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The Flow of Art Shaped by Regeneration and Balance: The 22nd Busan International Performing Arts Festival Opens

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The Busan Metropolitan Government (Mayor Park Heong-joon) and the Busan International Performing Arts Festival Organizing Committee (BIPAF; Executive Committee Chair: Son Byeong-tae) announced that the 22nd Busan International Performing Arts Festival will be held for ten days from May 23 to June 1 at eight venues including the Busan Cinema Center and Busan Citizens’ Hall.

The organizing committee, established in 2007 to globalize Busan’s theatrical arts, is chaired by the Mayor of Busan.

The festival will kick off with an opening ceremony at 7 PM on May 23 at the Haneul Theater of the Busan Cinema Center. Over the course of the festival, a total of 58 performances from 14 countries will be staged at multiple locations:

• ●Small Theater at the Busan Citizens’ Hall

• ●Adapter Theater

• ●Minseok Small Theater and Sohyang Experimental Theater at Dongseo University

• ●Baekyang Cultural and Arts Hall

• ●Millac the Market

• ●Outdoor plaza of the Busan Cinema Center

This year marks the 22nd anniversary of the festival, and it will be held under the theme of “Regeneration & Balance.” In celebration of the Year of Korea–Italy Mutual Cultural Exchange, Italy will once again be featured as the guest country, presenting globally acclaimed works for the opening and closing performances.

The theme “Regeneration & Balance” embodies both creativity and sustainability in the performing arts. It aims to strike a balance between modern reinterpretations of classical works such as Oedipus and Antigone, and the inclusion of contemporary narratives such as The Vegetarian, fostering a festival that is both rooted in tradition and forward-looking, bringing theater closer to the public.

This year’s festival includes a variety of performances and programs:

• ●Theater performances will feature outstanding domestic and international works, along with the K-Stage program supporting the global expansion of Korean performing arts, and BIPAF Rookies, a platform for emerging artists.

• ●Outdoor events include the street performance series “Dynamic Street” and the participatory “10-Minute Theater Festival,” offering performances that transcend the boundaries between indoor theaters and open-air venues.

Opening Performance

• ●Tragùdia – the song of Oedipus by Sardegna Theatre, premiering in Korea, is a contemporary reinterpretation of a Greek tragedy masterpiece. The work received the Best Show Award at the MESS Festival Sarajevo, one of the leading international theater festivals held in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Closing Performance

• ●The Vegetarian, also premiering in Korea, is directed by renowned Italian director Daria Deflorian and is a powerful theatrical adaptation of the novel by Han Kang, recipient of the 2024 Nobel Prize in Literature.

K-Stage

• ●A competitive program promoting the global reach of Korean performing arts, featuring six works including:

• ○Munjeon Bonpuri by Pansori Azit Nohlae Box

• ○Waiting! by Haddangse

• ○Binari by Theater Company Maek

BIPAF Rookies

• ●A new program launched in collaboration with Dongseo University to foster emerging artists. It features Unanswered Question, a physical theater piece directed by Yoon Tae Shik.

Outdoor Performances

• ●Dynamic Street, presenting top-tier street artists selected through intense competition

• ●10-Minute Theater Festival, where citizens take part in creating and performing their own short plays

In addition to performances, the festival offers a wide array of special programs including:

• ●Master Class Workshop led by Japanese playwright and director Takahiro Fujita

• ●Global Forum

• ●Artist Talks

These events aim to deliver a high-quality performing arts experience to the audience.

Tickets for the festival can be purchased through YES24 Ticket, Interpark Ticket, and the Busan Cinema Center website (www.dureraum.org). For detailed information and schedules, please visit the official BIPAF website at www.bipaf.org.

For further inquiries, contact the BIPAF Organizing Committee at ☎ 051-802-8003.

Mayor Park Heong-joon commented, “The Busan International Performing Arts Festival is a global celebration that encompasses a wide spectrum of performing arts genres. We will actively support Busan theater in reaching out to the world and becoming a key conduit for international cultural exchange.”