16th International Chekhov Book Festival Held in Taganrog
May 22, 2023: 16th International Chekhov Book Festival took place in Taganrog on May 19-21. It opened with the ceremony at the historic Chekhov Drama Theater. The opening night featured the concert "Where Is the Sea? Where Is the Sky? Is It Above or Below?" given by the poet and musician Yelena Frolova.
The festival has been held since 2007 with the support of Rostov Oblast Ministry of Culture, Taganrog Local Government, Taganrog Arts & Culture Council, Federal Agency for Press and Mass Communications and other partners. In 2023, Russian Abroad Heritage Foundation began to support it as well. Over the course of its existence, the event has become noted all over Russia.
Andrey Fateyev speaking at the opening ceremony. Credit: Sergey Plishenko
The program is meant both for adults and children, people of all ages and occupations. "Taganrog is a book city, welcoming everyone" has become the festival's motto. It shows the creative potential of both residents and guests of Taganrog and indicates the opportunities to meet famous visitors of the festival: actors and film makers, poets and writers, journalists and editors, critics and interpreters. This year, the festival has been attended by writer and teacher Andrey Gelasimov, children's authors Andrey Usachov and Xenia Gorbunova, historian and journalist Konstantin Zalessky, chief editor of the Molodaya Gvardiya publishing house Maria Zalesskaya, animated film director Jangir Suleimanov, actress Larisa Brokhman, composer Raisa Nur.
Street fair in front of Chekhov Public Library. Credit: Sergey Plishenko
16th International Chekhov Book Festival's program featured exhibitions, book fairs, meetings with writers and poets, book presentations, public lectures, etc. The total number of all the events exceeds 60. Some of them were dedicated to a number of anniversaries: one of Anton Chekhov's play "The Cherry Orchard" (120 years), another of Mikhail Tanich (centennial), and the 90th anniversary of the death of poetess and translator Sophia Parnok. For example, an open-air exhibition entitled "Three Names and Parallel Destinies: Sophia Parnok, Valentin Parnakh, Yelizaveta Tarakhovskaya" was unveiled to the public in the city's Gorky Park.
Taganrog City Council President and City Executive Inna Titarenko traditionally participated in the special pictorial cancellation ceremony - a traditional event held in cooperation with Russian Post to postmark the official festival postcards.
Inna Titarenko. Credit: Taganrog City Council
"The Chekhov Festival is a unique source of knowledge and culture. Every year this great literary festival becomes a dramatic event for residents of the Don and guests of our region. It brings together enthusiasts of literature and artistic endeavor," said Rostov Oblast Deputy Governor Igor Guskov.
In 2022 the International Chekhov Book Festival had the lead in the category "The Most Significant Event of Art and Culture" at the All-Russian stage of Russian Event Awards in the nomination "The Best Event of Cultural Tourism".
