“LYDIA FROM MACEDONIA” – RISTO AVRAMOSKI (16.09.2023 – RENEWED)
opera in two parts

Libretto: Guy Shele and Dora Petrova (France)
Transcription: Liljana and Jordan Plevnesh
Conductor: Ivan Eminovikj
Director: Plamen Kartalov (Bulgaria)
Renewed by: Trajko Jordanovski
Ass. Director: Ljupka Jakimovska
Ass. Conductor: Katerina Stojkovska
Scenography: Panche Minov
Costimography: Elena Doncheva
Concert master: Verica Lambevska
Ass. Chorus master: Jasmina Gjorgjeska
Accompanists: Elena Siljanoska, Janinka Nevcheva,
Andreja Naunov, Jordan Petrushevski
Prompter: Nevena Georgieva
Stage managers: Ljupco Polizov, Dragan Kostadinović, Marko Pavlevski

Cast:

Lydia: Nade Talevska Spasovska
Paul: Igor Durlovski
Silas: Dragan Ampov
Timotei: Marjan Nikolovski, Nikola Stojcevski
Angel human: Vasko Zdravkov
Asia: Ana Roideva Talevska, Katerina Stojanovska
Agia: Aleksandra Lazarovska Vasilevski, Elena Golomeova
Dina: Marika Popovich, Sonja Pendovska Madevska
Ikia: Katerina Boskovska, Desanka Gligorijevic
Cezar: Ernes Ibraimovski
Claudie Igor Ginovski
Lambrikus: Tihomir Jakimovski
Peres: Dejan Stoev
Tervel: Jani Dunimagloski
Num: Dime Petrov
Mother: Sonja Pendevska Madevska, Mariana Boskovska
The Capetan: Neven Siljanovski
Centurion: Vasko Zdravkov

The choir and the Orchestra of the National Opera and Ballet of the Republic of North Macedonia

„Lydia from Macedonian -The First European Christian”

The book “The Bible’s Forgotten Women” published in New York City as well in some other world
capitals, induced large interest in the public. Lydia the Macedonian was the most significant “discovery” among the Bible’s forgotten women. She was the women that provided the purple linen for the entire Senate of the Roman Empire.
The moment Apostle Paul appeared on the Macedonian ground, following the famous “Appeal of the Macedonian” with the equally sentence: Come to Macedonia and save us. Fear from inside and threats from outside, is the moment when the message of the Christianity turns from Palestinian into a universal message that attracts every non-Christian nation in the world. That is very moment of the beginning of the modern history of the human kind: Christianization of the Europe and the World
Lydia, the Macedonian, (that is her precise name in the Bible) was the first woman, the first person at all, Christianized by Apostle Paul on this two thousand year long odyssey. Thus, the house of Lydia , the Macedonian, becomes the First European Church and in the world, too. A chorus of Angels comes to that House-Church to tell the story of the „Love Civilization,, from His Birth till the Crucifixion and the Ascension for salvation of the entire humankind

Lydia from Macedonia – Synopsis

First Act
Desert. The Apostle Paul, whose legs are bleeding from the long walk, meets a man who is actually a God’s Angel.
The Angel eases the pain of the man and invites him to go to Macedonia and help those who live in great pain and suffer. Paul promises that he will go.
Philippi. A city in Macedonia that is ruled by immorality and is under the torture of the Roman soldiers. The Apostle Paul arrives in Philippi, accompanied by Silas and Timothy, and is appalled by the immorality and the people who have no perspective. He meets thieves, prostitutes, murderers and self interested soldiers. There is a fire, but no one wants to help to put it out. The Apostle Paul, horrified from the sight, abandons the city.
On the riverbank, Lydia, Asia, Agia, and Dina, paint a white cloth with a purple color while Paul, Silas and Timothy approach them. Paul baptizes Lydia.

Second Act
Lydia’s house. Lydia announces to everyone that in her house she allows to have preaching and have people baptized in the Religion of the Only God, Jesus Christ.
At the same time in the Roman Senate, Cesar announces an edict, with which he obliges all the Senators to be wear purple colored togas, made with the cloth produced in Macedonia.
The Apostle Paul continues with the preaching and the baptizing, but is spied by lkia, who falsely presents herself as a believer. Paul is betrayed and is locked up by the Roman soldiers.

– PAUSE –

Third Act
Paul, Silas and Timothy are in prison. Lydia comes in front of the prison walls followed by a crowd of people. They all together pray to God for salvation. At that moment there is an earthquake. The walls of the prison fall down, but no one is hurt. Paul, Silas and Timothy are free and at the same time Lydia arrives and tells them that the Roman Praetorians decided to set them free. Thanking God, they start moving towards the city where a crowd of people, that has greater faith in God, meets them.

Fourth Act
Lydia is preparing the horse caravan loaded with purple cloth. Smiling kids accompany her, but one of them steps in front and falls down under the hoof of one of the horses. Everybody thinks that the child is dead, but Lydia believes in God’s savior, even though everybody blames her for the child’s death.
The Roman soldiers accompany the child’s mother. The mother blames Lydia, while the soldiers announce that she will be executed.
In that moment the Apostle Paul comes and with one movement of his hand the child becomes alive, and happily throws himself into Lydia’s arms. The mother is thrilled and Lydia announces that it is brought to life together with the one that lives in him, Jesus Christ. Paul, Timothy and Silas greet the people before they leave. They bless Lydia promising that she will be eternally mentioned. Lydia names them as the Three Suns of Macedonia Apostle Paul announces that Macedonia is the country selected by God, and from here, from Macedonia the New Testament will be spread.