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8/24/2008 ::
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A premiere in Dubrovnik: Opera by Handel: “Acis and Galatea”
After a long time opera has found its place within the program of the Dubrovnik Summer Festival. On August 23rd, filling the public with delight, a classic by Handel, “Acis and Galatea” had its premiere at Lovrjenac Fort.
“I am honored that I can participate in this creative process, very different from the ones that are common in Croatia, Mr. Pickett is a huge expert of baroque opera and I hope that we have left a closed cycle” said the young director from Zagreb, Dora Ruždjak Podolski. After an almost ten years long break of performing, the opera Acis and Galatea by the German baroque composer George Frideric Handel, the piece has arrived into the hands of one the greatest contemporary conductors – British artist Philip Pickett. He cooperated with a Croatian director, known for quite a big creative opus of opera and drama pieces. Acis and Galatea is a mythological story about unfortunate love and destructive obsession of the three main characters: nymph Galatea, shepherd Acis and evil Cyclops Polifem.
Although this is already his third time working for the Festival, this project is special for Pickett because for the first time he works with Croatian actors and opera singers.
“The cooperation with Dora is an excellent experience, I am fascinated by her sense for the theatre and the relationships among the characters on the stage” said Pickett. He has been assigned a tough task, at the same time he helps directing, and he even plays a smaller role on the stage, but still, Pickett is extremely content with the collaboration and as one of the factors he mentions kindliness of the Festival.
The main role of Acis is performed by Ed Lyon, British tenor and a winner of numerous prizes. It is interesting to mention that Dubravka Lošić, known to the Festival’s public for her exhibition “The Great Runners” created the scene. Next performance of Acis and Galatea will be held on August 24th at the same venue.