Premiere at the Opera of the Slovak National Theatre in Bratislava: Don Carlo

Don Carlo, the grandiose opera written by Giuseppe Verdi, was opening the new season at the Slovak National Theatre

The audience had a chance to witness a gripping drama about power, the abuse of ideology as well as personal tragedy in the lives of the big players on the historical political field. Staged by Martin Leginus, the dramatic work grew into a monumental scenic form in the hands of the Slovenian director Diego de Brea.
Článok je dostupný len v angličtine.

Štefan Kocán

Giuseppe Verdi, the arch-prodigy of Italian opera, pays particular attention to individual conduct of his characters. In Don Carlo he abandons the established musical methods, subjecting his music to dramatic context of the storyline. Ultimately, the arias themselves are no longer based on traditional schemes. Their expression and unique shape, with fascinating plasticity and vividness develop a deep psychological relief of grand characters.

One of the main characters is played by the renowned opera singer Štefán Kocán in his SND premiere. He originally debuted at London's Covent Garden and regularly guests in the Viennese State Opera, while collaborating with opera houses all around the world including Teatro del Liceo in Barcelona, Opéra National de Paris, the State Opera in Münich and Lyric Opera in Chicago. In 2015, he was awarded the Minister of Culture Prize for his contribution to the reputation of Slovak art abroad. His performance is also a part of the Ars Poetica 2018 program.

The premiere was also graced by the return of one of the prominent personalities of Slovak vocal art, Anderea Danková (soprano).