The evening of June 24, 2026, marked a unique premiere for the “I.L. Caragiale” National Theater in Bucharest. The NTB Amphitheater, the cultural space located on the building’s rooftop, hosted—for the first time since its opening—the premiere of a play: Any Other Candidates?, directed by Ada Milea. In an atmosphere cooled by a summer rain, under the open sky of the Bucharest, the audience warmly welcomed the production; the show concluded with minutes of sustained applause and an energy that confirmed, once again, the success of the unique musical-concert format that Ada Milea offers her loyal audience. Last night’s event marked the first time the NTB Amphitheater has hosted an official premiere, transforming the theater’s rooftop into a premier cultural destination for the summer season. It is important to note that this series of outdoor performances serves as an exceptional preview; starting this fall, the show “Any Other Candidates?”—which has already been added to the NTB’s official repertoire—will be staged in the established venue of the Pictură Hall. “Any Other Candidates?” is a concert-performance produced by the “Ion Sava” Center for Theater Research and Creation, inspired by I.L. Caragiale’s masterpiece, “A Lost Letter.” This adaptation is a musical tale of love, self-interest, politics, and blackmail, transforming the classic text into a lively, comical, and cynical concert about us in Caragiale’s world. The concept, adaptation, and music of the show bear the unmistakable signature of Ada Milea, who collaborated with Anca Hanu on the songs. The production team also includes Maria Constantin (set design), Florin Fieroiu (choreography), Victor Pamfilov (sound design), Adrian Scarlat and Marian Dan Găină (sound design assistants), Daniel Tiuntiuc (lighting design), Theodor Radu (technical direction), and Cristiana Gavrilă (coordinator). The cast of the play is remarkable: it brings together Petre Ancuța, Emilian Mârnea, and Florin Călbăjos in the parts of the Drunk Citizens; Mihai Munteniță and Silviu Biriș alternate in the part of the Governor; Oana Laura Gabriela and Aylin Cadîr play Zoe Trahanache; Vitalie Bichir plays the part of Zaharia Trahanache; Tiberiu Enache is Ghiță; Alina Petrică and Oana Laura Gabriela take turns playing the part of Mrs. Cațavencu; Natalia Călin is Mrs. Brânzovenescu; Florentina Țilea is Mrs. Farfuridi, while the part of Mrs. Dandanache is played by Emilia Popescu. The production stands out for its dynamic energy, sustained by the entire cast, with each actor contributing skillfully and emotionally to the performance’s energy and brisk pace. A central element of the musical composition is the presence of the three actors—Petre Ancuța, Emilian Mârnea, and Florin Călbăjos—who, just as in the beloved production “ActOrchestra,” play musical instruments live, harmoniously supporting the entire soundscape created by Ada Milea. Alongside them, the cast rounds out this musical-concert format with a vibrant and versatile stage performance. “Any Other Candidates?” is not just a show, but a true display of artistic talent—a musical carousel in which subtle humor intertwines with the cynicism of political situations, all served up at a dizzying pace. Thus, the “mirror” held up to the audience by the talented NTB actors is truly impressive. The NTB Amphitheater has quickly become one of Bucharest’s most beloved cultural venues, offering a unique experience in the heart of the city. Located on the building’s rooftop, with a capacity of 300 seats, the space functions as a veritable “oasis” of culture high above the city. Designed to offer intimacy as well as a direct connection to the city’s energy, the Amphitheater hosts a diverse summer season of performances, concerts, and film screenings, transforming a visit to the NTB into a complete experience, suspended between the sky and Bucharest’s historic buildings. Photography Florin Ghioca   Translated by Andreea Codrea-Boeriu 

Ada Hausvater, General Director of the “I.L. Caragiale” National Theater in Bucharest, is implementing a fundamental strategic direction of her management plan: the principle of recognizing and integrating major artistic and human milestones. To this end, with the full support of the Ministry of Culture, renowned director Andrei Șerban has been appointed Honorary Director of the NTB. This decision reflects the vision Ada Hausvater has for the country’s premier theater: the evolution of NTB as a center of excellence that recognizes and cherishes its values at the highest level. The initiative was fully aligned with the vision of the Ministry of Culture, which supported the decision, recognizing the cultural significance of this move. The awarding of this honorary title to director Andrei Șerban reaffirms the place that NTB and Romanian theater occupy in the history of world theater. NTB General Director Ada Hausvater elaborated on the principle underlying this project: “A national theater develops through the memory and recognition of its own values. My management plan is based on this principle: we have the opportunity to bring together the people who are leading Romanian theater toward universality. The appointment of Andrei Șerban is a clear signal that the NTB’s doors are open to excellence, human generosity, and uncompromising performance. “I would like to thank the Ministry of Culture for its openness; it promptly supported this initiative, confirming the importance of this moment.” For his part, director Andrei Șerban emphasized the coherence of this shared vision: “I assume that the initiative by the manager and the minister to confer upon me the title of Honorary Director is based on recognition of the National Theater’s achievements during my three years as director, which began in 1990—years during which, despite immense difficulties, a mini-cultural revolution took place, enabling the country’s premier theater to live up to its name. The Greek Trilogy sparked a collective energy as vibrant as the tumultuous life on the streets in those days, and, together with the productions that followed, paved the way for a new, bold, daring, and vibrant theater. Above all, vibrant, with an upward aspiration toward this essential word: Quality. Artistic quality, impossible without human quality. This symbolic title confers upon me no rights, obligations, or benefits. I thank the manager and the minister, and I accept it with joy and with the hope that, by evoking the effervescence I inspired while at the helm of the NTB, the living spirit of those years will be reawakened under Ada Hausvater’s leadership.”   Translated by Andreea Codrea-Boeriu 

  A Spotlight on Romanian Drama at the National Theater Festival The 36th edition of the National Theater Festival, which will take place in Bucharest from October 16 to 25, 2026, announces the launch of the fifth edition of the playwriting competition. By July 10, 2026, playwrights are invited to submit two scenes (maximum 10 pages) from a play they will later develop for one of the project’s partner theaters, along with a brief narrative biography (maximum half a page), to dramaturgie@fnt.ro. Three Romanian plays will be presented as staged readings at this year’s edition of the National Theater Festival. During the 2026–2027 season, the plays will be staged at three theaters: the “I.L. Caragiale” National Theater in Bucharest, the “Mihai Eminescu” National Theater in Timișoara, and the “Vasile Alecsandri” National Theater in Iași. The text selection committee consists of Cristiana Gavrilă—a theater scholar and artistic consultant at the “Ion Sava” Center for Theater Research and Creation (representing the “I.L. Caragiale” National Theater in Bucharest), director and playwright Radu Iacoban (representing the “Mihai Eminescu” National Theater in Timișoara), and director Ovidiu Lazăr (representing the “Vasile Alecsandri” National Theater in Iași). The program coordinators are Mihaela Michailov (author, performing arts critic, and co-curator of the FNT’s staged reading program) and Bobi Pricop (director, artistic director of the “Regina Maria” Theater in Oradea, and co-curator and organizer of the FNT’s staged reading module). The areas of focus for the three partner theaters, which have undertaken to stage the plays, are: - Urban alienation, mechanisms of information manipulation, persuasion, and control in new communication technologies, the individual at the center of today’s digital ecosystem—addictions and vulnerabilities; - Idealism and Realism in the 21st Century; AI: Friend or Foe?; Generations—Connections, Affinities, and Divisions; Social Media: Communication and Non-Communication; Fast-Paced Life in Major Cities (Bucharest, Iași, Timișoara); Excesses, Vices, and Addictions in the 21st Century. How do we save ourselves?; Hope in times of war. - Specific issues facing younger generations. Three plays written by Anamaria Feraru, Alex Gorghe, and Alexandru Ivănoiu have been selected for the 2025 edition of the National Theater Festival; these plays will be presented as staged readings. The MASCA Theater in Bucharest will stage Alex Gorghe’s play by the end of December 2026. The “Fani Tardini” Drama Theater in Galați will stage Alexandru Ivănoiu’s text at the end of 2026, and the “Regina Maria” Theater in Oradea will stage the play written by Anamaria Feraru in 2027. In 2026, the staged reading module will focus primarily on Romanian texts. The main objective of this module is to create an environment for exploration and creation that showcases new voices in playwriting and works that address themes and topics representative of today’s realities. A new feature of this year’s edition is the partnership with the three national theaters. The selected texts will enter a development phase, during which playwrights will have the opportunity to work alongside directors and the acting companies of the partner theaters to develop the concept and content of the plays. We are continuing the partnership initiated in 2022 with www.liternet.ro through the subsequent online publication of the texts, thereby offering another avenue for support and visibility. The Contest Schedule:July 10: the submission deadline (two scenes from a play that the authors will write and later develop for the partner theaters—maximum 10 pages—and a brief narrative biography—maximum half a page), to the email address dramaturgie@fnt.ro.July 23: announcement of the winning entriesJuly 23 - 26: online meetings with the teams from partner theatersSeptember 5 - 25: initial reviews of the draft textsOctober 16 - 25: the presentation of the texts in the form of staged readings at FNT36.   Translated by Andreea Codrea-Boeriu