International Theatre Project “Hearts of Four” Concludes in Tashkent

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — The ceremonial closing of the International Theatre Project “Hearts of Four,” organized by Rossotrudnichestvo, took place in Tashkent.

The final event was held on November 7 on the stage of the State Academic Russian Drama Theatre of Uzbekistan.

The project brought together creative teams from Russian drama theatres in Tashkent, Samarkand, and Ferghana and ran from 2 to 7 November.

On the closing day, participants presented the final work of the director’s laboratory, showcasing sketches of performances based on Alexander Ostrovsky’s play The Forest and Alexander Sukhovo-Kobylin’s Krechinsky’s Wedding.

Following the performances, an award ceremony honored the best productions and acting achievements. The laureates of the “Hearts of Four” project in 2025 were:

Special Diploma: State Youth Theatre of Uzbekistan for the performance The Oath.

Best Directing: Alexander Gamirov and Irina Avdyushkina.

Best Male Role: Sergey Arkhipov.

Best Female Role: Ekaterina Belova.

Special Award: Eldar Gafarov for reimagining the character Voynitsky.

Audience Choice Award: Igor Bukhaidze and Valeriy Yuldashev.

Honored Artists of Uzbekistan Oleg Vasilyev and Firuz Maksudov were recognized for their acting duet in the performance Tales of Melpomene.

Additional awards were presented to Alexander Popov (for roles in The Choice and Tales of Melpomene) and Maria Gross (for stage design in Bobok).

Organizers emphasized that the project served as a platform for professional interaction among theatre teams, creative exchange, and support for young directors and actors. During the week-long festival, participants discussed modern approaches to repertoire policy, stage language, and the preservation of classical theatre traditions.

It was announced that the “Hearts of Four” project will continue next year, with plans to expand its geographic scope and present new productions.