The current production of the famous Slovenian avant-garde opera Black Masks has been staged as part of the Maribor – European Capital of Culture 2012 programme of events.
The composer Marij Kogoj worked on this eccentric modern opera, based on a story by the Russian writer Leonid Andreyev, between the years 1924 and 1927.
The opera about Lorenzo, who is haunted by demons until his eventual mental break down, has for long been considered to be born under an unlucky star. Its previous stagings – some of them infamous, others doomed to never see the light of day – have been surrounded by dark rumours, including some linking the opera with the composer's personal destiny.
Conductor: Uroš Lajovic
Director: Janez Burger
Costume designer: Alan Hranitelj
Choreographer: Edward Clug
Main soloists: Marina Zadro, Urška Arlič Gololičič, Jože Vidic, Andrej Debevec, Saša Čano, Peter Martinčič, Ivan Andres Arnšek, Juan Vasle, Dejan Vrbančič, Marko Kobal, Darko Vidic, Zoran Potočan.
Coproduced by the Slovenian National Opera and Ballet Theatre of Ljubljana, the Slovenian National Opera and Ballet Theatre of Maribor, and the City of Maribor, the European Capital of Culture 2012.
