Last night, the actors from the Bitola National Theater performed the premiere of Anton Chekhov’s play “The Seagull” on the “Dolni Saraj” stage, directed by Bagrijana Popov. The cast included Julijana Mirchevska, Ilija Volcheski, Ognen Drangovski, Katerina Anevska-Drangovska, Vasko Mavrovski, Sonja Oshavkova, Leonida Gulevska, Aleksandar Dimitrovski, Zhivko Borisovski, Valentin Damchevski, and Darko Velkoski. The scenography was by Valentin Svetozarev, and the costumes by Blagoj Micevski.
Sanja Arsovska, the selector of the drama program at the “Ohrid Summer” festival, stated that the festival’s dramatic repertoire always features the best plays with the finest theater ensembles, including the Bitola National Theater, which this year presented the premiere of Chekhov’s “The Seagull.”
“Chekhov’s ‘The Seagull’ is essentially an anti-fairytale about unfulfilled ambitions and the peculiar masochistic need of people to suffer and endure hardships in their lives,” said Arsovska.
Director Bagrijana Popov, who has an international career and has been collaborating with the Bitola National Theater for twenty years, has also directed Chekhov’s plays in Australia, Finland, and Bulgaria.
“It is a wonderful experience and a pleasure to have been working with the Bitola National Theater for 20 years, and now, for the first time in Ohrid, we have the opportunity to present the play ‘The Seagull.’ Chekhov calls this play a comedy, although some scenes are intertwined with suffering. It also represents an experience of love, nature, and prominently features the lake with its beauties. It is perfect that the play is performed here, where we have a view of the lake,” said Popov.
The play “The Seagull” at the “Ohrid Summer” festival once again raised questions about how to avoid loss and whether it is possible for humans to better care for each other and nature.
