Opera: The Telephone
31 January 2026, Belgrade
National Theatre in Belgrade, Raša Plaović Stage, at 8:30 PM
As the conclusion of this year’s program, Rosi Fest presents a unique musical evening at the National Theatre in Belgrade, dedicated to the performance of the comic one-act opera The Telephone by Gian Carlo Menotti. Through a subtle blend of humor and dramaturgical inventiveness, this opera explores the world of modern communication in the 1950s, highlighting the contrasts between technological innovation and everyday human life.
The performance is enriched by a specially conceived overture, which presents a collage of arrangements of American jazz standards by composers of Jewish origin from the mid-20th century, with clear influences of Gershwin, Copland, and their contemporaries. From a musical perspective, the overture functions not only as an introductory dramaturgical component, but also as a reflection of the urban cultural atmosphere of the 1950s, characterized by the style of American jazz of that period.
The ensemble, consisting of soloists and a small orchestral formation, interprets the work through carefully shaped phrases, clearly distinguishing classical operatic elements from jazz arrangements and improvisations. Such an interpretation allows the audience to perceive the connection between the formal structure of opera and the stylistic characteristics of American jazz, within the context of a festival that affirms intercultural and interdisciplinary approaches to music.
The evening at the National Theatre in Belgrade offers a unique opportunity to experience the fusion of musical tradition, humor, and the urban aesthetics of the 1950s, marking the conclusion of Rosi Fest in an original and thoughtful manner.
CAST
Lucy – Aleksandra Jovanović, soprano
Ben – Vuk Zekić, baritone
Stage Director – Ana Bunjak
ABOUT THE COMPOSER
Gian Carlo Menotti (1911–2007) was an Italian-American composer, librettist, and director, and one of the most prominent opera creators of the 20th century. He studied at the Milan Conservatory and the prestigious Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia. His work is marked by a combination of melodic clarity, psychological depth, and theater that communicates with audiences without elitism.
Menotti was one of the rare composers of his time who wrote exclusively operas with original librettos, which he also composed himself. His most famous works include Amahl and the Night Visitors (the first opera written for television), The Consul, The Medium, and, of course, The Telephone. He also founded the Spoleto Festival in Italy and the United States, aiming to bridge the European and American artistic scenes.
Menotti was an artist of dialogue between genres, cultures, languages, and eras. His operas resonate with contemporary themes, even though they are written in a tonal harmonic language that is accessible to a wide audience.
ABOUT THE OPERA
The Telephone (1947) is a one-act opera for soprano, baritone, and piano (or orchestra), a witty and ironic reflection on love and technology. Ben is trying to propose to Lucy, but she is constantly on the phone. Her conversations are superficial and endless, and Ben's attempt to say something meaningful is interrupted.
The opera was written just after World War II, at a time when the telephone symbolized both progress and alienation. Menotti uses this seemingly banal situation to pose an important question: Does technology bring us closer, or push us further apart?
The music is lively and elegant, written in a neoclassical style with elements of cabaret. Lucy is fast-talking, chatty, and emotionally fickle, reflected in dynamic coloratura passages, while Ben’s music is stable, warm, and resolute. In the end, realizing he can’t win against technology, Ben embraces it: he calls Lucy from a phone booth, and proposes over the phone.
This opera remains timeless. Today, when phones are no longer attached to walls but to our hands, The Telephone seems almost prophetic about the world to come.
INFORMATION
Tickets can be purchased at the box office of the National Theatre on weekdays and Saturdays from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and from 5:00 p.m. until the start of the performance, or online via the link.
