As Jakov Gotovac’s most successful and most popular work, the opera Ero the Joker has been considered one of the best Slavic comic operas for a long time. Since its premiere in the Croatian
National Theatre in 1935, it has been an almost constant part of the repertoires of all Croatian national theatres. Many reviews of productions on foreign stages consider Ero the symbol of Croatian opera that brings the songs and dances of its homeland to the world, where the lyrics and music are impeccably intertwined.
The chromatic musical scale, rich orchestration, lively rhythms, and melodic vocal lines that flow continuously are closely tied to the exceptional libretto by Milan Begović, which is full of humorous and witty verses.
The main character of the opera and the central figure of the narrative is Mica, a young man from a wealthy rural family in Dalmatinska Zagora. While looking for a girl he could marry, he follows his mother’s advice and pretends to be a poor man. He introduces himself as Ero from another world, and wants to be certain that his chosen one, Đula, truly loves him. Although he tricks many, in the end they forgive everything and he gets the girl he loves.
The vigorous ballet finale of the opera, with its frenzied tempo, is an ode of sorts to a rural way of life, wherein the music, full of the ethos of the Dalmatian hinterland, swells to prominence.
World premiere: 2 November 1935. in Zagreb
Premiere: 9 May 1992. in Zagreb Revival: 12 March 2010. in Zagreb
CREDITS
Conductor: Josip Šego
Stage director: Krešimir Dolenčić
Set designer: Dalibor Laginja
Costume designer: Inga Kostinčer (renewed by Dženisa Pecotić)
Choreographers: Margareta Froman, Vatroslav Krčelić (renewed by Sonja Kastl)
Assistant Set designer: Ante Serdar
Choir master: Luka Vukšić
CAST
Gazda Marko (Marko, the boss): Siniša Štork
Doma: Sofia Ameli Gojić
Đula: Valentina Fijačko Kobić
Mićo (Ero): Stjepan Franetović
Mlinar Sima (Sima, the miller): Ljubomir Puškarić
Čobanče (the shepard): Ana Zebić Kostel
Momče (the boy): Neven Mrzlečki
Featuring the Orchestra, choir and ballet of the Croatian National Theatre in Zagreb.
Duration of the show: cca 3h
Number of pauses: 2
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