Skopje, 18 November 2025 (MIA) — The National Opera and Ballet will present "Madame Bovary" starring prima ballerina Marija Kichevska Shokarovska as Emma Bovary.

The ballet was choreographed by Victor Ishchuk of Ukraine, who "has captured the spirit of the 19th century and the main character's emotional complexity with precise and subtle contemporary expression," according to a NOB press release. 

The ballet is set to music pieces by Camille Saint-Saëns, Maurice Ravel, Jules Massenet, Felix Mendelssohn and George Frideric Handel. 

Armenian conductor Eduard Ambartsumyan will conduct the orchestra, featuring pianist Andreja Naunov as soloist. The concertmaster is Kliment Todorovski.

The set and the costumes were designed by Andrey Zlobin and Gana Ipatieva of Ukraine. The lighting design is by Milcho Aleksandrov and the project manager is Kiro Pavlov.

The cast includes Francisco Giménez Ruiz as Charles Bovary and Balázs Lőcsei as Rodolphe Boulanger. They are accompanied by the National Opera Ballet dancers and orchestra.

Inspired by Gustave Flaubert's novel, "Madame Bovary" is a story of a woman's yearning for passion beyond her mundane reality, ultimately resulting in her tragic downfall. 

 A repeat performance is scheduled for Nov. 21. mr/