At least eight or nine new productions are expected in the 103rd season of the Latvian National Theater, which was opened today, July 29. In addition, as Jānis Vimba, a member of the theater board, said at the opening event of the season, the theater will work according to the “green” principle this season, allowing only those who have contracted Covid-19 or are fully vaccinated to attend the performances.
We can’t afford to work on a ‘yellow’ or ‘orange’ principle, because that means fewer people can attend the show, who have to comply with various restrictions, and that will affect the theatre’s profits. I have taken responsibility for my team and I have to pay them salaries, and we can no longer afford to live on grants, ”said Vimba, adding:
“Let’s be honest: there is a war, and the virus is still being fought. It must therefore be taken into account that completely different rules apply in these circumstances. “
On the other hand, answering a question already received by many artists and event organizers about the so-called “sorting” of the audience (respectively, allowing events to be attended only by presenting an interoperable certificate – ed.), Jānis Vimba admitted very strongly that such a question angers him and that he there is only one answer to this: “People sort themselves out by choosing whether to get vaccinated or not! We are a state-owned company and we have to follow all the official rules because I am responsible for my employees. I know that after this announcement, a stream of negations will fall on me, but I will count on it. I have already heard people’s opinions, both walking down the street and receiving letters by e-mail, but I will not change my position! ” It is true that there are also thoughts on how unvaccinated people could attend the events organized by the theater, but this will not be possible in August or September.
Performances by Ināra Sluckka, Dita Lūriņa, Valters Sīlis, Elmārs Senkovs, Edmunds Freibergs, Vlads Nastavševs, etc. will be performed at the theater this season.
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