'Crime and Punishment' Receives Standing Ovation from Bulgarian AudienceDrama — 13. May 2026.
On 12 May 2026, the Drama of the Croatian National Theatre in Zagreb performed in Sofia with Crime and Punishment, based on the novel by Fyodor Dostoevsky and directed by Jernej Lorenci.
The performance was staged at the Ivan Vazov National Theatre, Bulgaria’s leading драмatic theatre institution, marking the first guest performance by the Drama of the Croatian National Theatre in Zagreb in the Bulgarian capital and opening a new chapter of collaboration between the two national theatres.
The guest performance was made possible following an earlier meeting between Dr Iva Hraste Sočo, General Manager and Artistic Director of the Croatian National Theatre in Zagreb, and Vasil Vasilev, Director of the Ivan Vazov National Theatre, held in Sofia in September 2025, during which both institutions confirmed their shared interest in strengthening artistic exchange and establishing a long-term partnership.
Following the successful guest performance, Iva Hraste Sočo, General Manager and Artistic Director of the Croatian National Theatre in Zagreb, said: “For us, the Drama of the Croatian National Theatre in Zagreb performing in Sofia carries significance on many levels. It is a confirmation of the artistic relevance of our productions, but also an important step in the Theatre’s ongoing commitment to international collaboration. We are especially pleased that this partnership is developing with the Ivan Vazov National Theatre, an institution with which we share high artistic standards and the ambition to create bold and contemporary theatre projects.”
On the occasion of the guest performance, Vasil Vasilev, Director of the Ivan Vazov National Theatre, said: “I believe collaborations such as this are essential to the development of the European theatre scene, as they foster dialogue, the exchange of ideas, and a deeper mutual understanding of our cultural contexts.”
Having already won over Croatian audiences and critics with its powerful stage poetics and contemporary reading of a classic, the production was now presented in one of Europe’s most distinguished theatre venues, where it was met with prolonged applause and a standing ovation from the audience.
The cast features Alma Prica, Ksenija Marinković, Iva Jerković Oreški, Milan Pleština, Luka Dragić, Igor Kovač, Tea Ljubešić, and Ivan Grlić.
The response of the Bulgarian audience confirmed not only the enduring universality of Dostoevsky, but also the high artistic level of the Zagreb ensemble’s performance.
