Robert Lepage, Robert Wilson and Julie Taymor to attend PQ'15!

One of the main events to look forward to at PQ is a lecture by the Canadian theatre prodigy Robert Lepage. This versatile artist, director, scenographer and actor primarily rose to fame thanks to his multimedia productions. With his company, Ex Machina he directs at leading opera houses including New York's Metropolitan Opera.He is considered by many as the most talented theatre artist currently out there.

Another star on the programme is one of the founders of the Berlin group Gob Squad Sean Patten, whose lecture will focus on the use of multimedia in theatre. The Czech professional audience will also have the opportunity to meet American director Julie Taymor, whose most widely known film Frida garnered six Oscar nominations, two of which won. Her most famous theatre staging is the Broadway musical, The Lion King for which she was not only awarded for her directing but also for the costume designs.

During the workshops, professionals will have the chance to try working with artists such as the playwright Philippe Quesne, founder of the Vivarium Studio which presented its minimalist performance, L'effet de Serge at the International Festival Theatre in Pilsen last year, the scenographer Dominic Huber, who has worked with pioneers in "documentary theatre" including Rimini Protokoll as well as the theatre director Kirsten Dehlholm, the artistic director and founder of Hotel Pro Forma.

From the "Needles and Opium" performance by Robert Lepage, photo: Nicola-Frank Vachon

From the "Needles and Opium" performance by Robert Lepage, photo: Nicola-Frank Vachon