THE SUCCESSFUL Czech musical Kleopatra has returned to Slovakia after an absence of more than two years. This historical story of an Egyptian empress consumed with love and hate, featuring Monika Absolonová in the main role, will open in Košice on May 16.
“The cast of the musical in Košice will be composed of the original cast and artists from Košice theatre and the first show will be preceded by three weeks of rehearsals,” one of the musical’s authors, Michal David, told the TASR newswire.
The original Czech musical by David, Zdeněk Borovec, Lucie Stropnická, and Lou Fanánek Hagen opened on February 22, 2002 in the Divadlo Broadway theatre in Prague and was directed by Filip Renč. Its opening in the Czech Republic was a great event – before the premiere more than 80,000 tickets were sold. After the last performance in January 2004 the musical moved to Bratislava's Nová Scéna theatre for almost two years.
In 2008, Kleopatra travelled to the Far East where it has been performed in the Korean capital of Seoul since October. The producer signed a contract for 120 performances. Michal David and Filip Renč saw the dress rehearsals of their musical – performed in Korean – and had only slight suggestions to make. They stayed to watch two very successful premieres.
However, they must wait until the closing performances for Korean critics to write their reviews – in Korea, artistic reviewers do not write about opening nights, but rather about the ending ones. By that time the actors and others have mastered their art to absolute perfection. In Korea, more than a hundred musicals are produced every year.
In August 2009, another musical authored by Michael David, the Three Musketeers, will be first performed in Seoul in a version modified for the local audience.
