From 25 to 28 September 2025, Cluj-Napoca became the stage for the second edition of the Transylvanian International Theatre Festival (FITT), an event that aimed to transform the city into a major cultural centre bringing together renowned artists and a diverse audience.
Guided by a belief in humanity and the power of being together, the festival featured leading names of Romanian and international theatre. One of its highlights was “A Few People Away from You”, written by Dan Coman and directed by Radu Afrim, whose distinctive, provocative style established him as a key figure in contemporary drama. The production, starring Marius Manole and Marius Bodochi, told a moving story about migration and the fragility of family bonds.
Another central event was Shakespeare’s Othello, reimagined by Lithuanian director Oskaras Koršunovas, offering a contemporary perspective on themes such as racism and shifting social roles. The international cast and bold staging made it one of the festival’s main attractions.
The programme also included “No Matter How Hard We Tried” by Slava Sambriș, performed by the Alexei Mateevici Theatre from Chișinău; the monodrama “Another Ophelia”; the production “Marshal” about the legendary actress Marioara Voiculescu; and the dialogue event “Face–Verso. A History of Theatre”, featuring Ofelia Popii.
Music also played a significant role. “Rock the Symphony”, performed by the Transylvanian Philharmonic Orchestra under Remus Grama, offered a powerful fusion of orchestral sound and rock music.
Meanwhile, University Street transformed into an open-air performance space hosting concerts by Vlad Corb, the duo Buse & Ali Erenus, the beloved alternative rock band BYRON, and the theatrical spectacle “The Kobzar’s Dreams, or Shevchenko’s Testament”, directed by Yarosław Fedoryshyn with pyrotechnic effects and striking scenography.
The enthusiastic response of audiences and the theatre community confirmed that FITT had the potential to become a lasting cultural tradition in Cluj-Napoca.