January 31, 2019: the grand opening ceremony of the Year of Theater was held at the Taganrog Chekhov Drama Theater on 159th birthday of the great writer and our compatriot Anton Chekhov. Year 2019 was officially designated Year of Theater by the decree of the President of Russian Federation Vladimir Putin.

The ceremony was attended by Taganrog City Manager Andrei Lisitsky, Taganrog City Council President and City Executive Inna Titarenko, journalists, cultural and artistic figures.


Mr. Lisitsky acknowledged the uniqueness of the Taganrog Theater and referred to it as the city's "big luck": "The Year of Theater is not only the professional holiday celebrated by the theater artists and culture professionals, but a festival for every one of us. For I am sure and certain that there are no people who care nothing for theater, because art always provokes emotions. It is a big luck for the city to have such a wonderful theater with talented artists and talented creators".


Taganrog City Council President and City Executive highlighted a symbolic co-occurrence of two events - the opening of the Year of Theater and Anton Chekhov's 159th birthday. "Theater was Chekhov's first love, a love to which he was true up to the end of his life. Theater shaped Chekhov as we know him, and the writer reciprocated by creating a new type of theater. His plays became a new era in the development of world drama. His "Seagull", "Cherry Orchard", "Three Sisters" and "Uncle Vanya" have been performed worldwide for over a century, but seem to be constantly reinvented and acquire new understanding", noted in her address Ms. Titarenko.


During the opening ceremony, letter of commendation for significant contributions to the development of theater were awarded to actors and theater employees.

On the same occasion, actors of the Taganrog Chekhov Drama Theater timed the first night of their new production of Chekhov's "Cherry Orchard".