The 33rd Sibiu International Theatre Festival, 19–28 June 2026: 848 events and more than 5,000 artists from 83 countries.
The National Theatre of Bucharest opened on 31 December 1852. The current 1973 building was renovated between 2011 and 2015 and now has seven performance spaces.
In 1876 Avram Goldfaden founded a professional Yiddish theatre company in Iași. The Jewish State Theatre in Bucharest, a state institution since 1948, carries on the tradition.
In Odeon's programme for late October 2026, tickets cost 30–120 lei, and some shows offer English surtitles on request.
Theatre in Romania: the short answer
Romania is a theatre country. Every June, Sibiu in Transylvania fills up with its International Theatre Festival (FITS). The 2026 edition had 848 events and more than 5,000 artists from 83 countries. In Bucharest, year-round, there is a National Theatre with seven performance spaces, long-established stages such as Odeon and Bulandra, and a state Yiddish theatre with roots going back to 1876.
The practical question for newcomers is language. Most performances are in Romanian. But more and more stages are adding English surtitles to selected productions, and tickets are relatively cheap: at Odeon, for example, 30–120 lei at the end of October 2026.
In plain words: the easiest way in is a festival, a show with English surtitles, or movement and music theatre. And on every show page, look for the language line before you buy.
The Sibiu festival: ten days of theatre all over town
The festival began in 1993, on the initiative of a group led by Constantin Chiriac, an actor at Sibiu's "Radu Stanca" National Theatre. Today the festival's website describes it as one of the largest and most important performing arts festivals in the world.
The numbers for the 33rd edition, held from 19 to 28 June 2026:
- 848 events of theatre, dance, contemporary circus and concerts.
- More than 5,000 artists from 83 countries.
- More than 100,000 participants a day on average, according to the organisers, as reported by Bursa.
Performances take place in halls, churches, squares and streets in Sibiu and the surrounding area. So even if you don't understand Romanian, there is plenty to see: street shows, music and movement need no translation.
The 34th edition will take place from 18 to 27 June 2027. The Sibiu theatre warns that festival tickets usually sell out before it even starts, so plan early.
The directors: a school the world knows
Three names worth knowing:
- Andrei Șerban: in 1969 he arrived in New York on a Ford Foundation grant, and at La MaMa he directed "Fragments of a Greek Trilogy", which won several Obie Awards and was shown at more than 20 festivals. From 1990 to 1993 he was general director of the National Theatre in Bucharest, and since 1992 he has been a professor at Columbia University. He has directed opera at the Metropolitan, Covent Garden, the Paris Opera and the Vienna State Opera.
- Silviu Purcărete: his production of "Faust" premiered in 2007 at the "Radu Stanca" Theatre in Sibiu, with more than 100 actors and musicians. In 2009 it was staged at the Edinburgh International Festival, in Romanian with English surtitles, in a huge hall at Ingliston.
- Radu Afrim: his production "Anthology of Disappearance", at the National Theatre in Iași, won the UNITER award for best production in 2024.
Bucharest's stages
| Stage | Where | Language | Tickets | Why go |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| National Theatre (TNB) | Near University Square | Romanian, English surtitles for selected shows | On the theatre's website | The main stage, seven performance spaces |
| Odeon Theatre | 40–42 Calea Victoriei | Romanian, English surtitles on request for some shows | 30–120 lei (October 2026) | The historic Majestic hall |
| Bulandra Theatre | Two halls in the city centre | Romanian | eventim.ro, blt.ro, bilet.ro or at the box office | One of the city's long-established stages |
| Jewish State Theatre (TES) | 15 Iuliu Barasch | Depends on the show, surtitle system in the hall | 20–70 lei | 150 years of Yiddish theatre in Romania |
Prices are taken from the theatres' websites in October 2026 and vary by show and season.
The National Theatre
The I.L. Caragiale National Theatre of Bucharest opened on 31 December 1852. The original building was destroyed by bombing on 26 August 1944. In December 1973 the theatre moved into the new building near the University. Between 2011 and 2015 the building was renovated and seismically strengthened, at a cost of about €65 million, according to Mediafax. Today it has seven performance spaces, including an open-air amphitheatre for summer.
Theatre in Romania is a European-level experience for the price of an evening at a café.
We wrote about the English surtitles the theatre added in autumn 2026 in our guide Bucharest culture: opera, theatre and concerts.
Odeon
The Odeon Theatre marked its 80th anniversary in 2026. It has two halls: Majestic and Studio. The programme for late October 2026 includes, for example, "Cabaret" (120 lei in the first category) and "Lysistrata". Some shows are listed with English surtitles "on request", so check with the theatre before buying.
Bulandra
Its official name is the Lucia Sturdza Bulandra City Theatre. It has two halls, Liviu Ciulei and Toma Caragiu. The box offices are open daily, 12:00–20:00, and you can also buy online.
The Jewish State Theatre
For Jewish and Israeli visitors this is a special stop. Its roots go back to 1876, when Avram Goldfaden founded a professional Yiddish theatre company in Iași. The theatre presents itself as the successor of the world's first professional Jewish theatre. The state institution in Bucharest was founded in 1948 and, according to Financiarul, has been run since 2013 by the actress Maia Morgenstern. According to the theatre's website, the hall has a surtitle system. The site does not say which languages are shown for each performance, so ask at the box office. In 2026 the theatre is marking 150 years of Yiddish theatre in Romania. We wrote about the community around it in our guide to the Jewish community in Bucharest.
Tickets, children and tours: what to know
A few practical details from the theatres' websites, as of October 2026:
- Children: Odeon has a series of children's shows. "Mozart's Childhood", for ages 4–10, costs 60 lei for adults and 40 lei for children.
- Backstage tour: Odeon offers a guided tour with one of the actors, for 20 lei. It is a good way to get to know the building even without Romanian.
- Age limits: at Odeon every show has a minimum age, for example 14, 16 or 18. Check before bringing teenagers.
- Box offices: at Bulandra the box offices are open daily, 12:00–20:00. At the Jewish State Theatre the box office is closed on Mondays and open on other days at varying hours.
- Buying online: at the Jewish State Theatre only through mySTAGE. At Bulandra through eventim.ro, blt.ro or bilet.ro.
- Discounts: the Jewish State Theatre has a cheaper category, 20 or 30 lei, for pupils, students and pensioners.
Happening now: the National Theatre Festival
The National Theatre Festival (FNT) is taking place in Bucharest right now, in its 36th edition, from 16 to 25 October 2026. It is organised by the Theatre Union of Romania (UNITER). It selected 36 productions out of more than 150 from the season, in 88 performances across 24 venues. It is a chance to see in one week what Romania's critics consider the best.
Sample route: a theatre week in Bucharest
- First evening: a show with English surtitles at the National Theatre. Check the dates on the website.
- Second evening: Odeon, on Calea Victoriei. Ask in advance for English surtitles if the show offers them.
- Third evening: the Jewish State Theatre, checking in advance which language the surtitles are in.
- In June: a trip to Sibiu for the festival. Book tickets and accommodation early.
Frequently asked questions
Is there theatre in English in Bucharest?
A little, but it is growing. The National Theatre and Odeon offer English surtitles for some shows. On every show page, look for the words supratitrare în limba engleză.
When is the Sibiu theatre festival?
The 34th edition will take place from 18 to 27 June 2027. Tickets usually sell out before the festival begins.
How much does a theatre ticket cost in Bucharest?
According to the theatres' websites in October 2026: 30–120 lei at Odeon and 20–70 lei at the Jewish State Theatre. Prices vary by show.
Can you see Yiddish theatre in Romania?
Yes. The Jewish State Theatre in Bucharest continues a tradition of Yiddish theatre dating from 1876, and the hall has a surtitle system. Check the language of the performance and of the surtitles at the box office.
The bottom line
Theatre in Romania is a European-level experience for the price of an evening at a café. English surtitles are not everywhere yet, but one festival in Sibiu and a few evenings in Bucharest are enough to understand why Romania's directors are known worldwide. And from north Bucharest, the drive to the stages of the city centre is about 25 minutes.
Moti Azulay, Compass Group Romania
Further reading: Romania's culture: festivals, film and music
Sources: Sibfest, FITS 2026 · Bursa, FITS 2026 summary · "Radu Stanca" National Theatre, Sibiu, on FITS · Národní divadlo, Andrei Șerban · Romanian Cultural Institute, Purcărete and Edinburgh · Edinburgh Guide, Faust review, 2009 · BZI, UNITER awards for "Anthology of Disappearance", May 2024 (in Romanian) · Infocons, the National Theatre yesterday and today (in Romanian) · Mediafax, the National Theatre reopens, April 2015 (in Romanian) · Odeon Theatre, official website and programme · Bulandra Theatre, official website · Jewish State Theatre, history and tickets page · Financiarul, the Jewish State Theatre (in Romanian) · Wall-Street.ro, National Theatre Festival 2026 (in Romanian)
This article is for general information only. Programmes, prices, languages and box-office hours change by show and season. Check each theatre's official website before you buy. Details are correct as of 23 October 2026.
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