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Opera has achieved a big leap and progress in the previous season both in the number of visitors and in the demand for subscriptions that has increased for 70 percent since season 2021/2022.  52,517 spectators have seen opera performances at the CNT in Zagreb, which is an increase of 73 percent in relation to the previous season.

The Croatian National Theatre in Zagreb will mark the World Opera Day on October 25, 2023, at 10.30 a.m. with open access to the general rehearsal of this season's first premiere, opera Rigoletto by Giuseppe Verdi. The visitors will be able to watch the entire performance conducted by maestro Pier Giorgio Morandi in stage direction by Pier Francesco Maestrini.

In the interval the spectators will have the opportunity to attend the interviews with soloists that will take place in the auditorium, and the citizens can pick up their free tickets for the general rehearsal at the Theatre Box Office until Tuesday, 3 p.m.

The World Opera Day is an opportunity to reflect on the significance of culture in our society and to share the joy that music offers us. At the Zagreb Opera we would like to contribute to the development of culture and enrich the Croatian and European cultural offer. The joy that music and art give us is needed more than ever before! Opera speaks a universal language understandable to everyone and the stories we bring on the stage transmit values of freedom and tolerance. Therefore, I would use this opportunity to stimulate you, our dear visitors to join us in our mission. See you at the Opera! said Pier Giorgio Morandi, the honorary chief conductor of the Zagreb Opera.

The World Opera Day is celebrated on October 25, the birthdays of Georges Bizet and Johann Strauss II, composers of world’s famous operas and operettas. It is a day when Opera houses around the world open their doors and opera artists celebrate their day.

Zagreb will celebrate it with its audience and the Opera ensemble of Rigoletto: Atalla Ayan, Filip Filipović, Ljubomir Puškarić, Matija Meić, Marija Kuhar Šoša, Irina Dubrovskaya, Luciano Batinić, Ivica Čikeš, Emilia Rukavina, Sofija Petrović, Dina Jularić Ivančić, Tena Lebarić Rašković, Ozren Bilušić, David Oštrek, Marin Čargo, Davor Nekjak, Siniša Galović, Ivo Gamulin, Ivan Šimatović, Mia Domaćina Topalušić, Ana Zebić Kostel, Igor Hapač, Alen Ruško, Mima Karaula, Maja Mejovšek Haluza, Chorus of the Opera of the CNT in Zagreb led by chorus master Luka Vukšić and the Orchestra of the CNT in Zagreb, concert mistresses Vlatka Peljhan and Mojca Ramušćak and conductors Pier Giorgio Morandi and Josip Šego.

The creatives of the production are stage director Pier Francesco Maestrini, set designer Juan Guillermo Nova, costume designer Luca Dall' Alpi, assistant conductor Andreas Gies, assistant stage director Tim Ribič and assistant costume designer Ana Trišler. The translator of the libretto is Marina Glavaš. Stage managers are Aleksandra Ćorluka and Zrinka Petrušanec, prompter Marija Dražančić, and the singers were prepared by the artistic leader of the Opera studio Nina Cossetto and repetiteurs Helena Borović and Darijan Ivezić