Liepāja Radio Theatre’s Audio Play “Besa” Set to Premiere in April

Since last autumn, under the direction of Karīna Tatarinova, the theatre has been preparing the adaptation of Nora Ikstena’s long story “Besa” within its sound recording studio, collaborating closely with sound engineer and this season’s music composer, Milda Ziemane. The production is scheduled for broadcast on Latvian Radio on the evenings of April 20 and 21.

Renowned for their immersive storytelling, Liepāja Radio Theatre has previously brought several of Nora Ikstena’s works to life, harnessing the vividness and eloquence of her written language. Originally penned in 2012, “Besa” tells us the story of an ordinary woman struck by love. “It’s a story about an outcast – someone, whose karma perhaps is simply inherited from parents, a story about resilience, about finding joy in life’s simple pleasures despite the trials we face. There is no answer to why someone as loving as Besa ends up the way she does. But Nora’s story, I think, is so full of hope and confidence – even when you hit the rock bottom you can crawl out of it”, shares director Karīna Tatarinova.

Stepping into the titular role of Besa is the actress Inese Kučinska,

The cast include Egons Dombrovskis, Kintija Stūre, Gatis Maliks, Signe Dancīte, and Karīna Tatarinova herself.

As with all their endeavours, Liepāja Radio Theatre extends its gratitude to the Liepāja Culture Department for their financial support. Moreover, listeners are reminded that the theatre’s all four years audio catalogue is readily accessible for free in the Latvian Radio Archive. Additionally, all four parts of the audio-visual production “Love Story of the 21st Century,” based on the novel by local author Sabīne Košeļeva, can be enjoyed on the Liepāja theatre’s YouTube profile.

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