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Compiled by Messenger Staff
Tuesday, November 1
Will Sopo Nizharadze become Art Director of Rustaveli Theatre?

In his interview to Asaval-Dasavali, the former Art Director of Rustaveli Theatre, Robert Sturua—dismissed by the Minister of Culture, says he is leaving the Rustaveli Theatre to accept a position with Moscow’s Kaliagin Theatre. “I can stage performances in Georgia, but only in one theatre – Tumanishvili’s--since Misha Tumanishvili was my teacher. However I will not work with the Rustaveli Theatre as there are number of people with whom I have no wish to cooperate,” Sturua said.

Sturua says that the new Art Director at the Rustaveli Theater will be Georgian singer Sopo Nizharadze, or--less probably--another representative of Georgian show business. Nizharadze has performed one of the leading roles in the musical Keto and Kote and is one of the favourite singers of the Georgian authorities. Keto and Kote was staged first in Batumi and its premiere was held at Rustaveli Theatre recently. Sturua says that it would be better idea if this type of musical is performed in the Philharmonia, adding, “But as I predicted it was performed on the stage of the Rustaveli Theatre.”

“Our country is under a dictatorship and everything is done as Saakashvili wants. Georgia is like Syria and North Korea,” Sturua added.



Press Association statement on Tbilisi City Hall project “1000 New Booths”

The Georgian Press Association announced a Tbilisi City Hall project entitled “1000 New Booths,” 24 Hours reports. The project will allot 1000 places within the capital city for trade booths, to encourage small and medium enterprises. The City administration will hold an auction to obtain each place.

The Press Association endorses this project but hopes large companies will not become the real owners of these places. “We want to express our concern and surprise that despite many addresses and letters from press distributors and publishing houses, City Hall couldn’t find any place for booths for selling newspapers, books and magazines--while in all democratic countries this type of product is considered of utmost importance and conditions are offered so these are available in public places." According to the statement, trading press and print media will never be as profitable as fast food or cigarettes so it’s almost impossible for press distributors to compete with more profitable product dealers. The Press Association considers it would be significant if Tbilisi City Hall would promote the interests of media and society--for example holding an auction for certain places where only printed media is sold.