News

Start of the season at the National Theater

09 September 2025

The 2025-2026 season kicks off in early September with the now traditional participation of the I.L. Caragiale National Theater, with two representative performances from its current repertoire, at the 10th anniversary edition of the anniversary edition of the Reunion of Romanian National Theatres in Chisinau, which will take place in the capital of the Republic of Moldova from 10 to 21 September 2025. Rightly considered the largest performing arts festival in the country, this year's event is held under the theme "The Stage of a Free World," emphasizing the role of theater as a space for freedom of expression and cultural dialogue.

On opening night, September 10, 2025, the audience will be able to watch Mary Stuart, adapted by Robert Icke from Friedrich Schiller, on the main stage of the Mihai Eminescu National Theater in Chisinau. directed by Andrei Serban, with set design by Helmut Stürmer—a production that received seven UNITER Award nominations and was selected (along with another landmark play, The Prophet Elijah by Tadeusz Slobodzianek, directed by Botond Nagy) for the National Theater Festival in October 2025. Mary Stuart is the great historical show of the season, marking the triumphant return of a sovereign of Romanian artistic creation to the country's leading theater after an absence lasting a lifetime. Andrei Serban is, quite simply, regal, writing, with universally recognized venerable grace, another important page in the history of the National Theater in Bucharest. (Horia Ghibutiu, Journalist's Blog - The art of the present in Andrei Serban's Mary Stuart at the TNB).

A repertoire choice that rightly arouses the highest interest from the audience in Chisinau, a large audience that loves quality theater!

The second performance with which TNB will be present in Chisinau is Ibsen's Nora, directed by Chris Simion-Mercurian, a co-production of the "I.L. Caragiale" National Theater and the "Grivita 53" Cultural Association.

″ We are talking about a truly important performance in contemporary Romanian theater, which, through the innovative and original vision of director Chris Simion-Mercurian, manages to (re)bring to the forefront one of the most powerful and significant texts in universal drama, using it as a catalyst for a current and burning social and cultural discussion.” (Tudor Costin Sicomas, Republika Kritica - Between dream, madness, and reality, or about today's insane world. Henrik Ibsen's "Nora" at the National Theater of Bucharest). The performance will take place on September 11, also in the main hall of TNME.

On the same date, the multimedia installation Echo of an Absence, designed by our colleague, photographer Florin Ghioca, will be inaugurated in the TNME foyer, a posthumous tribute to Ion Caramitru (four years after his passing), who "held the theater between worlds — between Bucharest and Chisinau, between the living stage and the stage of memory. He supported the initiative to organize this theatrical forum in Chisinau — the Reunion of Romanian National Theaters."

At the headquarters, the opening of the 2025-2026 theater season takes place on Thursday, September 11, with The Dinner Game — the longest-running show in the current repertoire of the TNB, and the following week — on September 19, 20, and 21 —the first premiere of the season will be launched at the Atelier Hall: Nothing is by chance by David Schwartz (directed by David Schwartz, set design by Andrei Dinu, music by Nikita Dembinski). The performance is based on a script that emerged from a documentary theater workshop on personal and spiritual development practices, coordinated by director David Schwartz at the Ion Sava Center for Theater Research and Creation in 2023–2024. This topic, that of spiritual transformation and transgenerational trauma healing practices, is overwhelmingly relevant today, and the production aims to discuss these practices and the people who engage in them in detail, highlighting their social role and significance, the reasons for their proliferation in recent years, and their theatrical dimension. Ada Gales, Iuliana Moise, Mihai Muntenita, Crina Semciuc, István Téglás, Ionut Toader, and Florentina Tilea are the actors who make up the cast of this show, and they are also the ones who participated in the workshop and the entire documentation process.

Exhibition activity also resumes in the TNB foyers, with two major exhibitions: From September 8, the Media Foyer becomes the space where the public can discover the energy and courage of the new generation of visual artists in the Catalyst exhibition organized by the “Cred in Romania” Association (I Believe in Romania Association) which brings together the 50 most talented artists under the age of 35, carefully selected from hundreds of entries from Romania and the Republic of Moldova by a jury of renowned and established experts in the field: Livia Florea, Petru Lucaci, Suzana Vasilescu, and Mihai Zgondoiu. And in the Rotunda of the Small Hall, Romanian painter Ana Iulia Mihesan, who lives in Greece, will offer the public, starting on September 15, a wide selection of monumental paintings, curated by art critic Dr. Marius Tita.

September also marks the participation of the NTB production A Few People Away From You, written by Dan Coman and directed by the unmistakable Radu Afrim, a disturbing X-ray of the challenges of the present, as one of the most anticipated moments of the Transylvania International Theater Festival (FITT) hosted in Cluj-Napoca between September 25 and 28, 2025. Considered one of the most talented and sophisticated European directors, but also one of the most controversial artists on the Romanian stage, Afrim is renowned for his originality and the force with which he shakes up dramatic traditions.

The beginning of a season that promises to remain strong and challenging!

Translated by Andreea Codrea-Boeriu

YEN by Anna Jordan, 9G premiere at NTB 19 April 2026

The “I.L. Caragiale” National Theater in Bucharest announces a new premiere as part of the 9G Program at NTB, dedicated to young independent artists: “Yen” by Anna Jordan, directed by Ciprian Chiricheș, with set design by Maria Constantin, and starring Teodora Antal, Diana Pomparău, Sevi Stan, and Mario Monțescu. The premiere will take place on Sunday, April 19, 2026, at 7:00 p.m., in the Sala Mică Hall The play Yen tells the story—at times brutal, at times deeply tender—of two brothers surviving almost entirely on their own in a suburb, with a mother unable to provide them with the care a child needs. Together, amid arguments and violence, the two teenagers try to discover what affection—and first love—feels like and how to express it, in the absence of a parental role model. Thus, first love becomes a tough test, full of innocence and missteps. How much of our social skills are innate, and how much are acquired through our environment and the education we receive? It is a long-debated dilemma that remains relevant today, which author Anna Jordan explores with harshness and directness, yet with care and sensitivity toward her characters. Yen is about growing up, about family, and, above all, about the fundamental human need to love and be loved. „What won me over from the very first reading was the sincerity with which life—and, in particular, hope—is portrayed. In real life, things aren’t like in fairy tales, where Prince Charming appears out of nowhere and sets everything right. In reality, we often long for something we cannot have, and then that feeling becomes even stronger; this sentiment is very well conveyed by the author. The production that we put together with the team is based on desire and hope. I hope it’s contagious and that the audience leaves, just as I like to leave the theater—changed, pensive, with my thoughts on my loved ones.” Ciprian Chiricheș, the director of the production Anna Jordan is a renowned British playwright, director, and screenwriter. She graduated from the London Academy of Music & Dramatic Arts (LAMDA) with a degree in acting and is a professor of acting. For her play “Yen,” she won the prestigious Bruntwood Prize for Playwriting (2013) Cast: Sevastian Stan, Mario Monțescu, Teodora Antal, Diana Pomparău. Regie Ciprian Chiricheș, set design Maria Constantin, sound design Teodor Zamfir and llighting design Cristian Ciopată. This performance is not recommended for children under 14. Translated by Andreea Codrea-Boeriu

Magda Catone is the Mother-in-law in Little Hell 04 April 2026

Starting on April 4, 2026, renowned National Theater actress Magda Catone will play the role of the Mother-in-Law in Mircea Stefanescu's comedy Little Hell, taking over from Rodica Popescu-Bitanescu, the actress who has brought this delightful role in Romanian drama to life in recent seasons, continuing the series of anthological performances, from Natasa Alexandra, Silvia Dumitrescu-Timica to Ileana Stana Ionescu. At the "I.L. Caragiale" National Theater, the play Little Hell has had over 300 performances since its premiere in 2013! The next performances will take place on April 4, 8, and May 2, 2026! Translated by Andreea Codrea-Boeriu

A new premiere at the National Theater of Bucharest: “The Bride's Time and Her Gown” – a continuation of the world of Oltenia created by Gavril Pătru 02 April 2026

The “I.L. Caragiale” National Theater in Bucharest will present, starting April 3, 2026, the premiere of “The Bride's Time and Her Gown″ (The Wedding) by Gavril Pătru, a new chapter in the theatrical universeinaugurated by the success of “Ghosts and Dandelions.” The second part of the upcoming “Oltenia trilogy,” the play continues the story of the characters from a contemporary Oltenian village, in a recognizable blend of humor, drama, and authenticity. Created by Gavril Pătru—who serves as writer, director, and actor—the new play offers a glimpse into a world where tradition and inner conflict coexist, and laughter and tension intertwine naturally. This time, the action revolves around a wedding—a seemingly festive setting that becomes the backdrop for an avalanche of tragicomic events. Amidst the musicians, stuffed cabbage rolls, and zaibăr, uncomfortable truths surface, appearances crumble, and hidden dramas are revealed. Nothing is what it seems, and the masks fall one by one, in a universe where even those who do not speak end up saying it all. Dynamic “like the rush of a sârba” and, at the same time, profound “like a doina,” the new play by Gavril Pătru offers an intense theatrical experience, where laughter and emotion converge in a story about family, identity, and truth. “The Bride’s Watch and Shirt” preserves the distinctive language and atmosphere of the Oltenia region that established Gavril Pătru’s reputation, shaping a vivid world, full of color and expressive power. The play can be viewed independently, yet it stands in direct dialogue with “Ghosts and Dandelions” developing the same destinies and delving deeper into the themes already explored. The cast features actors from the National Theater of Bucharest, in a lineup that supports the show’s brisk pace and energy: Costina Cheyrouze, Raluca Petra, Ileana Olteanu, Petre Ancuța / Ciprian Nicula, Gavril Pătru, Alexandra Sălceanu / Teodora Calagiu, Maia Morgenstern / Victoria Dicu, Silviu Biriș. On April 2 and 3, 2026, at 8:30 p.m., in the lobby of the Pictura Hall, immediately following the preview performances of the play, there will be a book launch for “Ceasu’ și cămașa miresii” (The Bride's Time and Her Gown) by Gavril Pătru, a special event that complements the theatrical universe of the play of the same name. The book brings to life the same recognizable world created by Gavril Pătru: a vibrant Oltenian village, full of humor, tension, and poetry, where the characters’ destinies intertwine between tradition and contemporary reality. The audience will have the opportunity to meet the author, discover the behind-the-scenes of the creative process, and get autographs. The official premiere of the production will take place on April 18 and 19, 2026, at the Pictura Hall; the production is already scheduled in the NTB’s current repertoire for April 8 and 9 and May 9, 2026. Translated by Andreea Codrea-Boeriu

Premiere at NTB: A play about the hypocrisy of today's world 13 March 2026

Starting March 13, 2026, you are invited to a new production, Of People, Doctors, and Rhinoceroses by Claudiu Goga after Arthur Schnitzler, at the Studio Hall of the I.L. Caragiale National Theater in Bucharest. A hot topic, even though the author, considered one of the most important representatives of Austrian modernism, imagined it in 1912, a time when many of the issues addressed in the play were more than sensitive, if not taboo. At Dr. Bernhardi's clinic, a teenager is fighting sepsis following a botched abortion. The priest is denied access to the dying girl's room for her last rites. The inevitable death occurs. The incident quickly becomes a topic of national debate: can a Jewish doctor forbid a Catholic priest from comforting a Christian on her deathbed? Based on Arthur Schnitzler's idea, director Claudiu Goga invites you to discover the astonishing story in which Dr. Bernhardi is drawn. A roller coaster of absurd situations, tensions, and contradictions in a world of political intrigue and careerism, where truth becomes a derisory fact amid obscure games of power and personal interests. Both a political play and a love story, written in the style of a detective novel, "Of People, Doctors, and Rhinoceroses" speaks with lucidity and humor about the hypocrisy of today's world. A world in which people claim to fight in the name of principles and values, in the name of political ideologies and religious beliefs, in the name of truth and in the name of humanity. In reality, these are all pretexts. People fight only for their personal interests. Why? The answer is simple: people are people. In the role of Dr. Elias Bernhardi: Mihai Calin, joined by actors George Ivascu, Mirela Oprisor, Medeea Marinescu, Ofelia Popii, Alexandru Potocean, Ioan Andrei Ionescu, Richard Bovnoczki, Dana Dogaru, Ada Gales, Ionut Toader, and Tomi Cristin. Director Claudiu Goga had allies in bringing his vision to life: Corina Gramosteanu for set design and Nina Brumuasila for costumes. Video design was by Andrei Cozlac and Silviu Apostol. Music and stage movement were by Florin Fieroiu. The following performances will take place on: March 14, March 15, March 18, March 19 (official premiere), April 1, at 7 p.m. Translated by Andreea Codrea-Boeriu

All Articles

News

Start of the season at the National Theater

Events Calendar

Calendar

Buy tickets

Photo-Video gallery

Virtual tour

NTB Halls

Newsletter