MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine presentation wowed delegates from around the world who attended the ninth World Congress of the International University Theater Association (IUTA) in Minsk City, Belarus, from July 2 to 6. Led by theater-film-TV director Nick Lizaso, the Filipino delegation composed of Tanghalang Ateneo members staged Sintang Dalisay (Pure Love), a brilliant and intercultural production between Muslim and Christian artists, fusing traditional and modern performance styles to present the classic Romeo and Juliet story in a new light. Artistic direction was by Dr. Ricky Abad and choreography by Dr. Matthew Santamaria.
Lizaso was congratulated by the delegates and members of the audience as they filed out of the theater, who were astounded by the Philippine presentation: “Truly a work of genius” was how one delegate described it. Jean-Marc Larrue, IUTA president, who is based in Quebec, Canada, was moved to say: “You must bring this play to Montreal next year.” Francoise Odin of France considered it as “one of the most innovative and exciting plays” she had ever seen. Hearing positive comments, Lizaso and members of the Philippine delegation were elated considering that there were only two countries from Asia, China and the Philippines, joining the other theater groups from the US, Russia, France, Lithuania, Italy, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Uruguay, Belarus and Georgia.
Lizaso attended the IX World Congress of AITU-IUTA upon invitation in his capacity as a member of the IUTA board of trustees and executive director of IUTA-Philippine Centre. The IUTA is a unique forum where teachers, practitioners, creators, scholars and theorists from 1,200 universities in at least 50 member-countries exchange and share ideas and best practices in theater. Open to all members of the academic community with an interest in theater, the IUTA has been holding a world congress every two years, including in Valleyfield, Quebec, Canada (1997); Dakar, Senegal (1999); Krakow, Poland (2001); Olympia, Greece (2003); Urbino, Italy (2006); Puebla, Mexico (2008); and Leicester, the UK (2010).
This year’s congress was hosted by the Belarusian State University which has been organizing the Teatralny Koufar International Student Theatre Festival, recognized as one of the leading festivals of University Theatre in Europe and post-Soviet countries.
For this year’s world congress, the organizers selected the theme “Traditions; Research; Experimentation: the Essential Elements of Contemporary University Theatre.”
Looking back at the week-long Congress and how the Philippines made an impact, Lizaso summed it up: “Considering the caliber of the other theater groups from other countries, I did not expect that they would be that much impressed. But the glowing reviews from theater experts from France, Russia, U.S, and others only serve to prove that our university theatre is now on the world’s stage.“
In which case, Lizaso with his wife Belen proceeded to Moscow to discuss possible cultural presentation tours in Kazsakhstan, Moscow and St. Petersburg. In the Russian capital, the couple were hosted by Michael and Eloise Klecheski of the US Embassy in Moscow.