Zrinka Cvitešić returns to Zagreb after a successful stint in the West End.
After more than a year, Zrinka Cvitešić will return to the Croatian National Theatre in Zagreb, accompanied by the renowned director Pippo Delbono. She will be a member of the cast for Delbono’s new project “The Gospel”. The rehearsals will begin on September 15, while the premiere is scheduled for December 11, reports Jutanji List on August 13, 2015.
“There will be music in the play, but it will not be a Hollywood-style party or musical. I do not like the word ‘musical’ because it is a category, and I personally do not like categories. Since the play is titled ‘The Gospel’, there will be sacral music, but also music from Africa, gypsy music”, said Delbono, a theatre director who has been for years one of the biggest names in Europe.
He has already visited Zagreb with his ensemble during the World Theatre Festival, and has now accepted an invitation by Dubravka Vrgoč to direct a play in the Croatian National Theatre. In addition to Delbono’s ensemble actors, the play will include eight Croatian actors which he chose at an audition: Zrinka Cvitešić, Dragan Despot, Franjo Kuhar, Iva Mihalić, Alma Prica, Vlasta Ramljak, Nina Violić and Mirta Zečević. Ballet artists and a part of the National Theatre Orchestra will also be included.
One of the topics of “The Gospel” is war. “When you come to Zagreb, you do not have the impression that there has recently been a war, but when I talked to the individual actors, each of them told me their personal story, their vision of the war”, said the director.
Zrinka Cvitešić has triumphantly performed in the West End in the musical “Once”, winning the prestigious Laurence Olivier Award. BBC has hired her for a role in the series “Capital”, based on a book by John Lanchester. The series is about the economic crisis which has hit residents of Pepys Street in London suburb of Clapham. After her move to London, Zrinka Cvitešić did perform at the Croatian National Theatre, but not in any new plays.
General Manager of the Croatian National Theatre in Zagreb Dubravka Vrgoč said that Delbono participated at the World Theatre Festival three times. “He has very good communication with the audience and I have wanted to bring him to Croatia for some time. The fact that we have three companies under one roof, drama, ballet and opera, which is quite rare in the world today, was very interesting and he thought he should use it in a unique project. Pippo Delbono is one of the great European artists who seamlessly connects different aesthetics”, said Vrgoč who added that the play will visit Italy, Switzerland, France and Poland.
