SUMMER OPERA ACADEMY
September 2022, Belgrade
Rossi Fest Summer Opera Academy aims to present and promote opera to local and international audiences and contribute to the education of young opera professionals. The second edition of the Rossi Fest Summer Opera Academy will be opened by a pioneering event in Serbia, a hybrid between the urban pop culture and opera, happening on the barge 20/44 - a performance of Puccini's one-act Il Tabarro, and a DJ set.
Since the development of the necessary professional skills for modern young opera artists is one of the festival's priorities, this Summer Opera Academy will offer young singers a master class with conductors Adi Bar Soria and Stefan Zekić, as well as a round table on the modern opera business with Serbian and world-renowned opera singer, Sanja Anastasia.
Artistic team:
Stefan zekić
conductor
Ana Grigorović
director
Adi Bar Soria
conductor
Srboljub Dinić
mezzo-soprano
OPERA IL TABARRO
Rossi Fest & Opera Lab production
September 1st, Barge 20/44
Giacomo Puccini’s one-act opera Il Tabarro revolves around a love triangle amongst harbor workers, without opportunities or a bright future. This opera is considered to be a masterpiece of verismo style with its musical dramaturgy that includes a vast palette of documentary sounds of life on the river banks. This hyper-realistic approach aims to paint a location unintended for an upper-class opera audience.
Rossi fest and Opera Lab’s production approach this classic with respect to its verismo style, performing on an authentic cargo ship on the river Sava. Boat club 20/44 is a legendary venue of Belgrade nightlife. Known for its concept of broadening the borders of freedom and conventions it is in line with our values and artistic concept.
A contemporary take on this classical piece raises the questions of the visibility of different classes in the system and the concept of freedom regardless of class affiliation. Il Tabarro reveals human urges and aspirations to rebel against the concept of reality.
Site-specific performance of Il Tabarro is a pioneering initiative in Serbia. It presents a big step in examining the potential of presenting the opera genre and creating a new audience.
Director – Ana Grigorović
Conductor – Stefan Zekić
Scenic design – Dunja Kostić
Light design – Ana Grigorović
Graphic Design - Katarina Mrčela
Michele, a barge-owner: Vuk Zekić
Giorgetta, Michele's wife: Evgenija Jeremić
Luigi, a stevedore: Marko Živković
La Frugola, Talpa's wife: Nataša Rašić
Talpa, a stevedore: Mihailo Šljivić
Tinca, a stevedore: Đorđe Nenić
Song Seller: Luka Lazarević
Lovers: Sara Ristić and Luka Lazarević
The Baruch Brothers choir:
Maša Nedeljković, Mlijana Zekić, Ivana Jovanović, Jelena Zekić, Teodora Trajković,
Danilo Trajković, Milutin Svirac, Nenad Savić, Zoran Stepanović i Vladimir Atlagić
Chamber orchestra:
Violin: Vesna Jansens
Violin: Aleksandra Dimitrijević
Viola: Mirko Crnojević
Cello: Jasmina Vrbanić
Bassi: Boban Stošić
Flute: Jelena Španović
Oboe: Viktor Isaković
Clarinet: Mihailo Samoran
Bassoon: Ana Đorđević
First horn: Igor Lazić
Second horn: Gordana Stojnić
Trumpet: Jovan Savić
Trombone: Ivan Jovanović
Percussions: Aleksandar Radulović
Hair and makeup: Marija Todorović
Title operator: Emina Ukić
Light rental: Fast Forward 011
Opera Lab
Opera Lab was founded with the aim of examining the limits of operatic art in the public space and attracting a new opera audience. By researching the genre through actualization and deconstruction of classical opera pieces and the exploration of contemporary pieces through ambiental and site-specific productions, a new space is formed for an alternative opera scene. The initiative of Opera Lab is the first of its kind in Serbia and is extremely important for the development and modernization of musical theater in the country and region. Opera Il tabarro performed on the boat 20/44 is the first project of the association.
Tickets can be purchased in Vulkan bookstores or through the website www.gigstix.com
Gala concert
September 4th, 2022, National Theater in Belgrade
As the Summer Opera Academy also follows the main theme of Rossi Fest, the program of the Gala concert, happening on the European Day of Jewish Culture on the Raša Plaović stage at the National Theater in Belgrade, will consist of a repertoire composed of attractive opera and classical instrumental music nummers, written by Jewish composers or with topics related to Jewish culture.
Performers:
Jewish chamber orchestra
Baruch Brothers choir
Participants of the Summer Opera Academy
Program:
Verdi, Sen Sans, Ofenbach, Lewandowsky, Cohen
Entrance to the Gala is free, however complementary tickets are needed in order to attend the concert and can be collected at the ticket office of the National Theater in Belgrade from September 1st, 2022.
