Eimuntas Nekrošius (1952-2018) graduated from the Lunacharski Theatre Institute in Moscow in 1978. He worked at the National Youth Theatre in Vilnius (1978 – 1979) and at the Kaunas Drama Theatre (1979 – 1980). In 1980, he came back to the Vilnius Theatre, where he collaborated for the following performances: “The Square”, by Yeliseyev, “Pirosmani, Pirosmani” (1981), “Love and Death in Verona”, by Antanėlis and Geda (1982), “A Day Lasts More than a Hundred Years”, by Aitmatov (1983), “Uncle Vanya”, by Chekhov (1986), and “The Nose”, by Gogol (1991). All his productions were awarded in various theatre festivals in Lithuania and the Baltic States. In 1994, Nekrošius received the award for Best Director of the Year of the Lithuanian Theatre Union, and the European Theatre Union awarded him with the New European Theatre Realities Prize for the show “Mozart and Salieri. Don Juan, Plague”. In 1997, he created one of his most successful productions: “Hamlet”, by Shakespeare, which was played at almost all the big European festivals, winning several prizes. In 1998, he set up the theatre studio Meno Fortas, where he worked as an artistic director. In 1999, he staged “Macbeth”, by Shakespeare, and, in 2001, “Othello”, whose world premiere took place in Venice. In 2002, he directed his first opera, “Macbeth”, by Verdi, at Teatro Comunale in Florence. In 2003, Nekrošius staged “The Seasons”, based on a poem by the famous Lithuanian poet Kristijonas Donelaitis and “The Cherry Orchard”, by Chekhov, premiered in Moscow and praised by the Russian critics for being the most memorable production of Chekhov’s work in the last ten years. In 2008, “Anna Karenina” was staged at Emilia Romagna Teatro in Modena and the opera production “The Legend of the Invisible City of Kitezh” at the Teatro Lirico of Cagliari, as well as at the Bolshoy Theatre in Moscow. In 2009, in the framework of Vilnius – Cultural Capital of Europe programme, he staged “The Idiot”, by Dostoevsky. This production received the Lithuanian award Golden Stage Cross for the Best Theatre Performance of the season. In 2010, Nekrošius staged the opera “Faust”, by Charles Gounod at La Scala Theatre in Milan and, in 2011, he staged two productions – “Caligula” at the Moscow Theatre of Nations and the opera “Othello”, by Verdi at the Lithuanian National Opera and Ballet Theatre. Other notable productions: “The Divine Comedy”, by Dante at Meno Fortas Theatre, “Paradise” staged at the Olympic Theatre in Vicenza (2012), the opera “Othello” at the Lyric Theatre in Bari and Cagliari (2013), and “The Book of Job” at Meno Fortas Theatre (2014).
Constantin Chiriac:
''A unique voice of world theatre, Eimuntas Nekrošius is awarded a star on the Sibiu Walk of Fame for his special power to spark emotion and for the science of reinterpreting great dramatic literature in creations that have become landmark of performing arts at the end of the 20th century and the beginning of the 21st century.''
Star offered with the support of: E.ON Romania
