The show must go on: Greek soprano survives ferry disaster, rehearses for ‘Nabucco’

RIMINI, Italy – Dimitra Theodossiou survived the Greek ferry disaster, but took no time off to recover from the traumatic evacuation: The Greek soprano was back at work Tuesday, rehearsing for her New Year’s Day debut in Giuseppe Verdi’s “Nabucco.”

Theodossiou was one of the most vocal survivors of the Norman Atlantic fire, willingly recounting to anyone who would listen how there was no fire alarm, how the crew provided no instructions to frantic passengers, and how the passengers themselves pushed and shoved to get onto the coveted helicopter baskets.

On Tuesday, she hadn’t changed her tune, but she tried to put the trauma behind her.

As a result of the ferry disaster, performing now “is a challenge for me. That’s the way I am,” she said during a break in rehearsal.

Theodossiou plays the lead female soprano, Abigaille, in the Verdi classic being performed at a stadium in the Adriatic port city of Rimini. “Nabucco” tells the story of how the Jews are conquered and exiled by the Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar; Abigaille is his eldest daughter and is involved in one of the romantic subplots.

Theodossiou was adamant that the show — and life — must go on, despite the terrifying experience.

“I am a warrior,” she said.