OREANDA-NEWS. November 11, 2011. The Golden Mask Performing Arts Festival, supported by Severstal, one of the world’s leading vertically integrated steel and steel related mining companies, has visited Latvia for the seventh consecutive year.

The annual festival showcasing the best of Russian theatre has been held in Latvia with support of Severstal since 2005.

Andrei Alekseev, Chairman of the Management Board of Severstallat, commented: "For the seventh year in a row, we are delighted to support the Golden Mask Festival in Latvia, which is one of the twelve countries in which Severstal operates. As a key aspect of Severstal’s corporate responsibility we are delighted to contribute to the social and cultural development of each of the countries and communities where Severstal is present.”

The festival’s performances are taking place from October 30 to November 9 in Riga and other Baltic cities including Liepaja and Ventspils.

This year the Festival will include performances of: A. Vampilov's "The Son and Heir" and A. Ostrovski's "Wolves and Sheep" by the Moscow Theatre, headed by O. Tabakov; "The Wind Rustles in Poplars" by the Vakhtangov's Theatre; "Vassa Zheleznova", a tragicomedy, by the Chekhov's MkhAT; and "The Cripple of Inishmaan", an Irish comedy, by a Perm theatre called By the Bridge.

The festival traditionally offers a program for the entire family and includes a children’s performance of "The Cat that Walked by Himself" by the Russian Academic Youth Theatre from Moscow, based on the stories of R. Kipling. On the closing night of the festival the Russian Academic Youth Theatre will perform "The Draw Game Lasts but a Moment".

The opening of the festival was attended by: Edgar Skuja, the Ambassador of Latvia in the Russian Federation; Alexei Sinegubov, the Counsellor of the Envoy of the Russian Embassy in Latvia; Solvita Evidrinja, State Secretary of the Latvian Ministry of Culture; Andris Ameriks Vice-Mayer of Riga; Maria Revyakina, General Director of the Golden Mask Festival; Alexander Stulnev, Deputy Art Director and Director of the Moscow Studio Theatre headed by O. Tabakov; Professor Jānis Siliņš, Rector of the Latvian Academy of Culture; and Andrei Alexeev, Chairman of the Management Board of Severstallat.

Maria Revyakina, General Director of the Golden Mask Festival, expressed her gratitude to Severstal who not only support the Golden Mask Festival in Latvia but also support performances of the Golden Mask Festival in Cherepovets, where Severstal has its flagship steel mill.