WERTHER Massenet – Croatian National Theatre in Zagreb

Charlotte only married Albert out of duty but continues to love Werther without admitting it to herself and even less to him. The young man despairs at seeing his advances rejected and will not taste the love that the young woman comes to confess too late.

One of opera’s greatest depictions of impossible love, Werther is based on Goethe’s epistolary novel The Sorrows of Young Werther. Massenet thought long and hard about adapting Goethe’s story of a melancholy poet whose love for a married woman and general disaffection with the world lead to his suicide. Initially declined Opéra Comique, Werther had its premiere in Vienna in 1892. The portrayal of an artistic, brilliant and doomed young man rebelling against the establishment has resonated through the ages in music, literature, theatre and film. Croatian National Theatre in Zagreb’s new production is in safe and cinematic hands: Pier Giorgio Morandi, chief conductor Croatian National Theatre in Zagreb, and the stage director, set and costume designer is Dante Ferretti. With Oscars to his credit, Ferretti has worked with some of the greatest names in cinema including Pasolini, Fellini, Zeffirelli, Scorsese to name just a few.

Full performance streamed on OperaVision from 3 May 2025 at 19:00 CET to 3 November 2025 at 12:00 CET: https://operavision.eu/performance/werther-2

CAST

Werther
Pavel Valuzhin

Charlotte
Emilia Rukavina

Commander
Ozren Bilušić

Sophie
Marija Kuhar Šoša

Albert
Leon Košavić

Schmidt
Ivo Gamulin

Johann
Marin Čargo

Orchestra
Croatian National Theatre Zagreb Orchestra

Children Chorus
Zvjezdice Children's Opera Choir

Music
Jules Massenet

Text
Édouard Blau, Paul Milliet, Georges Hartmann

Conductor
Pier Giorgio Morandi

Director, set and costume designer
Dante Ferretti

Lights
Daniele Nannuzzi
Light Design Adaptation
Dragan Micić

Assistant Conductor
Andreas Gies

Assistant Stage Director
Fred Santambrogio
Kristina Grubiša

Assistant Costume Designers
Elena Pirino
Ana Trišler

Language coach
Jelena Knešaurek Carić

Children Chorus Master
Dijana Rogulja Deltin
Marija Anđela Biondić

Watch live streams as the performances themselves unfold in the opera house. Enjoy a variety of shows - including opera, operetta, musical theatre, dance, ballet and concerts. Opera connaisseur or curious newcomer, there is something for everyone on OperaVision.

Managed by Opera Europa, OperaVision is a freeview streaming platform supported by the European Union’s Creative Europe funding programme. Between 2025 and 2028, Creative Europe’s support will help Opera Europa to promote and train emerging artists working in opera and dance. Known as Opera Europa Next Generation, this initiative will give visibility and development opportunities to over 560 emerging artists – in person and online, including via OperaVision – and all thanks to the efforts of a consortium of 44 opera houses and talent development organisations from 17 European countries.

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