The musical-theatre piece The Enchanted Forest directed by Lea Anastazija Fleger based on one of the most famous Croatian children’s novels by Sunčana Škrinjarić, will be performed again on the Lovrjenac Fort from tomorrow, 8 August until Friday, 11 August to the delight of the youngest festival audience. Performances on the 8th, 9th, and 11th start at 8:30 p.m., while the performance on 10 August 10 is scheduled for 9 p.m. Tickets are sold out.
Ever since the wonderful world of one of Sunčana Škrinjarić's most famous novels, The Painter in the Forest, came to life in the feature-length cartoon The Enchanted Forest, the first Croatian film of its kind, the Painter, the Beaver, the Fox and other strange characters have been winning the hearts of both young and old(er) audiences. As part of the 73rd Dubrovnik Summer Festival, the director Lea Anastazija Fleger, with an excellent team of authors, actors, and musicians, turned the ever-popular work into a children's play, ingeniously intertwining the real and the fantastic and transforming Lovrjenac, through the synesthesia of great music and imaginative costumes and scene, into a magical refuge from the bustling city where, as in a child's imagination, everything becomes possible.
Dramaturge Nikolina Rafaj pointed out what makes this play enchanting, but also extremely important: "The musical and stage performance foregrounds a thought that perhaps we need to hear now more than ever – nature is a place that unites, supports diversity and brings us back in touch with ourselves, and thus enables us to be in harmony with everyone around us. That is why it is so important to remind ourselves that we are the ones who can preserve its wonder."
Along with the director Lea Anastazija Fleger, the creative team consists of the composer Frano Đurović, the conductor Mateo Narančić, the author of the dramatization and dramaturge Nikolina Rafaj, the set and costume designer Zdravka Ivandija Kirigin, and the associate for stage movement Matea Bilosnić. The lighting designer is Marko Mijatović, the production assistant is Ida Klemenčić, the costume design assistant is Tina Spahija, and the headpiece designer is Ana Mikulić. Aida Machiedo is the stage manager. Along with Romano Nikolić as the Cactus King and Jelena Miholjević in the roles of the Beaver and the Water Queen, the cast consists of Matija Gašpari as the Painter, Vini Jurčić in the roles of the Hedgehog and the Wizard, Igor Jurinić as the Raven, the Bear and the Frog Choir, Melody Martišković as the Hedgehog, the Lionfish, the Mole and the Frog Choir, and Ružica Maurus as the Fox, the Shrew and the Frog Choir. The musicians are Vanda Đanić, Đive Franetović Kušelj, Karmen Pervitić, Denis Ajduković, Stijepo Medo and Matija Novaković.
Born in 1992 in Zagreb, Lea Anastazija Fleger earned her Master’s degree in Theatre Directing and Broadcasting from the Zagreb Academy of Dramatic Art, and during her studies she received a As a student she received Rector’s Special Award for direction of the musical The Last Five Years, Rector’s Award for direction of Feu la mère de Madame, Dean’s Award for the plays Dva pečena jaja. Na oko. (Two Fried Eggs) and Feu la mère de Madame, as well as Rotary Club’s Excellence Scholarship. For her student play Dva pečena jaja. Na oko. (Two Fried Eggs) she won the Award for Best Direction at the Festival of International Student Theatre in Belgrade. She has directed around a dozen concerts and events and works as animated film dubbing director. Fleger has participated in numerous workshops and seminars in Croatia and abroad. She serves as Assistant Professor at the Acting Department of the Zagreb Academy of Dramatic Art.