The Lithuanian National Drama Theatre (LNDT) said on Thursday it had sacked its artistic director Oskaras Koršunovas.
In its statement, the theatre’s administration said the reasons were Koršunovas’ failure to perform his direct duties and “systemic absenteeism”.
“We regret having to take this step but we can no longer tolerate persistent breaches of work discipline. We have talked to the director, hoping for a change for some time, but, unfortunately, we have not received a positive result,” Martynas Budraitis, director general at LNDT, said.
Koršunovas was appointed the theatre’s artistic director in February 2021.
The LNDT management already considered dismissing Koršunovas back in March, after he gave a radio interview apparently intoxicated.
Koršunovas said he was subjected to mobbing, as he was not invited to LNDT management meetings.
“Basically, mobbing started as there were meetings I was not invited to. The days I missed were counted, even though nobody was going to the theatre as everybody was working online,” he told BNS.
“What happened is logical. It was not spontaneous. They were getting ready for that,” Koršunovas said, adding that he has no intention to appeal against the dismissal since he sees no point in it.
According to the director, he was invited to work at the LNDT at the request of the actors and his task was to “activate the theatre group”.
“I was eliminated as the artistic director, and I couldn’t work in any substantial way. The artistic director is supposed to know the theatre’s financial situation, to form the repertoire, to attend meetings,” he said. “I was denied access to the plans, the repertoires were drawn up without me, and productions were cancelled, including my own.”
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