# Rocc (opera stage director)

Rocc (born Rok Rappl, 14 December 1979 in Ljubljana) is a Slovenian-born opera and music theatre stage director, scenic designer, dramaturge, performance artist, opera manager and pedagogue. His mononymous pseudonym is a tribute to Marie Mrázková [cs], Rocc's professor of stage acting and his life mentor.

## Biography

Rocc studied opera stage directing at the Janáček Academy of Music and Performing Arts in Brno, Czech Republic (1998–2003, Master of Arts), followed up by postgraduate studies in scenography at the Hochschule für Gestaltung und Kunst in Zurich, Switzerland (2003–2005, Executive Master), and with rosalie [de] at the Hochschule für Gestaltung in Offenbach am Main, Germany (2005–2006). He was granted a scholarship by the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Slovenia, as well as receiving support from the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts.
He has staged more than 70 different productions in Slovenia, the Czech Republic, Norway, Germany, Italy, Latvia, the Netherlands, Portugal, Poland, Slovakia, Great Britain, Israel and the USA. He has worked with opera houses in Ljubljana, Prague, Brno, Ostrava, Pilsen, Riga, Wrocław, with the Margravial Opera House Bayreuth, with the Grieg Hall and the National Theatre in Bergen, with the Ljubljana's Cankar Centre, with the Jerusalem Centre for the Performing Arts and elsewhere. His projects have been presented at several international festivals, such as ISCM World Music Days, Ljubljana Festival, Bergen International Festival, Gluck Festival Nürnberg [de], Musica Bayreuth, Prague Quadrennial, OPERA Festival in Prague, Janáček Brno Festival, Smetana's Litomyšl Festival [cs], Moravian Autumn Music Festival in Brno [cs], Smetana Opera Cycle Ostrava 2024, New Opera Days Ostrava, Musica non grata [cs] project in the Czech Republic, Warsaw Autumn Festival of Contemporary Music, Audio Art Festival in Kraków, Festival of Sacred Music in Pordenone, Day of the Composer in the Netherlands, Jerusalem Lyric Opera Festival, Festival of Czech Music in Texas. His work has also been broadcast on OperaVision, a global online opera streaming platform. Rocc has a special affinity for contemporary opera combining alternative sound, performing and installation arts, new media and site-specific projects. He is the founder and Artistic Curator of Operativa, a platform dedicated to new/experimental music theatre aesthetics.
In the 2007/2008 season he held the post of Dramaturge of the Slovenian National Opera in Maribor. The 2008/2009 season saw him as Deputy Artistic Director and Dramaturge of the Janáček Opera of the National Theatre Brno, in 2009–2011 he was Artistic Director of the Janáček Opera and a member of the Programme Board of the International Janáček Brno Festival. In 2011–2013 he was Artistic Director of the Prague State Opera, which has been affiliated with the National Opera in Prague since 2012. In 2013–2019 he was Artistic Director of the Slovenian National Opera in his hometown Ljubljana.
Rocc is also active as an Associate Professor of stage directing and opera acting and as a member of professional juries.

## Recognitions

* 2018 Recognition for important works of art, the highest artistic title of the University of Ljubljana, which is equivalent to the scientific title of Doctor of Science
* 2020 Recognition of the Mayor of the Municipality of Litija on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of artistic activities

## Productions

* 1999 La serva padrona by Giovanni Battista Pergolesi, Janáček Academy in Brno (Chamber Opera)
* 2002 L'amor generoso by Alessandro Scarlatti, Janáček Academy in Brno (Chamber Opera)
* 2003 Die Prinzessin auf der Erbse by Ernst Toch, National Opera Ljubljana
* 2004 Euphrides in Front of the Gates of Tymenas [cs] by Josef Berg, Janáček Academy in Brno (Studio 09)
* 2004 Breakfast at the Schlankenwald Castle [cs] by Josef Berg, Janáček Academy in Brno (Studio 09)
* 2004 Dead? [cs] (world premiere) by Markéta Dvořáková & Ivo Medek [cs], National Theatre Prague (Estates Theatre)
* 2005 The Days of the Nights (world premiere) by Vít Zouhar, National Theatre Brno (Reduta Theatre)
* 2007 Lacrimae Alexandri Magni (world premiere) by Tomáš Hanzlík, National Theatre Prague (Estates Theatre)
* 2008 La Belle et la Bête by Philip Glass, National Theatre Brno (Reduta Theatre)
* 2008 Macbeth (world premiere) by Michal Košut, Brno International Music Festival (Reduta Theatre)
* 2009 Lo speziale by Joseph Haydn, National Opera Ljubljana & Ljubljana Festival (Ljubljana Castle – open-air)
* 2010 La Cenerentola by Gioachino Rossini, National Theatre Brno (Mahen Theatre)
* 2010 Šárka by Leoš Janáček, National Theatre Ostrava
* 2010 Ariane by Bohuslav Martinů, National Theatre Ostrava
* 2010 The Swineherd (world premiere) by Peter Šavli [sl], National Opera Ljubljana & Cankar Centre (Linhart Hall)
* 2011 La Dafne (world premiere) by Vít Zouhar & Tomáš Hanzlík, National Theatre Brno (Reduta Theatre)
* 2011 Cavalleria rusticana by Pietro Mascagni, Opera Bergen (Bergenhus Fortress – open-air)
* 2011 Le Villi by Giacomo Puccini, Opera Bergen (Bergenhus Fortress – open-air)
* 2012 Elektra by Richard Strauss, National Theatre Brno (Janáček Theatre)
* 2012 The Miserly Knight by Sergei Rachmaninoff, Opera Bergen (Den Nationale Scene)
* 2012 Gianni Schicchi by Giacomo Puccini, Opera Bergen (Den Nationale Scene)
* 2012 Pelléas et Mélisande by Claude Debussy, National Theatre Prague
* 2013 Let's Make an Opera! – The Little Sweep by Benjamin Britten, National Opera Riga
* 2013 Lohengrin by Richard Wagner, National Theatre Ostrava
* 2013 La bohème by Giacomo Puccini, Opera Bergen (Markusplassen – open-air)
* 2014 Alice in Bed [cs] (world premiere) by Ivo Medek [cs] & Markéta Dvořáková, National Theatre Brno (Reduta Theatre)
* 2014 Gianni Schicchi by Giacomo Puccini, Opera Bergen (Bergenhus Fortress – open-air)
* 2014 Pagliacci by Ruggero Leoncavallo, Opera Bergen (Bergenhus Fortress – open-air)
* 2014 Martin Středa by Andrew Yin Svoboda, opera povera (Janáček Academy in Brno - Chamber Hall)
* 2015 The Tenth Daughter (world premiere) by Milko Lazar [sl], National Opera Ljubljana
* 2015 Echo–Metamorphoses I (opera-installation, world premiere) by Vít Zouhar & Rocc, opera povera & PQ 2015 (Czech Museum of Music in Prague)
* 2015 Carmen by Georges Bizet, Opera Bergen (Bergenhus Fortress – open-air)
* 2015 The Diary of Anne Frank by Grigory Frid, National Opera Ljubljana (Stage -3)
* 2015 The Diary of Anne Frank by Grigory Frid, Opera Bergen & opera povera (Den Nationale Scene – Little Stage)
* 2016 Il barbiere di Siviglia by Gioachino Rossini, Opera Bergen & Bergen International Festival (Den Nationale Scene)
* 2016 Haugtussa by Edvard Grieg, opera povera & Janáček Brno Festival (Orlí Theatre)
* 2016 The Diary of One Who Disappeared by Leoš Janáček, opera povera & Janáček Brno Festival (Orlí Theatre)
* 2017 Fidelio by Ludwig van Beethoven, National Opera Ljubljana & Wrocław Opera
* 2017 Echo–Metamorphoses II (opera-ambient, world premiere) by Vít Zouhar & Rocc, opera povera (Czech Museum of Music in Prague)
* 2018 Les pêcheurs de perles by Georges Bizet, Opera Bergen (Sentralbadet)
* 2018 Love Songs by Ana Sokolović, Slovenian Chamber Music Theatre & opera povera (The Old Power Station in Ljubljana)
* 2018 The Ploughman and Death by Emil Viklický, Opera Schrattenbach Festival in Olomouc (Hus Congregational House)
* 2019 code L (world premiere) by Milko Lazar [sl], National Opera Ljubljana
* 2019 La traviata by Giuseppe Verdi, Opera Bergen (Grieg Hall)
* 2019 Echo–Metamorphoses III (Gardens of Life, world premiere) by Vít Zouhar & Rocc, PQ 2019 & opera povera (Exhibition Grounds Prague)
* 2019 Le veglie ossequiose by Johann Heinrich Schmelzer, Olomouc Baroque Festival (Theatrum Schrattenbach)
* 2019 Die sieben Alter stimmen zusammen by Johann Heinrich Schmelzer, Olomouc Baroque Festival (Theatrum Schrattenbach)
* 2019 Così fan tutte by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Opera Bergen (University Aula in Bergen)
* 2019 MarISHA (world premiere) by Sára Medková, Vít Zouhar, Ivo Medek [cs] & Carmina Escobar, Festival Meetings of New Music Plus in Brno (Orlí Theatre)
* 2020 Julija (world premiere) by Aleš Makovac, Janez Trdina Cultural Centre in Novo mesto
* 2020 Madama Butterfly by Giacomo Puccini, Opera Bergen (Bergenhus Fortress – open-air)
* 2020 Beyond the Garden (world premiere) by Stephen McNeff, Slovenian Chamber Music Theatre, opera povera & Cankar Centre (Štih Hall)
* 2021 The Little Match Girl (world premiere) by Tina Mauko [sl], Slovenian Chamber Music Theatre (The Old Power Station in Ljubljana)
* 2021 Il Davide by Carl Ditters von Dittersdorf, Festival Hortus Magicus Kroměříž (Kroměříž Castle – open-air) & Olomouc Baroque Festival (The Holy Hill)
* 2021 Apollon musagète & Oedipus rex by Igor Stravinsky, National Opera Ljubljana
* 2021 TiAmo (world premiere) by Ivo Medek [cs], Sára Medková & Vít Zouhar, Audio Art Festival in Kraków (Academy of Music in Kraków – Concert Hall)
* 2022 Agrippina by Georg Friederich Händel, Academy of Music in Ljubljana & Cankar Centre (Linhart Hall)
* 2022 The Two Widows by Bedřich Smetana, National Theatre Ostrava
* 2022 BallerinaBallerina (world premiere) by Petra Strahovnik, Ensemble Modelo62 (Theater De Vaillant in The Hague)
* 2022 Pagliacci by Ruggero Leoncavallo, Opera Bergen (Grieg Hall)
* 2022 Sara'smile (world premiere) by Ivo Medek [cs], Sára Medková & Vít Zouhar, Exposition of New Music Festival in Brno (Orlí Theatre)
* 2022 ONI (world premiere) by Dan Dlouhý, Michal Indrák, Martin Švec, Kristýna Švihálková & Otto Wanke [de], Festival Meetings of New Music Plus in Brno (Orlí Theatre)
* 2022 I–ME (world premiere) by David Ryan, Vít Zouhar & Rocc, Slovenian Chamber Music Theatre & Operativa (Atrium of the City Museum of Ljubljana)
* 2023 Der zerbrochene Krug [cs] by Viktor Ullmann, National Theatre Ostrava & National Theatre Prague (Estates Theatre)
* 2023 Der Kaiser von Atlantis by Viktor Ullmann, National Theatre Ostrava & National Theatre Prague (Estates Theatre)
* 2023 Inscriptions (world premiere) by David Ryan, Opera Aperta & University of the Arts London (Wimbledon College of Arts Theatre)
* 2023 Carmen by Georges Bizet, Jerusalem Lyric Opera Festival & Jerusalem Centre for the Performing Arts (Sherover Theatre)
* 2023 Carmen by Georges Bizet, Opera Bergen (Bergensmeieriet)
* 2024 La clemenza di Tito by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Josef Kajetán Tyl Theatre in Pilsen & Gluck Festival Nürnberg (Margravial Opera House Bayreuth)
* 2024 The Sell-Out (world premiere) by František Chaloupka [cs], New Opera Days Ostrava & National Theatre Ostrava
* 2024 Don Carlo by Giuseppe Verdi, Opera Bergen (Bergensmeieriet)
* 2024 LeavingRoom (world premiere) by Dimitris Andrikopoulos [nl], Hana Hána, Ivo Medek [cs], Sára Medková, Vít Zouhar, Lukáš Medek & Rocc, Teatro Helena Sá e Costa in Porto
* 2024 Turandot by Giacomo Puccini, National Theatre Ostrava
* 2025 Pharaoh's Curse (world premiere) by Vojtěch Frank & Jakub Hojka, Josef Kajetán Tyl Theatre in Pilsen (Small Stage)