Anatoly Shuliev has been appointed as the chief director of the Vakhtangov State Academic Theater, a development announced by Agency Moscow, drawing on information from the ministry’s press service. The announcement marks a new chapter for a theater with a rich history and a reputation for nurturing bold, experimental productions alongside classics. The decision underscores a strategic shift toward contemporary interpretations of classical repertoire while preserving the theater’s distinctive voice on the cultural stage of Russia.
On April 18, Kirill Krok, who leads the Vakhtangov State Academic Theater, and Oksana Kosareva, who heads the Department of State Support for Arts and Folk Arts at the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation, introduced the team surrounding the new chief director. This formal presentation highlighted the collaborative effort between the institution and the state cultural apparatus to ensure a seamless transition and a clear artistic direction for the theater, whose mission includes presenting arts that resonate with diverse audiences across the country.
Anatoly Shuliev is a recipient of the Young Talents of Russia award from the Ministry of Culture, honored in 2015 for his early promise and creative impact. He studied at the Russian Institute of Theatre Arts – GITIS and at the Boris Shchukin Theater School, institutions renowned for shaping a generation of performers and directors with a rigorous training ground in acting, directing, and dramaturgy. Since 2017, he has served as a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Player Skills at GITIS, sharing practical experience with students and helping to cultivate the next wave of theater artists. This blend of academic involvement and professional practice signals a leadership style rooted in pedagogy as well as production leadership.
Shuliev’s directorial debut at the Vakhtangov Theater occurred in 2016 with his undergraduate piece The King is Dying, a production that opened pathways for his evolving voice as a director. The theater’s repertoire has since included his adaptations and original stagings of material by Stefan Zweig, with projects such as Zweig’s Novels (2017), Stupid (2021), and Amadeus (2023) contributing to the theater’s contemporary canon. These works reflect Shuliev’s interest in psychological depth, literary texture, and a propensity for provocative storytelling that challenges audiences while remaining accessible and visually compelling. His growing portfolio at Vakhtangov illustrates a trajectory toward integrating modern sensibilities with the theater’s established ethos, creating a synthesis that appeals to both traditional patrons and new viewers in Russia and beyond.
Before this appointment, the role of chief director at the theater was held by Yury Butusov, who led the company until November 2022. This transition marks not only a change in leadership but also an opportunity to reinterpret the theater’s artistic program, expanding its exploration of contemporary themes and expanding collaborations across the national theater landscape. The leadership shift is seen as a moment to reinforce Vakhtangov’s reputation for risk-taking productions while maintaining the high standards of craft, storytelling, and performance for which the institution is known.