Theodor, an opera in Hebrew about Theodor Herzl, the founder of the state, was filmed like a big-budget movie when it was performed by the Israeli Opera in Tel Aviv over the weekend, with multiple cameras, and will then be shown in theaters around the world.
The Israeli Opera, in collaboration with Ellacomm, one of Israel’s largest distribution companies, has partnered with Unitel International to produce and film the original production of Theodor, by Jonathan Canaan and Ido Riklin.
The opera, which centers on two periods in the life of the founder of modern Israel, premiered last May to great acclaim. The Israeli Opera decided to open the new season by bringing back Theodor for two more performances, both of which will be filmed by Fremantle Israel, the content arm of Fremantle International, using several state-of-the-art cameras.
It is incumbent upon every Jew to understand origins of Israel
“We are very excited about this project,” said Ami Ella, one of the owners of Ellacomm. “I saw Theodor, and I immediately understood that the whole world must see this opera, there is nothing more Zionist and it is incumbent upon every Jew to see and understand exactly where the enterprise began.”
Unitel International will distribute the opera to broadcasters around the world and Ellacomm, in cooperation with cinema chains, will distribute and screen the opera Theodor in Israel and other countries, just as it does with the world’s largest operas from the major opera houses such as Bregenzer, Salzburg, and Arena Verona with the project ARIA Operas on the screen.
“We will put the Israeli Opera in the front row with the biggest productions and tell the story to everyone,” said Ella.
Zach Granit, CEO of the Israeli Opera, commented, “After a long and exciting process of more than four years, the opera Theodor was performed on our stage in Israel and received countless praise. In this complex period, every note and word in opera takes on additional meaning and now, thanks to the new and welcome collaboration, our Theodore will gain an additional dimension of cinematic experience and reach audiences all over the world.”