Macedonian Opera and Ballet Theater (Skopje, North Macedonia)
Macedonian Opera and Ballet Theater
The start of the operatic stage at the Macedonian National Theater was a long awaited and requested act. The prerequisites for the modest beginning of the opera were here. The first generation of musicians and artists was created among the participants in the music life of Skopje as well of the other cities in Macedonia. These people were educated musicians and amateurs but all of them were very enthusiastic about their new job. The initiative for the first Macedonian operatic stage came from the Macedonian Association of Musicians.
The first opera in Macedonia was performed on May 9, 1947 on the stage of the former Macedonian National Theater. It was Cavalleria Rusticana opera by Pietro Mascagni. Another seventeen performances of the production followed this premiere opera performance till the end of the year.
Cavalleria Rusticana is the very first chapter of the series of operatic pieces produced by the ensembles of the National Opera in the decades to come. The institution still exists as the National Opera of the Macedonian Opera and Ballet.