Thousands of tourists attend Israeli Opera Festival
Headlining festival is extravagant, new production of Verdi's 'La traviata' at the foot of Masada, followed by a weekend of Mozart in Acre.
Headlining the festival is an extravagant, new production of Verdi's "La traviata," taking place at the foot of Masada, followed – for the first time – by a weekend of Mozart in Acre.
Some 45,000 people are attending the festival, including thousands of cultural tourists. The Israel Ministry of Tourism allocated NIS 1.75 million (about $510,000) for opera festival's marketing support, including a campaign in Germany, Italy, France, Russia, England and the United States.
The overseas campaign funded by the ministry positioned Israel as a cultural tourism destination in addition to its religious and historical richness. The campaign was aimed at a high-quality audience overseas, people who travel the world to attend in cultural events of the highest international standards.
The campaign included extensive Internet advertising, as well as the production and distribution of a 35-second advertising commercial broadcast on Mezzo and a five-minute film that charts the making of "Carmen."
For the first time this year, the festival will also include a weekend of Mozart celebrations (June 19-21), in Acre, another UNESCO-designated World Heritage Site like Masada. The performances will take place in the Knights’ Halls, recently renovated by the Tourism Ministry with a NIS 100 million ($29 million) budget, featuring the opera "Don Giovanni," Mozart’s "Requiem," and "The Magic Flute."
The Israel Opera Festival at Masada is the largest and most complex production ever seen in Israel, employing some 2,500 people, in addition to 700 actors, singers and participants. The infrastructure for the performance includes a stage measuring 60 meters wide by 66 meters deep, a total of 3,000 square meters; stands with comfortable seating for 7,580 people; parking space for hundreds of buses and private vehicles; communications and WiFi; an audience reception area inspired by a Parisian street, about 15,000 square meters in size with seating for 3,500 people; and about 160 ecological bathrooms, as well as backstage and technical areas.
"La traviata," whose last performance will be this Tuesday under the baton of Israeli maestro Daniel Oren, is directed by Michal Znaniecki, one of the world’s most important opera directors who specializes in open air productions.
Romanian-born soprano Elena Mosuc takes the lead role of Violetta, alternating with soprano Aurelia Florian. The role of Alfredo is sung by Celso Albelo, considered one of the world’s leading tenors, and the role of Germont is sung by Ionut Pascu.
Also participating are leading Israeli opera singers, the Israeli Opera Chorus and the Opera Orchestra – the Israel Symphony Orchestra, Rishon LeZion.
The Israeli Opera Festival also included a concert by Israel world music stars, the Idan Raichel Project, and a performance of Beethoven’s Symphonies No. 1 and No. 9 by the Israel Philharmonic conducted by Kent Nagano.
The festival is also included in a current Tourism Ministry advertising campaign in Europe that highlights the many international performances and festivals taking place in Israel this summer.
"'La traviata' was the first opera to be staged here during the days of the British Mandate and, with this new production at the foot of Masada, there is an opportunity for other audiences to enjoy the opera," said Tourism Minister Dr. Uzi Landau.
"We invest in many international events in order to promote Israel as a quality destination for a wide range of tourists. Opera lovers, international tourists, can come to Israel for a short break, enjoy the primordial landscapes of Masada, the Judean desert, the Dead Sea and its environs while being part of a cultural event that is of international standards.
"The many cultural performances that are taking place here this summer provide an opportunity to expand the cultural and music tourism sector and thereby increase incoming tourism to Israel."
