Actor Āboliņš on Removal of Šapiro's Nominations: They Could Have Defended Their Director

The jury of Latvia's theater awards 'Spēlmaņu nakts' has decided to remove director Adolf Šapiro and his production 'Don Quixote' at the New Riga Theatre from the nomination list. The decision followed Šapiro's participation in an event in Moscow, which sparked public debate.

In response, actor Gundars Āboliņš, who was nominated for his role in the play, announced he would withdraw his nomination. Set designer Mārtiņš Vilkārsis did the same. Āboliņš commented that the jury could have defended their director instead of taking such a step.

The incident has caused significant discussion in Latvian theater circles, as Šapiro is a longstanding and influential director. It remains unclear whether the award ceremony will feature a revised nomination list or proceed as originally planned.