Nizhny Novgorod Opera House stages "The Abduction from the Seraglio", written by Mozart shortly before his marriage to Constanze Weber

The problems of fidelity and choice in love and freedom, of male and female nature: critics call Mozart's opera "a fantasy for grown-ups".

The premiere runs from 29 February to 3 March, in a production by Ekaterina Odegova; the musical director of the performance is the chief conductor of the Nizhny Novgorod Opera and Ballet Theatre, Dmitry Sinkovsky, and the set designer is Etel Yoshpa.

"The Abduction from the Seraglio" is an extremely difficult work to stage, a collection of demanding arias, and its score calls for virtuoso performers. It is a worthy challenge for an opera company, and our soloists have met the artistic task at the highest professional level. I would particularly single out the fantastic mastery of the performer of the role of Konstanze, Honoured Artist of Russia Nadezhda Pavlova," said the artistic director of the Nizhny Novgorod theatre, Alexey Trifonov, in an interview.

He will go on to realise new, complex projects together with the theatre's new director, Airat Tukhvatullin, appointed this week, who comes from the Chekhov Moscow Art Theatre.