Georgia: The Minister of Culture and Sports of Georgia, Thea Tsulukiani, was in Kutaisi on a working visit. The Minister held an annual working meeting with the artistic heads of the theaters in the field of governance of the Ministry of Culture.
The meeting was also attended by Giorgi Gegechkori, Chairman of the Theater Society, Giorgi Shalutashvili, Rector of the Shota Rustaveli Cinema and Theater State University, directors of the State Theater and representatives of the Ministry of Culture.
At the meeting held in Kutaisi, the projects implemented during the year were summarized. They discussed the plans for the future development of theaters, projects, existing challenges, and ways to solve them. Thea Tsulukiani heard directly from the artistic director about the situation in each theater and again supported the theater field.
At the working meeting, the Minister of Culture spoke about the need to increase the revenue of state theaters from 2025.
Thea Tsulukiani also talked about the large-scale Georgian Festival in Levili’s historical homeland, reviewed the activities of the theaters participating in this year’s festival program, and heard impressions from the participants of the past festival weeks. Plans were set out at the meeting, and new ideas were discussed.
It is noteworthy that the art directors of the theaters in the sphere of the ministry had the opportunity to visit and get acquainted with the ongoing rehabilitation of the Meliton Balanchivadze State Theater of Opera and Ballet in Kutaisi. This rehabilitation is carried out by the initiative and support of the Georgian Ministry of Culture and Sports, which serves to revive and develop the Kutaisi Opera.
Opera house renovation is now completed: dismantling and reclining; primary installation of plumbing, electricity, weak current, external and internal sewerage, sound system, fire ventilation, heating, and cooling.
The Kutaisi Opera and Ballet Theater must be decorated with European standards after the rehabilitation of Georgian artist Teimuraz (Muraz) Murvanidze, which is already being prepared.
At this stage, the installation and testing process of heating and cooling equipment, reinforcement and treatment of the internal walls and flooring, construction of fire reservoir, geological survey of the stage structures, and restoration of hall benches. Other cosmetic works are also in progress.
Reminder: Minister of Culture Thea Tsulukiani visited the Kutaisi Opera House on April 15, 2021, regarding the need to rehabilitate the building. To prepare the project, the basic historical-architectural research of the theater building was carried out with the funding of the Ministry of Culture.
The study included architecture, construction, engineering, interior design, and other parts. Work on the rehabilitation project was completed on October 21, 2022. Architectural design company “Georgian House” Ltd. won the tender announced to prepare the project sales documentation for rehabilitation/repair works in February 2022.
The acoustic design and technology project “Georgian House” was developed by Finnish company “Akukon,” with international experience, and repairs of the Kutaisi opera are carried out by “Britania Construction.”
Rehabilitation works in the theater will be completed in early 2025.
