Theatre festival

There are women who are not only incredibly talented, but also have outstanding leadership qualities. And most importantly, they know how to recognize talent in others and open the way for them to a new, vibrant creative life in New York.
Recently, another unforgettable, truly unique event took place in the heart of Manhattan, organized by the creative and tireless Zeina Gange in the exquisite walls of the Kosciuszko Foundation, where the atmosphere of art reigned: the walls were decorated with masterpieces of painting, and in the center of the hall stood an elegant black and red grand piano. However, the main decoration of the evening were the brilliant singers, actors and musicians, and Gennady Vysotsky with his soulful voice and role added special depth to the event. During the evening, excerpts from the performances were accompanied by music by the young talented composer Nathan Sessoon.
The audience enjoyed fragments of the performances, including "The Passion According to Baudelaire" by director Eduard Tolokonnikov and excerpts from "The Cabal of Hypocrites" by Mikhail Bulgakov, which is being prepared for production in 2025. In this production by director Alexander Notkin, the leading role of the great Moliere was played by the famous actor and director Hera Sandler.
The celebration began with an exquisite theatrical intrigue that captivated the guests from the very first minutes. They were greeted by the charming Karen Akopyan, who set a mysterious tone for the evening, asking everyone to pronounce the password: Paris-NotreDames.
To the sounds of champagne, which the actors poured with grace, the guests were transported into the mysterious world of the "Cabal of Hypocrites". The master, brilliantly played by Gennady Vysotsky, announced: "Everything you see will remain a secret, otherwise you will forever become prisoners of the Cabal."
The words sounded like a spell, immersing everyone in the atmosphere of a secret society. Guests had to look for magical artifacts, following mysterious maps, which was the beginning of an exciting game.
Literary salon of Apollonia Sabatier. The next episode took the guests to Paris of the 19th century — to the literary salon of Madame Apollonia Sabatier. This role in the play "Passion for Baudelaire" was played by Zeina Gagne and the talented Ukrainian actress Irina Malygina, so in the salon scene adapted for the theatrical evening we met two characters: Madame Sabatier herself and her friend. And of course, Baudelaire's muse Jeanne Duval was embodied by the charming Annushka Nesterova. Here passions boiled, writers flirted and philosophical debates flared up. Evgeny Beltyukov as Baudelaire, Karen Akopyan as Paul Verlaine and the mysterious Badimir as Theophile Gautier revived the spirit of that time.
The evening reached its climax when the guests unexpectedly discovered a letter allegedly written by Louis XIV: "The wine you drank was poisoned. It was my gift!"
The shocked participants followed Karen to the royal palace.
On the second floor, guests were greeted by a baroque trio, and Louis XIV was played magnificently by Lev Grzhonko.
Each scene of the evening was carefully thought out, right down to the passionate tango between Baudelaire and Jeanne Duval (also performed by Evgeny Beltyukov and Annushka Nesterova).
When the party came to an end, each guest felt like not just a spectator, but also a participant in a grand theatrical performance. And I, carried away by what was happening, even managed to leave a couple of lines on an old parchment, feeling like if not Alexandre Dumas, then someone close to him.
This evening became a real celebration of art, where our stars shone. It was fun and interesting: we are in the theater and the theater is around us.
We look forward to your new works.
Marina Lagunova