Opera and Ballet Theatre Director resigns
By Ekaterine Tchelidze
Thursday, January 16
The Artistic Director of the Opera and Ballet Theater Giorgi Zhordania resigned after longstanding protests on January 14.
According to Zhordania it was his personal decision to step down, because he could not remain on his post after such misunderstandings that led to the cancellation of all rehearsals. Zhordania also said that he is not going to work at the theater anymore, since it would be hard for him to cooperate with people who are not satisfied with his job.
“I decided to leave my post. I am not the artistic director anymore,” he said.
The majority of the troupe members, as well as the leading conductor, Gianluca Marciano, looks at Zhordania’s resignation as a big achievement for the theater. Some of the performers even said that it was the most reasonable decision that Zhordania has ever made.
Protests in the Opera and Ballet Theater were initiated because of a disagreement between the troupe members and the artistic director. Performers questioned Zhordania’s directing skills and described his behavior as “unprofessional.”
According to the Minister of Culture and Monument Protection, Guram Odisharia, most probably there will be elections taking place in the near future in order to appoint a new artistic director.
The date of the election has not yet been announced however. Even though Odisharia asked Zhordania to participate in the upcoming election, he [Zhordania] denied this proposal. The leading conductor Gianluca Marciano also excluded his candidacy. Instead, the soloist Temur Gugushvili will be considered on a post of the artistic director.
