Ivana Lazar

With the help of her daughter and a mute servant, phony psychic Madame Flora uses her clients' grief to deceive them. But one night, an uncanny encounter leads to murder and madness. Croatian National Theatre Zagreb’s production of The Medium offers enough suspense to rival any thriller in just one hour. Gian Carlo Menotti's musically eclectic English-language opera mixes Italian verismo with musical-like American modernity, as one might expect from a thoroughly American-Italian composer and man of theatre.

Suliman the Magnificent and his Ottoman army are on the march to Vienna. Only one fortified town lies in their way, but its Croatian commander and small garrison of men are determined to stand their ground. Ivan Zajc’s patriotic opera retells the story of Nikola Šubić Zrinjski’s daring leadership and heroic sacrifice during the real life Siege of Siget. Packed with powerful music – including the rousing male chorus 'U boj, u boj!' – it has held a treasured place in the Croatian repertoire ever since its wildly successful premiere in 1876.