Lithuanians in the news
12th March, 2006
Oskaras Korđunovas Wins Prestigious European Theatre Award
Oskaras Korđunovas.
Photo by Gedmantas Karpis
Oskaras Korđunovas'
production of "Master and Margarita"
The noted Lithuanian theatre director Oskaras Korđunovas won the prestigious 8th European New Theatrical Realities Prize awarded by the European Theatre Union. The prize was awarded in Turin, Italy, on March 12, 2006, during the 10th Edition of the Europe Theatre Prize. Korđunovas shared the prize with Joseph Nadj, choreographer and director of the National
Oskaras Korđunovas'
production of "Romeo and Juliet"
Oskaras Korđunovas'
production of "Romeo and Juliet"
Oskaras Korđunovas'
production of "Master and Margarita"
Choreographic Centre of Orleans in France. The New Realities prize was awarded in parallel with the Europe Theatre Prize, which this year went to the Nobel Prize winning English playwright Harold Pinter.
The award to Oskaras Korđunovas is a fitting recognition of the very high standard of drama in Lithuania, a reputation that has been acquired during many years of outstanding theatre productions. Ten years ago the New Realities prize, which is one of the highest accolades that can be bestowed by the theatre community, was also awarded to another outstanding Lithuanian theatre director, Eimuntas Nekrođius. Both Korđunovas and Nekrođius have had their productions staged at theatre festivals in Australia.
Oskaras Korđunovas was born in Vilnius in 1969, studied theatre directing under Jonas Vaitkus at the Lithuanian Music Academy, graduating in 1993. He has staged many plays in Lithuania and other countries and is the winner of many international and Lithuanian awards. Recent memorable productions have included Shakespeare’s "Romeo and Juliet", set in a modern pizza parlour, "Master and Margarita", based on the classic Russian novel by Michail Bulgakov and "Playing the victim", based on a text about international terrorism by leading young Russian authors, the brothers Oleg and Vladimir Presnyakov. During the recent Europe Theatre Prize festivities in Turin Korđunovas’ "Master and Margarita", which has been described as Korđunovas’ calling card, and "Playing the victim" were staged.

More information:  www.omni.lt 5/3/06  www.okt.lt  www.club.lt  www.etc-cte.org