ZORBA THE GREEK

/The spectacle is performed to recorded music/

Corps de ballet of the Sofia Opera

The myth of Zorba has always been accepted as a symbol of human striving for freedom. For the first time the story was immortalized in the short story of the great Greek writer Nikos Kazantzakis, on which the screenplay for the film was written by Michael Cacoyannis, and in 1988 the ballet version by Lorca Massine was created to the music of the famous Greek composer Mikis Theodorakis.

The ballet "Zorba the Greek", whose world premiere took place on 6 August 1988 on the stage of Arena Di Verona, is a mega show in two acts and 22 scenes. This spectacle has always had great box office success, it has been performed in over 30 countries and has been attended by over 3 million spectators. "Zorba the Greek" has been a real cultural event since its premiere.

The ballet was also performed at the Caracalla Summer Festival in Rome (1991, 1992) and was presented again in 1993 in a full house. In 1994, the ballet toured Brazil and Argentina. The open-air performance in Rio de Janeiro, attended by 120 000 spectators, will remain memorable. "Zorba" returned to Brazil in the spring of 1995.

In Bulgaria, the ballet was staged by Lorca Massine for the first time on 12 May 1995 on the stage of the National Palace of Culture. The performance is one of the most successful productions in the ballet history of the National Opera and Ballet and is performed in crowded halls.