The Eichmann Trial to premiere at Bucharest National Opera

Gil Shohat's The Eichmann Trial is set to premiere at the Bucharest National Opera (ONB), with the first performance scheduled for March 30.

The opera production is based on Motti Lerner's play of the same name, which premiered at the Bucharest National Theater (TNB) last year.

It focuses on the trial of the SS lieutenant-colonel Adolf Eichmann, who was in charge of organizing the logistics of what the Nazis called the "final solution to the Jewish question," which resulted in the extermination of six million Jews in 21 countries between 1941 and 1945. After managing to flee to Argentina, Eichmann was tracked down by the Israeli security services in 1960. He was brought to Israel, where, following a trial, he was found guilty and sentenced to death by hanging.

The project of the opera production is meant to "keep the memory of the past alive and to inspire future generations in the spirit of empathy, tolerance, and social responsibility, constituting an 'essential history lesson' that we must learn to ensure a healthy evolution of the entire society," ONB said.

Baritone Alexandru Constantin plays the role of Adolf Eichmann. The direction is by Erwin Șimșensohn, the set design is by Dragoș Buhagiar, and the musical direction is by Daniel Jinga.

(Illustration: ONB Facebook)