In his 1961 book "Franny and Zooey," J. D. Salinger referred to Chekhov this way: "Never one [theater production] where Chekhov's talent is matched, nuance for nuance, idiosyncrasy for idiosyncrasy, by every soul on-stage."

Fifty-eight years later, Yury Butusov, regarded by many as one of the most talented contemporary Russian theatre directors, brought his most recent version of Anton Pavlovich Chekhov's "Three Sisters," which premiered in Russia in 2015, to the opening of the 7th edition of the Wuzhen Theatre Festival at the Wuzhen Grand Theatre.

During the past year, his adaptation of "The Seagull" took Chinese theatrical enthusiasts by storm via "Stage Russia."

Written in 1900 by Chekhov, "Three Sisters" tells a story of failed aspirations and everlasting disappointment in life.

Butusov's rendition, featuring the St. Petersburg Lensovet Academic Theatre, approaches classic tragedy with contemporary absurdity, winning thunderous applause when the curtain fell on its final performance Sunday afternoon.

It has been a common understanding that Chekhov's works are supposed to be handled in a reserved way with emotions hidden underneath. Nothing dramatic.

Butusov disagrees. In this production, text is reorganized, age is interrupted, and emotions are often poured out fiercely. The three sisters usually have weapons in their hands, in order to, in Butusov's words, protect themselves from any possible harm from the world. When it gets to the tragic end, however, weapons are replaced by flowers.

In Butusov's view, this kind of nonlinear theater offers freedom – the freedom to communicate with text and music. "Freedom is not easy in reality, but theater makes it possible," he said.

The original text was enriched in performances through repeated rehearsals. For Butusov, rehearsing is also a process of contemplating, only with sound.

Butusov sees Chekhov as an innovator who, in his work, "breaks the so-called classic dramatic structure," reinvented characters and time by, for example, stretching a second to a few hours.

And thus, his task as a theater director is to carry on the spirit by taking a step further, and, if necessary, cross boundaries, he said.

"We are creators, just like them [playwrights like Chekhov]. We are equal in theater."

Butusov expects no easy experience for his audience, quoting "Hippias Major," "beautiful things are difficult."

In "Three Sisters", he tries to establish a connection with his audience by turning them into participants instead of mere spectators so that they stop thinking "what is this play telling me" and become actively engaged. Whenever he felt that the play wasn't creating enough difficulties for the audience, he would reexamine it.

"At some point, the audience should either quit, or completely immerse themselves in the world on stage."

That said, familiarity with the text is necessary. To Butusov, it is horrible when artists need to explain their work to the audience.

Many deemed Butusov "genius" after watching "Three Sisters," while some still expressed confusion. Most of the audience, after all, had minimal familiarity with Chekhov, and what might be most important of all, "beautiful things are difficult."

Three years ago, Butusov, the then artistic director of the St. Petersburg Lensovet Academic Theatre, has wowed the Russian audiences with the Chekhov's masterpiece.

And this time around, it was the first time for the Moscow-based director to work in China, presenting his bold remake in the 1,300-year-old canal town.

At a dialogue on the second day of the festival, Butusov revealed that during the opening performance, he had extraordinary, strongly pathetic feelings about the characters, which he had never experienced over previous rehearsals and stagings.

He said that "each play is an organism, which has a life. It is born. It grows up. It feels the sorrow, suffers illnesses, and then dies."

"Last night's feelings are so important for me," said the director, adding, "So I want to express special thanks to the actors of 'Three Sisters,' and to Wuzhen, because [of them], again, I can meet this play."

Reporters: Wei Tianyao, Hong Yaobin

Copyeditor: Katrin Büchenbacher

Chief editor: Liu Hui

Video editor: Hong Yaobin

Cover image designer: Liu Shaozhen

Executive producer: Hong Yaobin

Producer: Si Nan

Supervisor: Mei Yan