A theatre that has conquered the world comes to Cyprus for the first time
The Gabriadze Theatre — a national symbol of Georgia and a legend of world visual arts — arrives in Cyprus with two masterpieces:
“The Georgian master of puppet theatre has turned his stage into a ‘dream machine,’ more powerful than all the screens in the world.” — Le Figaro
• “Alfred and Violetta”
• “The Autumn of My Springtime.”
WHY YOU CAN’T MISS THIS
- A world-class theatre at arm’s lengthThe Gabriadze Theatre is a rare combination of grand artistry and intimate scale. Productions that sell out at Lincoln Center (NY), Kennedy Center (Washington), Barbican (London), Théâtre de la Ville (Paris), Avignon, and Edinburgh are created for small venues — spaces where every spectator can see the movement of the strings, hear the breath of the puppets, and feel the warmth of the puppeteers’ hands.
In Cyprus there will be only a few performances — each one almost a personal encounter. - Art that speaks to every human beingYou may know nothing about theatre. You may not speak a word of Georgian. You may have never been to a performance in your life. Yet in Gabriadze’s world you will recognize yourself — in tenderness, nostalgia, dreams, and love.
It is a language of images, music, and gesture — one everyone understands.
“Gabriadze is a national treasure. His artistic language is universal.” — The New York Times - Emotions that cannot be fakedThere are no loud effects in Gabriadze’s productions. But there is something we rarely encounter today: gentleness, humanity, humour, and that deep collective silence when the audience stops breathing. These are stories that touch the places where the most important things usually hide.
- A tour made possible thanks to VF FoundationThis tour is not a commercial project. A chamber theatre requires delicate logistics, a large team, and almost museum-level care.
VF Foundation made this event possible in Cyprus — and ensured that ticket prices remain accessible, even though such theatre is usually seen only in major cultural capitals or in its home city of Tbilisi. - Gabriadze always plays to sold-out houses — not because of loud advertising, but because people tell one another: “you have to see this.” Sometimes tickets sell out in a single day.
THE PRODUCTIONS IN CYPRUS
“THE AUTUMN OF MY SPRINGTIME”
“The Autumn of My Springtime” tells the story of Boria Gadai — a small bird with a big heart. Set in post–World War II Kutaisi, Georgia, it follows Boria after the death of Varlam the organ-grinder, leaving him to care for elderly Grandmother Domna.
Unknowingly, he becomes a thief, falls in love with the beautiful Ninel, and is swept into a series of dangerous and moving adventures.
It is a journey through dreams, despair, anger, and joy — an enchanting blend of masterful puppetry, Georgian folk songs, dance, and the memories dear to the author’s heart.
Rezo Gabriadze about the title:
“After the war, Kutaisi was full of widows in black and orphaned children. I was a child, and despite the sorrow around me, my heart was filled with spring, while the hearts of adults were filled with late autumn.”
— Rezo Gabriadze
Unknowingly, he becomes a thief, falls in love with the beautiful Ninel, and is swept into a series of dangerous and moving adventures.
It is a journey through dreams, despair, anger, and joy — an enchanting blend of masterful puppetry, Georgian folk songs, dance, and the memories dear to the author’s heart.
Rezo Gabriadze about the title:
“After the war, Kutaisi was full of widows in black and orphaned children. I was a child, and despite the sorrow around me, my heart was filled with spring, while the hearts of adults were filled with late autumn.”
— Rezo Gabriadze
“ALFRED AND VIOLETTA”
Rezo Gabriadze:
“I decided to turn to the eternal — ‘La Dame aux Camélias’ and Verdi’s beloved ‘La Traviata.’ I moved the action to modern-day Tbilisi. At the premiere, the applause was so enthusiastic we could hear all forty hands separately. During the curtain call we and the audience touched noses. It was a victory!”
HISTORY OF THE PRODUCTION
The history of the Gabriadze Marionette Theatre began in 1981 with “Alfred and Violetta”, where the eternal love story — known from Dumas’ La Dame aux Camélias and Verdi’s La Traviata — was given a completely new artistic life.
Before his passing, Rezo Gabriadze spent a full year rewriting and renewing the play: new characters, new circumstances, new sketches, new scenography. His vision was completed by the theatre’s artistic director, Leo Gabriadze, who became the director of the new production.
The premiere of the renewed “Alfred and Violetta” took place in 2021 at the Goldoni Theatre in Italy.
“I decided to turn to the eternal — ‘La Dame aux Camélias’ and Verdi’s beloved ‘La Traviata.’ I moved the action to modern-day Tbilisi. At the premiere, the applause was so enthusiastic we could hear all forty hands separately. During the curtain call we and the audience touched noses. It was a victory!”
HISTORY OF THE PRODUCTION
The history of the Gabriadze Marionette Theatre began in 1981 with “Alfred and Violetta”, where the eternal love story — known from Dumas’ La Dame aux Camélias and Verdi’s La Traviata — was given a completely new artistic life.
Before his passing, Rezo Gabriadze spent a full year rewriting and renewing the play: new characters, new circumstances, new sketches, new scenography. His vision was completed by the theatre’s artistic director, Leo Gabriadze, who became the director of the new production.
The premiere of the renewed “Alfred and Violetta” took place in 2021 at the Goldoni Theatre in Italy.
WHAT MAKES THE GABRIADZE THEATRE UNIQUE
- A theatre where medieval puppet art is rebornGabriadze is not just a stage — it is an author’s world where every detail is created by a single artist. Rezo Gabriadze — screenwriter of iconic films (Mimino, Kin-dza-dza), painter, sculptor — built the theatre as a way to tell stories when words were not free.01
- 80 seats. A whole universe in miniatureIn Tbilisi, the theatre holds just 80 spectators. This is not a limitation — it is the essence. There is no distance between stage and audience: you see the strings, the breath of the puppets, the warmth of the wood. You don’t watch — you enter a world where stories come alive.02
- A universal language understood without translationGabriadze is called “a Georgian national treasure,” but his artistic language — visual, musical, human — speaks to everyone. This is why for over 40 years his productions have sold out at Lincoln Center, Avignon, Edinburgh, Kennedy Center.03
- A legacy that continuesRezo passed away in 2021. His son Leo — film director and artist — continues to preserve and share his father’s poetic universe. Every performance is a meeting with art that cannot be replicated.04
“Alfred
and Violetta”
and Violetta”
Rialto Theatre, Limassol
January 30, 2026 — 19:00
January 31, 2026 — 16:00 & 19:00
February 1, 2026 — 16:00 & 19:00
January 31, 2026 — 16:00 & 19:00
February 1, 2026 — 16:00 & 19:00
Tickets are now on sale!
“The Autumn
of My Springtime”
of My Springtime”
Pallas Theatre, Nicosia
February 3, 2026 — 19:00
February 4, 2026 — 19:00
February 4, 2026 — 19:00
Tickets are now on sale!
WHY YOU SHOULD GET YOUR TICKETS NOW
-
The tour lasts only 5 days -
Chamber format = very limited seating -
In Europe, tickets sell out within 24–72 hours -
A chance to see a legendary theatre without travelling to Tbilisi -
And most importantly — this tour is possible only thanks to VF Foundation, and may not be repeated
ABOUT VF FOUNDATION
VF Foundation is a platform for international arts in Cyprus, creating a cultural bridge between communities. Its mission is to unite local Cypriot, Russian-speaking, and international audiences through art.
Guided by the philosophy “Art Without Borders” the foundation works to dissolve cultural and geographic barriers, making high art accessible to everyone. By organizing events in inspiring locations, VF Foundation brings beauty closer — so that art becomes a part of everyday life, not a distant privilege.
Guided by the philosophy “Art Without Borders” the foundation works to dissolve cultural and geographic barriers, making high art accessible to everyone. By organizing events in inspiring locations, VF Foundation brings beauty closer — so that art becomes a part of everyday life, not a distant privilege.
AUDIENCE REVIEWS
- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️“Impossible to describe — you must experience it.”
- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️“Incredible humanity in every detail.”
- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️“We laughed and cried. The best theatre I’ve ever seen.”
This is art that stays with you
Gabriadze’s productions don’t just tell stories — they touch the places you’ve long forgotten: the childlike ability to believe, the right to cry, the right to tenderness. This theatre gives something back to you — something important you may have lost in the noise of life.
You will leave the theatre a different person. Not because something was explained to you —
but because you were reminded that the world is still full of beauty. And that the human heart — even the smallest one, even a wooden one — is capable of loving immensely.
Such evenings are rare. Don’t miss yours.
You will leave the theatre a different person. Not because something was explained to you —
but because you were reminded that the world is still full of beauty. And that the human heart — even the smallest one, even a wooden one — is capable of loving immensely.
Such evenings are rare. Don’t miss yours.
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