Fanny Ardant and 18 Cypriot Musicians Unite on Stage for Cassandre in Limassol

29.09.2026 18:20

POLITIS TEAM

French screen legend joins 18 Cypriot musicians for a rare staging of Michael Jarrell's acclaimed spoken opera Cassandre in Limassol on 2 October.

French cinema and theatre icon Fanny Ardant will take the stage in Limassol on 2 October in Cassandre, the acclaimed spoken opera by Swiss composer Michael Jarrell, presented by the Cyprus International Theatre Festival (CITF).

For one evening, one of the world’s most celebrated actresses will perform alongside 18 Cypriot musicians of the Commandaria Orchestra, who will bring Jarrell’s demanding contemporary score to life under the direction of French conductor Jean Deroyer.

Fanny Ardant at the centre of a rare theatrical work

Based on Christa Wolf’s novel, Cassandre gives a single, unbroken voice to the legendary Trojan prophetess - a woman who foresees catastrophe, speaks the truth and is condemned not to be believed. In Cassandre, Fanny Ardant takes on a radically different form of performance: for the duration of the work, her voice becomes the central dramatic force, with the orchestra creating a constantly shifting musical environment.

The production has been presented in major European cultural settings, including Avignon, Paris and Athens, and now comes to Limassol as part of the CITF programme.

Alexander Weinstein Founder & Artistic Director of CITF: “Cassandre closes the SHE IS HERE season. Cassandre foresaw the war that, on the first attempt, made this performance fall through. October 2 is the second try. The piece is rarely staged live: 18 musicians, Christa Wolf’s text, Jarrell’s score, Ardant in person — an almost impossible set of conditions. If the actress in her most demanding form is what you’re after, this is that meeting.”

A César Award winner and one of the most recognisable figures of French cinema, Ardant has appeared in more than 80 films and worked with directors including François Truffaut, Michelangelo Antonioni, Alain Resnais, Franco Zeffirelli, Sydney Pollack, François Ozon and Roman Polanski.

A rare encounter between international theatre and Cypriot musicians

The participation of the Commandaria Orchestra gives the Limassol performance a particular local dimension. Jarrell’s work occupies an unusual space between theatre and contemporary music. The orchestra does not simply accompany the actress; it surrounds and interacts with her spoken performance, shaping the rhythm, tension and atmosphere of the text.

Bulat Latypov, Member of the CITF Expert Council and Chief Communications Officer at Freedom24: “For Cyprus, it is particularly meaningful that audiences have the opportunity to experience an artist of Fanny Ardant’s stature not simply as part of a touring concert, but within a complex international theatre production, where she shares the stage with Cypriot musicians. It is a rare and powerful moment when the international stage and local talent come together under one roof - here in Limassol.”