The chamber opera Cherry with a Golden  Pit, composed by David Mastikosa and inspired by the story of the same name by Milorad Pavić, will have its Mexican premiere in June 2025.

“I am very excited that Cherry with a Golden Pit will premiere in Mexico. This is a significant step forward for contemporary Serbian music and culture, as the opera will be performed in Serbian — a true rarity today, especially on the Latin American stage,” said David Mastikosa, composer and Assistant Professor at the Academy of Arts, University of Banja Luka.

According to Mastikosa, the new production will be part of the Escenia Ensamble`s season Identidades Migrantes (“The Migrants’ Identities”) in Puebla and will be performed exclusively by Mexican artists.

“The premiere will take place in the Hall of the State Arts at the Universidad de las Américas Puebla (Sala de Artes Escénicas, UDLAP), directed by Cristóbal Meza Alonso. This is both a special challenge and a great honor for me. Following its acclaimed performances in Banja Luka, the opera will now take on a new life on a different continent,” Mastikosa stated.

In addition to the premiere, two encore performances will take place from June 26 to 28, accompanied by a series of related events.

“I will give a series of lectures to Composition students at Universidad de las Américas Puebla (UDLAP), and participate in a roundtable discussion that will also be held on the works of Milorad Pavić, whose story served as the basis for the opera. I believe that this approach will help bring Serbian art and literature closer to audiences in Latin America,” added Mastikosa.

Cherry with a Golden Pit had its world premiere in Banja Luka in December 2023, followed by an encore performance in October 2024 at the Cultural Centre Banski dvor.