The theatre's team has already gathered after the summer break and discussed plans for the first half of the new theatrical year. The main focus of the upcoming season will be on productions that address complex human relationships, family conflicts, and the search for one's place in life. The season officially starts on September 5. The first audience will see one of the last premieres of the previous season — the comedy "Extremely Important Person (VIP)" by Danish director Kim Bjarke. ## The First Premiere — "Duck Hunting" On October 3, the first premiere of the season will take place — a performance based on Alexander Vampilov's play "Duck Hunting." The production is being worked on by directors Edgar Malinins and Oleg Shaposhnikov. This is not their first collaborative experience with Vampilov's work: previously, the directors staged "The Elder Son" in Daugavpils. At the center of "Duck Hunting" is a man who finds himself in a state of internal crisis and uncertainty. The production will tell about the difficult relationships between people, the inability to make important decisions, and the habit of postponing changes for later. The performance will be in Russian with Latvian subtitles. Another major premiere will be the famous play "Ghosts" by Henrik Ibsen, also known as "Phantoms." It is being directed by Norwegian director Terje Skjold-Nedre. Ibsen's family drama tells about the secrets of the past, the consequences of which continue to haunt the characters years later. The premiere is scheduled for early November. The cast includes Irina Keshisheva, Vladislav Vasilyev, Mikhail Samodakhov, Viktor Yantsevich, and Alina Kalina. ## "Thumbelina" for Christmas Young viewers will also not be left without a new production. In anticipation of Christmas, the theatre will present the children's musical "Thumbelina" by Janis Lusens. The performance will be presented in two languages — Latvian and Latgalian. Additionally, director Vadim Bogdanov is working on a new chamber production, the details of which the theatre promises to reveal later. The tradition of New Year's concerts will continue. However, this time the festive program will take place not in the theatre building, but in the Culture Palace. Thanks to a more spacious hall, more viewers will be able to attend the concert. ## Theatre Expands International Cooperation One of the important directions of the new season will be cooperation with theatres in neighboring countries. The Daugavpils Theatre is already discussing with the Vilnius Old Theatre the possibility of exchanging touring productions and intends to continue joint projects with the Tallinn theatre Südalinna. In October, the Daugavpils troupe will travel to Riga with the performance "The Seagull," and in November will participate in a theatre festival in the Lithuanian town of Biržai. Moreover, the theatre will continue to make its repertoire multilingual. A production featuring the Polish language is planned for early 2027.
