The Albanian soprano Ermonela Jaho will perform to the scene of the National Arts Center in Beijing in the role of Thaïs, the main character of the opera with the same title. She will be alongside the world-famous baritone Plácido Domingo, who in the work of the French composer Jules Massenet will have the main role of the monk Athenael.
The events take place in the Byzantine Egypt of the fourth century BC. Athenael, who lives in Alexandria, tries to convert the Thais to Christianity, but reveals his bodily sin and finds himself submissive to her charm.
"Thaïs is very different, is a more elegant work. It takes some sort of meditation. Everything has a psychological preparation, it is not straightforward as the Italian music that explodes, such as 'Madame Butterfly' or 'Traviata', while 'Thaïs' really has those explosions but with a kind of control. Even the controlled people have that internal fire that I think our Balkan and Mediterranean character helps to give a color. I feel very good, but again it's a challenge, because despite having chases operas hundreds of times, every day there are things to lear," says Jaho for Chinese Telegraphic Agency in Albanian language."For a long time, 'Thaïs' has been one of the most popular works, but since the mid-twentieth century, was gradually forgotten," says the theater consultant Giuseppe Cuccia.
The creative force behind the production of Thais by the National Arts Center of Beijing is the Argentine director Hugo de Ana. He is also stage designer and costume designer of the show.
"The Opera follows the journey of the monk and we will use multimedia for mobile landscapes," says the director. "For the public, the pursuit of this work will create the experience of passing through the journey of the moon, both for the salvation of the soul and the bodily sin."
De Ana adds that the music of the work is "extraordinarily beautiful, when describes the religious limitations, as well as internal battles of the character."
Thaïs is the first work of the National Arts Center of Beijing for the 2018 calendar.