeztervező/Costume designer: Virginija IDZELYTĖ; Zeneszerző/Composer: Faustas LATĖNAS.

The music by Aram Khachaturian is also used in the performance.

Színészek/Actors:
Arvydas Dapšys, Adrija Čepaitė,Vytautas Rumšas, Inga Burneikaitė, Rimantas Bagdzevičius, Gediminas Girdvainis, Sigitas Račkys, Edmundas Mikulskis, Larisa Kalpokaitė, Eglė Čekuolytė, Almantas Šinkūnas, Jonas Braškys, Mindaugas Capas, Valentinas Tudorakė, Almantas Šinkūnas, Balys Latėnas, Jūratė Brogaitė, Rasa Jakučionytė, Vilija Ramanauskaitė.

Cast:
Arbenin - Arvydas Dapšys
Nina, his wife - Adrija Čepaitė
Prince Zvezditch - Vytautas Rumšas
Baroness Schtral - Inga Burneikaitė
Kazarin - Rimantas Bagdzevičius
Schpriech - Gediminas Girdvainis
Stranger - Sigitas Račkys
Servant – Edmundas Mikulskis
The Hostess of a Ball - Larisa Kalpokaitė
The Maid - Eglė Čekuolytė
The Bear - Almantas Šinkūnas
Gamblers - Jonas Braškys, Mindaugas Capas, Valentinas Tudorakė, Almantas Šinkūnas, Balys Latėnas
Ladies - Jūratė Brogaitė, Rasa Jakučionytė, Vilija Ramanauskaitė

Main Stage

Rimas Tuminas

(1952 - 2024)

Rimas Tuminas is a Lithuanian director and one of the most prominent and influential figures in contemporary Lithuanian and Russian theatre life. He was born in Lithuania in 1952. In 1970-1974, he pursued studies at the Conservatory of Lithuania. In 1978, he graduated from the Lunacharsky State Institute for Theatre Arts (today the Russian Academy of Theatre Arts) with a degree in directing. In 1979-1990, he was the director of the Lithuanian National Drama Theatre (which in 1998 became the Lithuanian National Theatre), and in 1994-1999 he served as its main director. In 1990, he founded the Little Theatre of Vilnius (Valstybinis Vilniaus Mažasis teatras), of which he serves as the artistic director today. He has directed numerous productions. In 1979, he accepted a position as an instructor in the faculty of acting and directing at the Conservatory of Lithuania (today the Lithuanian Music Academy), where he was made associate professor in 1998. In 2007, he became artistic director of the Vakhtangov Theatre in Moscow. Under his direction, the theatre gathered considerable momentum, and it emerged as one of the most prominent cultural institutions in theatre life in Russia. In 2012, Tuminas founded the First Studio of the Vakhtangov Theatre, where he provides instruction for talented young directors.
Rimas Tuminas is directing his ‘signature’ performances, in a manner of a total-theatre mix of words, music, mime and symbolism. He has also directed operas in the Bolshoi Theatre. Major performances staged by Maestro at the Vakhtangov Theatre are ‘Uncle Vanya’ by Anton Chekhov, ‘Masquerade’ by Mikhail Lermontov, ‘Wind in the Poplars’ by Gerald Sibleyras, ‘The Haven’ (based on different authors), ‘Eugene Onegin’ by Alexander Pushkin, ‘Smile upon us, Lord’ by Grigory Kanovich, ‘Minetti’ by Thomas Bernhard, ‘Oedipus Rex’ by Sophocles. Rimas Tuminas opens the world for the Vakhtangov Theatre sending the best performances on tour to Europe, America and Asia, and opens doors of the Theatre for talented directors and actors – both Russian and foreign.
Tuminas has been the recipient of numerous awards, including the National Prize of Lithuania, the State Prize of the Russian Federation, the Golden Mask Award, the International Stanislavsky Theatre Award, the Crystal Turandot Award, and the Seagull Award.

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