Frossini

Item

Title

Frossini

Subject - keywords

Opera

Kira Frosini

Mouchtar Pasas

Ali Pasha See all items with this value Ali Pasha -> Searchculture.gr

Carrer Pavlos See all items with this value Carrer Pavlos -> Searchculture.gr

Date

3 October 2021

Date Issued

2021

Abstract

"Greek National Opera presents Pavlos Carrer’s opera “Kyra Frosini” (in concert form) in the context of the bicentenary of the 1821 Greek Revolution. The composer of this great poetic composition is Aristotelis Valaoritis, while the poet Elizabeth Moutzan-Martinegou adapted it into a libretto and Pavlos Carrer set it to music. Apart from the historic events that took place in January 1801 portrayed in the opera –the illicit love affair of Euphrosyne Vasileiou (Frossini) with Ali Pasha’s son Muhtar and her tragic death for not succumbing to Ali’s amorous advances – Carrer gives special emphasis to the relationship between the father and the son (Ali and Muhtar), who are rivals for the love of the same woman, as well as to Frossini’s switch and repentance, when she decided to abandon her illicit affair and go back to her children at the cost of her own life: “I want to be buried in the grave as a fearless, repented, free Greek woman!” says she in her long aria in Act II. In a wider context, the figure of the martyr/heroine Frossini stands for Hellenism and Christianity, while the figure of the ruler Ali symbolises all the misfortunes associated with the Ottoman Empire and Islamism. The opera is based on the sole authentic manuscript score, which was acquired from a private archive and is kept in the Music Library of the Greek National Opera. "
(Edited and translated description from organiser’s website: https://2021.nationalopera.gr/art-never-ending-revolution)