The Ljubljana SNG Drama Theatre put on stage the adaptation of Lev Tolstoy's Anna Karenina in what is considered one of Drama's most demanding projects to date. The play, which was directed and adapted by Dusan Jovanovic, premiered on Saturday.
Speaking to the press in Ljubljana on Thursday, Jovanovic said that while there were several reasons why he undertook this enormous challenge, he said an essay on the novel by writer Mitja Cander finally convinced him to go into it.
"Putting fiction on stage is always a puzzle, posing a question of how to conceive a colossal novel in the form of a play," Jovanovic said, adding that he avoided telling his own story and decided to stay faithful to the author as much as possible.
Upon reading the book again, Jovanovic found the character of the cheated Karenin, a seemingly dull official with firm patriarchal principles, to be the most complex figure, the director said.
Karenin will be played by Igor Samobor, who said that despite a clear historical frame love as the central theme made the novel eternal.
While Polona Juh will appear as Anna Karenina, the role of Vronsky was taken on by up-and-coming Jurij Zrnec, for whom the role presents a giant leap from his predominantly comical background.
Juh said that the character of Anna, a woman who decides to leave her husband and child, revealed to her "a person, the truth, love and risk", adding that an Anna, in her opinion, lurked in every woman.
The play's vast ensemble includes a number of other acclaimed Slovenian actors such as Bojan Emersic, Sasa Pavcek, Zvone Hribar and Marko Mandic to mention but a few.
A specific feature of the show is an almost full-time live musical accompaniment, provided by six musicians. The score is the work of Drago Ivanusa.
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