The Epidaurus ancient theatre is the eldest stage in Greece which is active nowadays. The performance of “Oedipus the King” is a project of the Vakhtangov State Academic Theatre of Russia in cooperation with the National Theatre of Greece. The show is intended to take a remarkable part in the cross-cultural year between Russia and Greece, 2016.

The director Rimas Tuminas believes that today is a right time for the Athenian tragedy by Sophocles. Rimas Tuminas claims: “I wish to make a performance about the most important things: virtue and honor. About a leader, a man who is strong enough to recompense his own sins, to accept punishment: exile and poverty till the end of his life.

It’s a hardly possible example of an honorable man for todays’ reality. Most of the men in power, leaders don’t find themselves guilty at all. Everything is approved and allowed (to those who have power). It’s time to remind about virtue and honor” (a translation of an interview in Russian to the TASS (Russia News Agency)).

Rimas Tuminas sais that the initiator of the project is Stathis Livathinos, the artistic director of the National Theatre of Greece. And for the artistic director of the Vakhtangov Theatre it is an enchanting challenge.

Greek actors will perform the ancient Chorus and Russian actors of the Vakhtangov Theatre — the leading parts.

Rehearsals are scheduled on March and will last till the end of May in Moscow. Then there will be a period of rehearsals in Athens. And finally the first night of “Oedipus the King” is expected in the end of July during the Athens Epidaurus Festival.