Rehearsals began today at the Yugoslav Drama Theatre of Fires by Marguerite Yourcenar. The eponymous novel was adapted for the stage by Maria Velasco (born in Spain in 1984), author of several plays and recipient of a number of significant literary and theatre awards. The production is directed by Carme Portaceli, one of the leading theatre directors in Europe and artistic director of the National Theatre of Catalonia in Barcelona.
The cast includes Sloboda Mićalović, Nataša Tapušković, Milena Vasić, Nikola Rakočević, Iva Manojlović, Damjan Kecojević and several actors from the National Theatre of Catalonia in Barcelona. Set design by María de la Cámara and Gabriel Paré Lezcano, costume design by Marija Marković Milojev, original score by Jordi Collet with audio-visuals by Miquel Àngel Raiò. Choreography by Damjan Kecojević with Ljiljana Mrkić Popović in charge of speech coaching. Some of the rehearsals will be held at the National Theatre of Catalonia in Barcelona.
This is a stage adaptation of „Fires“ where the original novel by Marguerite Yourcenar remains only as a motif, with numerous references to 21st century and new parallels between the ideals of love and mythology.
This production is part of a larger project by the Union of Theatres of Europe where fifteen of the most important theatres are brought together in various co-productions. During one year seven co-productions will be completed with scheduled performances at the Finisterre festival in Porto (Portugal) in February 2023. In this project, the Yugoslav Drama Theatre will be working together with the National Theatre of Catalonia from Barcelona.
The première of Fires is scheduled for 2nd February, 2023. Until the end of the season, Fires will be performed in Valencia, Barcelona (July) and it has already been included as one of the productions at the theatre festival in Madrid next autumn.
