Producer: Czech Radio. Author & Director: Ilinca Stihi. Producer: Kateřina Rathouská. Sound engineers: Jan Trojan, Tomáš Pernický. Production assistant: Dana Reichová.

Synopsis
Virtuoso is an original radio drama by Romanian playwright and director Ilinca Stihi commissioned by Czech Radio. Directed by her in Prague it was recorded not only in studios but also on location. She was inspired by Gérard de Nerval's Aurelia - The Dream and the Life. "He wrote this poetic novella in 1855 before committing suicide. The manuscript was found in his pocket," says Ilinca Stihi about her source of inspiration. The surreal story occurs in the main character's head and concerns the deepest tragedy of the human personality, as it follows its disintegration in death. "We watch the character's last moments before he dies with his dangerous memories and perceptions which pervade and flood his mind. Real events and fictitious moments blend into one stream, absorbing everything," specifies Ilinca Stihi.

An important part of her work, which is colourful in terms of sound, Max Bruch's music accompanies the listener all the time. Aurelia herself is, according to Stihi, "a number of ways of female presence in the male character's life. She has different faces but all of them have the same power of enchantment and seduction. They resemble witches pushing men deeper and deeper into the emptiness of death."

Ilinca Stihi has worked as a director for Romanian Radio since 2005. In the past few years, she and her colleagues have been contributing to the organisation of the international radio competition, Grand Prix Nova, which she co-founded. She has won many awards at international festivals.

English script (click)