Operosa Montenegro Opera Festival opens in Herceg Novi

The 13th edition of the Operosa Montenegro Opera Festival has officially opened at the Forte Mare fortress in Herceg Novi. The opening performance featured Donizetti’s ‘L’elisir d’amore’, performed by participants of the inaugural Operosa Summer Opera Academy (OSOA).

Directed by Martin Lloyd-Evans and conducted by James Heas, the production offered a unique local adaptation. Set in rural Montenegro during the late 1920s, the performance creatively replaced the traditional love potion with rakija. The academy, which concluded with this performance, provided three weeks of intensive training for young artists from Montenegro and various European countries under the guidance of international mentors.

Festival director Katherine Haataja and Herceg Novi Vice President Ivan Otović highlighted the event's importance for the region's cultural and tourism sectors. The academy was organized in collaboration with several Montenegrin cultural and educational institutions, including the Music Academy in Cetinje.