Cancellation of the Gogolis.Nature Morte Production in Riga Raises Questions
A Latvian theater figure, Gundars Abolins, announced through a social media post that the stage work Gogolis.Nature Morte, featuring Chulpan Khamatova, has been halted by a decision made by the New Riga Theater’s artistic director, Alvis Hermanis. The move comes after discussions among the theater leadership and artists in the lead-up to the final rehearsal held yesterday, according to Abolins.
According to Abolins, Khamatova had been preparing for the performance and was learning lines across multiple languages including Russian, Ukrainian, and Latvian. He noted that stage director Uldis Tirons had also been involved in an expansive cultural study connected to the life and works of writer Nikolai Gogol, which accompanied the production as part of its preparatory process.
The show had planned performances on several dates in late March and early April. Ticket holders were informed that refunds would be issued. In addition to Khamatova, the production also featured Latvian actors Gundars Abolins and Kaspars Znotins in key roles.
Earlier, Tirons had publicly questioned the reasons behind the cancellation, seeking a clear explanation for the decision that affected the performance with Khamatova. Source attribution: theatre press statements and public posts from involved artists