Director Valters Sīlis (39) has just been confirmed as the artistic director of the Liepāja Theater and in his thoughts outlines the new season of both the theater and his life
I remember Walter Seelis from previous interviews as a very calm person. Now when you call, you get the impression that he is running all the time and talking out of breath. The responsibility he took on in the Liepāja theater is really breathtaking. However, it is not disproportionate, as Sílis is one of the strongest directors of his generation with his signature and many important awards. His recent production of Siberian Haiku at the Puppet Theater has already become a sensation, changing people’s ideas about the genre of puppet theater and the age limits of the audience. Thinking and doing differently is Valters Silis’ strength.
In August of last year, shortly after director Elmars Senkova left the National Theater, Sílis also left it. Meanwhile, the dissatisfaction of the troupe and the demand for a change of management were brewing in the Liepāja theater. When the competition for the position of member of the board of the Liepāja theater in the artistic field was announced, Valters Sīlis made a quick and almost unexpected decision to apply. In the competition, he was recognized as the most suitable candidate, and since January 30, he has been confirmed in the position.
Valters emphasizes that this year’s season in Liepāja will be designed by the previous manager Herbert Laukštein: “My visions are still waiting for their time.” However, he has already met with the actors, discussed everyone’s pains and hopes, and in his mind creates a picture of the future of the theater. He is looking for a place to live in Liepāja, because he cannot serve the theater in a city where he does not live.
Valters Sīlis has created three productions in Liepāja so far, and is currently preparing for the fourth. It’s not much, but that’s exactly what’s good – it’s a completely “clean page” and a feeling of a new beginning. When I ask Walter what his favorite places are in Liepāja, he says: “Most of all, I like to wander along the sea and the lake, until I realize that I no longer know where I am and how to find my way back. Liepāja is wonderful because it is so diverse – here is the old town with its ancient pavement, here is Ostmala or Karosta. In Liepāja, there is not only the theater and the Great Amber, but also the culture house Wiktorija – I recommend it!”
2024-02-08 00:04:21
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