An open letter was sent to the General Director of the Grand Théâtre Doudou Ndiaye Coumba Rose. The author expresses a concern shared by many cultural actors regarding the current direction of this institution. Conceived as a cultural beacon and a place of artistic exchange, the Grand Théâtre seems, under its current management, to move away from its fundamental mission.
The text criticizes the transformation of the theater into a showcase for commercial events, to the detriment of the promotion of the performing arts, in particular theater. Current management is accused of favoring one-off and commercial shows, thus marginalizing authentic artistic creation.
The author underlines the importance of maintaining the Grand Théâtre as a space for theatrical creation and the performing arts. He evokes the danger of seeing theater losing the place it deserves, thus affecting the national artistic heritage. He also criticizes the appointment of musicians as “ambassadors”, arguing that this questions the coherence of artistic choices.
A reassessment of artistic direction and strategic choices is called for, encouraging an open dialogue with artistic stakeholders to redefine a coherent and ambitious policy.
The author calls for avoiding nepotism and incompetence, and insists on the need for rigorous and transparent governance. It invites us to fight corruption and avoid the glorification of mediocrity. Finally, the author expresses his availability to discuss these issues, calling for a return to the initial values and objectives of the institution.
