Theatrical exchanges between China and Russia boast a long history, deepening continuously over more than a century of mutual interaction. Over the past two decades, as cultural ties have grown closer, Chinese audiences have had the opportunity to experience live stage works by contemporary Russian directors like Lyubimov, Dodin, Fokin, and Butusov. Meanwhile, the artistic explorations of contemporary Chinese theatre have increasingly caught the attention of their Russian counterparts.

In this event, two prominent theatre scholars from China and Russia will engage in a Q&A-style dialogue, sparking a conversation on theatre that transcends language and national borders:

   · Does theatre possess a national character?

   · What are the boundaries of the avant-garde?

   · Is tradition fertile soil or a restrictive shackle?

   · What practical dilemmas face the theatrical arts today?

   · Which contemporary artists from each country deserve our attention? ......

Guest Speakers:

Dmitry Trubochkin (Professor, Russian Institute of Theatre Arts; NIFI Scholar)

Peng Tao (Professor, Central Academy of Drama)

Moderator:

Chen Tian (Professor, Nanjing University)

Time: 16:00–18:00, Friday, June 12, 2026

Venue: Black Box Theatre, Xianlin Campus, Nanjing University (3rd Floor, Jingwen Student Activity Center)

Language: Chinese / Russian (with on-site interpreting)