Dikļi and theater playing have been closely connected for centuries. In 1818, for the first time, a theater performance in Latvian took place in the Zunda branch of Dikļi manor. A play by the German Enlightenment poet Friedrich Schiller Robbers translated and staged by a manor servant, a mere 17-year-old coachman Jānis Peitāns.
Almost two centuries later, the Valmiera Drama Theater under the direction of the legendary Latvian actor and director Pēteris Lūčs started the tradition of performing open-air theater performances in Neikenkalns every year at the beginning of August, as evidenced by the oak planted by P. Lūčs in Neikenkalns. After the great director left for his world, Valmiera Drama Theater stopped this tradition and it was taken over by amateur theater.
According to Inna Krēsliņa, the head of Dikļi Culture Center, despite the extraordinary situation in the spring, which affects the rehearsal process, amateur theaters want to participate in the festival to meet spectators and like-minded people from other amateur art groups.
As usual, the morning party of the theater festival will start with the warming up of the actors and learning in a master class led by actress Indra Burkovska.
From 11.45 to 19.10 Amateur theater performances will take place in Dikļi Culture Center – the further road will be measured by collectives from Brocēni and Gaujiena, while the nearest neighbors will be from Pociems and Zilākalns parishes. The fact that amateur theaters can also work remotely will be shown by the teams of Ragana and Bērzaine, who will have prepared a theatrical production in video format. For the first time, an amateur theater from Skulte will visit Dikļi. Homeowners, Dikļi Amateur Theater, as usual, will welcome the theater festival with a premiere – play by Andris Niedzviedža She’s real, mutterit!
As every year, this year, awards will be presented in several nominations – Best Performance, Best Actor a The best actress, applicants will be judged by Indra Burkovska, watching the performances all day.
The theater festival will end in the Neikenkalns Nature Concert Hall, where the celebrations of the groups and the announcement of the winners will take place. This year, in the evening show, just like 32 years ago, Cēsis will take the stage – Cēsis Theater will perform Ādolfs Alunāns song performance Mucenieks and Muceniece. The show starts at 20.
The evening in Neikenkalns Nature Concert Hall will end with a concert at 22, in which the group will speak Zēgevaldes trio.
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