The Oradea State Theatre building enters, for the first time, the circuit of heritage buildings included in the Night of Museums event. The Regina Maria Theatre invites the public to discover the theatre from a different perspective, beyond the conventional experience of the spectator.

On May 23, 2026, between 1:00 PM and 12:00 AM, Oradea residents and tourists alike are invited to THEATRE @NIGHT, an event built around the backstage universe of theater and the processes that support the existence of a living cultural institution. Visitors will be able to explore the backstage, technical mechanisms, costumes, sets and hidden spaces of the building, in a route that puts the theater's architectural heritage into dialogue with the artistic and human activity that animates it daily.

Starting during the day, visitors will be able to witness the process of building and organizing the exhibition. The installation of the sets, the reconfiguration of the spaces and the preparation of the exhibition installation become part of the experience proposed by the event, revealing the invisible stages that precede the opening of a cultural space to the public.

The event program includes:

Guided tours with special guests (RO/EN)*

The actors of the Regina Maria Theatre will guide the audience through the theatre spaces, on a route dedicated to the heritage of the building and the activities behind the scenes. Participants will explore areas less accessible to the public and discover details about life behind the scenes, the artistic process and the mechanisms that support the functioning of a theatre. One of the tours will be held in English and is dedicated to international tourists and English-speaking audiences.
13.00 – Mirela Niță Lupu and Sebastian Lupu (RO) RESERVE YOUR PLACE
15.30 – Anda Tămășanu and Ciprian Ciuciu (EN) RESERVE YOUR PLACE
17.00 – Denisa Irina Vlad and Sorin Ionescu (RO) RESERVE YOUR PLACE
*Places are limited, and participation in guided tours is by reservation, by filling out the form.

19.00 – 20.00 – Open rehearsal of the show "An Enemy of the People"„

Visitors will have the rare opportunity to observe the working process of an artistic team during a real rehearsal. The audience will be able to transit the hall or witness the entire rehearsal, without interfering with its progress, thus discovering the mechanisms of construction of a show before meeting the audience.

21.30 – Artistic moment in the open air, inspired by the show "Tenderness"„

The space in front of the theater will become an extension of the stage through a performative happening inspired by the universe of the show "Tenderness". The moment proposes an artistic intervention in the urban space and invites the audience to experience theater in an unconventional, open and accessible context.

22.00 – 00.00 – Self-guided audio tour of the theater building

Visitors will be able to explore the theater at their own pace, following an audio trail that will reveal stories, information and details about the history of the building, performances, artists and hidden spaces of the theater. The experience is designed as an immersive walk through the memory and atmosphere of the theater.

19.00 – 00.00 – Exhibition of costumes and decorative elements

The exhibition brings together costumes, props and scenographic elements that were part of the theater's productions and are brought back to the public's attention in a new artistic form. Located both in front of the theater and inside the building, the exhibition installation offers a look at the visual memory of the performances and the materiality of the theatrical universe. The public will also be able to witness the process of building and organizing the exhibition before the official opening, transforming the preparation of the event into a behind-the-scenes experience.

Through this initiative, the Regina Maria Theater aims to capitalize on the cultural and architectural heritage of the institution and bring the public closer to the reality behind the scenes. Participation in the Night of Museums event thus becomes an invitation addressed to Oradea residents and tourists to discover not only the building as a heritage monument, but also the functionality of a cultural space in constant activity.

Access is free to all activities.