Don Giovanni Triumphs in Phnom Penh: An Unforgettable Opera Festival for Solidarity
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The two performances of the Phnom Penh International Opera Festival on December 12 and 14, 2025, at the NABA Theatre were of exceptional quality, captivating the audience with the emotional intensity of Mozart’s Don Giovanni.
All proceeds from this event were donated to support refugees from the border conflicts with Thailand, highlighting a strong gesture of solidarity at the heart of this cultural celebration.
Royal Leadership and Italian Expertise
His Royal Highness Prince Sisowath Ravivaddhana Monipong and the renowned Italian director Vincenzo Grisostomi Travaglini led a team of artists and organizers that delivered a powerful and deeply moving performance.
“This production is a bridge between our cultures, a cry from the heart for peace at the borders,” said the Prince, emphasizing the harmony forged since 2010 through numerous productions in Europe and Asia.
Travaglini added, “Don Giovanni is not just a seducer; here in Phnom Penh he embodies our shared struggles with raw, unwavering emotion.” Their vision transformed Mozart’s work into a mirror of human passion, executed flawlessly.
An International Cast and Exceptional Local Talent
More than 100 performers from Italy, France, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, and Cambodia joined forces, forming a 40-member symphony orchestra including young talent from the Angkor Youth Orchestra Association.
Soloists such as Italian baritone Ciro Giordano Orsini (Don Giovanni), soprano Maria Tomassi (Donna Anna), tenor Enrico Guerra (Don Ottavio), Hideya Masuhara (Leporello), and Yasko Fujii (Donna Elvira) shone with virtuosity.
“Singing Mozart surrounded by Khmer dancers was a revelation, a magical fusion that transcends language,” Orsini enthused after opening night.
Local dancers and performers from Phare Ponleu Selpak, bringing circus and live arts into the performance, added an original, vibrant dimension that made the opera both accessible and energetic.
The NABA Theatre — Perfect Acoustics
The NABA Theatre at NagaWorld 2 proved to be a magnificent, comfortable venue with exceptional acoustics that faithfully recreated the classic operatic atmosphere.
“This acoustic setting is an artist’s dream; every note resonates like in a Milanese opera house,” said Japanese conductor Jun Iisaka.
With a capacity of 2,000 seats, the modern theatre offered a luxurious setting that enhanced the immersion into Don Giovanni’s dramatic world — portraying a seducer who defies God and society until his supernatural downfall.
Costumes inspired by Khmer heritage with Cambodian silks and Italian-designed lighting by Francesco contributed to a visually stunning, musically masterful production.
Solidarity and Sustainable Innovation
This event marks the fourth Italian opera presented in Cambodia, following Cavalleria Rusticana (2018), Pagliacci (2019), and Madama Butterfly (2023), and represents a landmark as the world’s first carbon-neutral opera festival, with emissions offset through the REDD+ Kah Sai Mo project in Mondulkiri.
Supported by His Majesty King Norodom Sihamoni, the French Institute, the Italian Chamber of Commerce, and EuroCham, the festival positions Phnom Penh as a cultural hub in Southeast Asia.
“The profits donated to Thai-Cambodian refugees make this opera an act of compassion as much as a work of artistic excellence,” emphasized Mona Hard of All Dreams Cambodia.
The combination of artistic pleasure and humanitarian commitment created a perfect evening, uniting aesthetic enjoyment with concrete support for vulnerable communities.
Don Giovanni, a dramma giocoso from 1787, explores themes of seduction, morality, and destiny with divine music. Organized by All Dreams Cambodia and N&A Cambodia in partnership with the Cambodia Opera Project, this festival paves the way for future productions such as La Bohème (2026) and La Traviata (2027).