Skip to main content

2016 Shakespeare theatre exhibition in Tbilisi: costume sketches and more



Tbilisi’s Art Palace is holding an exhibition called ‘Shakespeare in Georgian Theatre’ that honours the history of Shakespeare productions in Tbilisi, Georgia. The exhibition, from 12-30 September 2016, is dedicated to the 400th anniversary of British playwright William Shakespeare’s death in 1616 and the 850th anniversary of Shota Rustaveli’s birth – the medieval poet and progenitor of Georgia’s literary heritage.

The ‘Shakespeare in Georgian Theatre’ exhibition features more than 300 works by Georgian painters.

For example, illustrations from Petre Otskheli show costumes sketches for the play, Othello, in 1932.





Nika Kazbegi has costume sketches for Romeo and Juliet in 1941.




Soliko Virsaladze has costume sketches for the ballet, Othello, in 1966.




Giorgia Gunia costume sketches illustrate costumes for Hamlet in 1974.



In addition to the sketches are costumes, such as Anano Mosidze’s dress for Lady Macduff in the play, Macbeth, in 2009.



The painting, above, a portrait of William Shakespeare in profile, is by Vasil Balanchivadze (1870-1951). Actor and painter Balanchivadze studied at the St Petersburg Academy of Arts and was interested in the Georgian productions of Shakespeare plays. He noted that in 1882 Alexi-Meskhishvili staged Hamlet in Georgia, and in 1889 Valerian Gunia staged The Tragedy of King Lear, and in 1925 Marjanishvili staged another version of Hamlet.

The Art Palace (formerly the State Museum of Theatre, Music, Cinema and Choreography) is showcasing Georgia’s most prominant artists, such as Petre Otskheli, Ioseb Sumbatashvili, David Kakabadze, Soliko Virsaladze, Sergo Kobuladze, Parnaoz Lapiashvili, Giorgi Guni and others.

The exhibition, sponsored by the Ministry of Culture and Monument Protection, is a collaboration between the Art Palace and the British Council that commemorates both William Shakespeare and Shota Rustaveli. Linguist Ivan Machabeli translated most of Shakespeare’s works into the Georgian language in the 19th century. The exhibition is part of the Shakespeare Meets Rustaveli Project to showcase the incredible contributions Shakespeare and Rustaveli have had on Georgia’s culture.











MARTINA NICOLLS is an international aid and development consultant, and the author of:- The Shortness of Life: A Mongolian Lament (2015), Liberia’s Deadest Ends (2012), Bardot’s Comet (2011), Kashmir on a Knife-Edge (2010) and The Sudan Curse (2009).


Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

2016 update on Rike Park, Tbilisi: from construction to busy park

From a flat patch of uninteresting dirt, Rike Park in Tbilisi, Georgia, has transformed in four years (from 2014-2016) into a busy park full of trees, flower beds, sculptures, fountains, and events. Rike (Rikhe) Park is on the left bank of the Mt’k’vari River (the Kura River) near the Old City of Tbilisi. The Peace Bridge links the right bank to Rike Park. Rike Park is below the hillside Presidential Palace and, via cable car, it is the starting point for the ride to Sololaki Ridge (with the Narikala Fortress and the Mother of Georgia statue). The glass box-shaped cable car terminus was opened on 23 June 2012, and since then the park has continually developed into a ‘people’s park’ where people can walk around, eat at the nearby restaurants, sit next to the statue of American president Ronald Reagan, climb the steps to Avlabari district, and access the sights of Meidan Square, the Peace Bridge, the Metekhi Church, the Old City, the waterfall, the sulphur baths, and t...
Post a Comment
Read more

Pir-E-Kamil - The Perfect Mentor by Umera Ahmed: book review

The Perfect Mentor pbuh  (2011) is set in Lahore and Islamabad in Pakistan. The novel commences with Imama Mubeen in medical university. She wants to be an eye specialist. Her parents have arranged for her to marry her first cousin Asjad. Salar Sikander, her neighbour, is 18 years old with an IQ of 150+ and a photographic memory. He has long hair tied in a ponytail. He imbibes alcohol, treats women disrespectfully and is generally a “weird chap” and a rude, belligerent teenager. In the past three years he has tried to commit suicide three times. He tries again. Imama and her brother, Waseem, answer the servant’s call to help Salar. They stop the bleeding from his wrist and save his life. Imama and Asjad have been engaged for three years, because she wants to finish her studies first. Imama is really delaying her marriage to Asjad because she loves Jalal Ansar. She proposes to him and he says yes. But he knows his parents won’t agree, nor will Imama’s parents. ...
1 comment
Read more

Hop on hop off bus tourism comes to Tbilisi, Georgia

City Sightseeing buses have arrived in Tbilisi. The iconic red double-decker buses, a feature of many cities around the world since the company was established in Seville, Spain in 1999, is now in six continents and almost 100 cities. The company established its Tbilisi business in November 2013, with its operations commencing in February 2014. The 90-minute tour stops at 11 major locations in Tbilisi (with 2 to 5 minute waiting times at each location): the Old City (where it commences), Freedom Square, Rose Revolution Square, Marjanishvili Square, the Dry Bridge, Konka, Avlabari, Metekhi, Akhundov Museum, the Sulfur Baths, and European Square. Passengers can hop off at any stop and see the sights, hopping back onto the next bus at any time. Alternatively, passengers can remain on the bus for the whole tour and take photographs when the bus stops at each location. There are one day (24-hour) passes (for 35 lari – about $20) and 48-hour passes for 55 lari, with family d...
2 comments
Read more