Boris Papandopulo
AMPHITRYON
Opera Amphitryon that the great composer of Croatian music Boris Papandopulo composed in his youth had its world premiere on the stage of the CNT in Zagreb in 1940 with great success. Afterwards, the music score mysteriously disappeared, and the work was considered lost for many years, until recently when it was found again. The opera is based on a humorous libretto written by Mijo Štimac and Enrico Golisciani after Molière's anthological work carrying the same title. Amphitryon, a music parody in three acts, brings a version of the mythological story on gods Zeus and Mercury who take on human form and characters in order to seduce the wives of two mortals, the Theban commander Amphitryon and his officer Sosia. This particular comedy of errors leads to a series of amusing, funny and intriguing plots, while the brilliant orchestration contains a series of remarkable arias, masterly choir and brilliant ensemble parts. Composed on the eve of the great world war, opera Amphitryon is, according to the words of the author, conceived as a work that will in a difficult, critical and depressive time brighten and make the audience laugh. The work has the form of older operas, almost like an opera buffa or singspiel and contains several ballet numbers with popular dances of the time such as foxtrot or tanga. The work will be put on the Zagreb stage after more than 80 years since the world opening night in a large project including several artistic academies led by the Music Academy in Zagreb.
