HNK Zagreb Presents "Lennon" for First Time in Sofia

Dahnyelle Dymytrov, Yoana Vodenicharova

HNK Zagreb presents the opera "Lennon" in Sofia, September 5, 2025 (BTA Photo/Dahnyelle Dymytrov)

Sofia,

06.09.2025 17:59

(BTA)

HNK Zagreb presented the opera Lennon for the first time in Bulgaria on Friday evening. Before the performance began, composer Ivo Josipovic took to the stage alongside Plamen Kartalov, Director of the Sofia Opera and Ballet, which hosted the event.

Josipovic said that he was delighted to present this piece in Sofia for the first time, "and even more so in the company of great Croatian musicians."

"How does a professor of law, former university lecturer, and ex-president of Croatia end up writing an opera? It is a bit of a strange story," Josipovic said. "As a former criminal law professor, I was intrigued by one particular person – the man who killed Lennon, the one who first admired him and then chose to kill him. Why did this happen? I wanted to explore that in my opera - what drove him to do it?" Josipovic added.

The opera begins at the moment Lennon is shot and unfolds over the few minutes he remains alive. "The entire opera is his final hallucination as he lies dying, shot in the street by Chapman," Josipovic told the Bulgarian News Agency (BTA) in an interview. "The opera is his vision of the people who were important in his life," the composer said. Despite its tragic premise, the opera is a call for peace and love and a reminder to value those who fight for them, Josipovic said. He describes Lennon as a piece of contemporary music: "There are no quotations or references from The Beatles or Lennon’s songs, but the libretto and story evoke associations."

The role of John Lennon was performed by Domagoj Dorotic, with Dubravka Separovic Musovic as May, Marija Kuhar Sosa as Yoko Ono, and Ozren Bilusic as Chapman. They were joined by Kristina Andelka Dopar, Sofia Ameli Gojic, Sinisa Galovic, Dario Curić, Davor Radic, Antonio Brajkovic, Alen Rusko, Borko Bajutti, and Sinisa Stork.

Dancers included Ivancica Alajbeg, Petra Vargovic Stanciu, Maja Sehic, Vid Vugrinec, Daria Brdovnik Bukvic, Dunja Zoricic, Azamat Nabiullin.

The production was directed by Marina Pejnovic, with Ivan Josip Skender conducting. Costumes were designed by Zdravka Ivandija Kirigin, choreography by Barbara Novkovic Novak, choir direction by Luka Vuksic, and lighting design by Ivan Lusicic Liik and Elvis Butkovic. The libretto was written by Marina Biti.

The visit of HNK Zagreb to Sofia is a remarkable cultural and diplomatic event. "It is an example of how opera serves as a living bridge between our peoples and cultures, promoting friendship, understanding, and shared values," Kartalov said earlier this week. In his words, the Sofia Opera and HNK Zagreb are setting an example with Sofia hosting Ivo Josipovic's opera Lennon and the Sofia Opera’s production of Wagner’s Die Walkure set to be performed at the Zagreb Opera Festival on September 15, 2025.

The visiting troupe received floral tributes from Sofia Municipality, the Sofia Opera, and BTA.

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