Paphos opera marks 20th anniversary milestone with ‘Barber of Seville’

This year marks the 20th Pafos Aphrodite Festival with the annual opera banking on the popularity of Rossini’s comedy ‘Barber of Seville’ to secure yet another sold-out performance.

The three-day festival, to be held over the weekend of August 31, will once again transform the harbour and castle grounds into an impromptu stage that has become the jewel in Paphos’ art scene and probably the most important cultural event on the island, with local music lovers mingling with tourists, many of whom fly-in especially for the opera.

“All productions hosted are unique and different, this year’s production with the Barber of Seville was chosen in the context of the 150th anniversary of Gioachino Rossini’s death. An addition to this year’s festival is the introduction of Russian subtitles,” Stella Shepi, Director of the Pafos Aphrodite Festival told the Financial Mirror.

The new ‘supertitles’ is a feature most appreciated by the 7,000 audience over the three-day performance, with the English and Greek subtitles projected proving extremely popular.

Ticket sales started just after last year’s ‘Abduction from the Serail’ by Mozart had ended. Shepi said that the aim is the same every year, to achieve a sell-out.

“About 60% of the audience are Cypriots, locals and from other towns, whereas the remaining 40% are foreigners, tourists and local residents. A large number of the audience are young people which is important to us, since it shows that because of the festival younger generations have come to know and love the opera,” she said.

Shepi explained that the choice of the production is made according to strict artistic criteria and the main concern is to ensure that the audience is given the opportunity to enjoy a high standard production with acknowledged artists.

“The strong memory of the image of Rossini on which this setting is inspired, could not be more relevant. The location and the ample scenic space of Paphos make it possible to further enhance the impressive scenic layout,” said world acclaimed Italian director Lev Pugliese.

“The semi-elliptical arrangement of scenic elements will allow the audience to appreciate the set-up in its entirety and to bind the libretto’s different environments with the sequence of events: nearly a “dollhouse”, where every room is, in fact, fully visible and inhabited in unison by the different and varied characters of the libretto”, he added.

This year’s production is by the Italian organisation C.I.A.L.M. - Teatro Lirico Italiano in collaboration with the Ventidio Basso Ascoli Piceno Theatre and the participation of the Cyprus Symphony Orchestra.

Looking ahead, Shepi said the Paphos Municipality is to establish a Cultural Institution which will constitute the continuance of Pafos2017, that put Paphos on the world map, and Pafos Aphrodite Festival will form part of the events organised by the Institution. The Festival is operated by a public venture with the main participants being the town’s municipality and nearby communities, as well as the local tourism industry.

“The main focus regarding Pafos Aphrodite Festival is to ensure the artistic quality of the production, so the budget is of course taken into consideration,” Shepi said.

“Regarding viability, our festival is considered one of the most important cultural events organised in Cyprus with the support of the state, it is an institution with a reputation beyond our borders which is worthwhile preserving,” she added.

As regards the opera’s direct impact on tourism, Shepi said that the festival is considered an attraction that many tourists planning their holidays in Paphos make special arrangements, some even a year in advance, to attend performances.

“Many hotels create special packages for the opera and tour operators from abroad promote packages for opera lovers who are interested in attending a high-quality opera performance in an open-air stage near the sea with the landmark Paphos medieval castle as a backdrop,” said Shepi.

For information and last-minute ticket sales call 26822218 or visit www.pafc.com.cy.

Tickets prices are EUR 25, 40, 50 and

70.