Tolstoy on Stage in Dubai

War and Peace arrives at Dubai Opera on January 17 and 18, 2026, in a large-scale stage production that brings one of the great masterpieces of world literature to the theatre. Directed by Rimas Tuminas and performed by the Vakhtangov State Academic Theatre, the production takes on the challenge of adapting Leo Tolstoy’s monumental novel, transforming it into an intense theatrical experience capable of conveying its human and historical complexity while maintaining a strong emotional impact. Through a choral narrative that intertwines the stories of the Rostov, Bolkonsky and Kuragin families against the backdrop of the Napoleonic wars, the staging focuses on the novel’s central themes: love, fate, loss and the fragility of the individual when faced with History. Tuminas’s direction builds an essential yet powerful theatrical language, balancing the intimate dimension of the characters with the epic scale of conflict, through a carefully measured use of scenography, music and movement. Created to mark the centenary of the Vakhtangov Theatre and successfully presented in numerous international capitals, the production arrives in Dubai as a special event within the Opera House programme. The performance is presented in Russian with English surtitles and unfolds over an extended duration that invites the audience to fully immerse themselves in the rhythm of the story, accepting time itself as an integral part of the theatrical experience. At Dubai Opera, War and Peace stands out as a rare occasion, bringing the great tradition of European theatre into dialogue with an international audience. More than a straightforward stage adaptation, the production offers a timeless reflection on the relationship between the individual and power, war and private life, memory and identity, reaffirming the enduring relevance of Tolstoy’s work and its ability to speak to the present.