The Misanthrope (original title Le Misanthrope) is a 1666 comedy of character in which Molière dissects the French high society. The protagonist, Alceste, despises all social pretense, insincerity, and flattery, yet is ironically hopelessly in love with the flirtatious and hypocritical Célimène. The Split production uses the translation by Vladimir Gerić.

Director Miloš Lolić, who studied in his native Belgrade, quickly established himself on the international scene, staging plays in prestigious Central European theaters, including Burgtheater, Residenztheater, and Maxim Gorki Theater. His work has been recognized with numerous awards, such as the Grand Prix "Mira Trailović" at BITEF, the "Nestroy" Award in Vienna, and the Sterija Award, making him one of the most important regional theater artists of his generation. He also serves as the Artistic Director of the BITEF Festival.

"It was very important for us to bring Molière back to the stage; he is always relevant, especially this piece of his—a text that has a very provocative title which may be a kind of false lead. The world it presents on stage, full of intrigue, plotting, lies, pretense, and masks, is the world we live in today, perhaps even multiplied. The question of truth is more relevant than ever. Molière himself, and I believe our production, questions truth. Is truth our strongest weapon, or can it sometimes even be to our detriment?" says Lolić.

On the comedic nature of the drama, which is genre-labeled as a comedy, Miloš Lolić states: "This is a serious comedy. Not only are there scenes that are not written comically—we might force some humor into them or add it to confirm to ourselves or the audience that it is a comedy—but the conclusion of this drama is not a comedy." Donat Zeko echoes this sentiment: "Chekhov's dramas are also labeled as comedies. I believe the context of time must certainly be questioned. We are not slaves to the funny, but we allow the funny to happen. We did not insist on comedy at any point."

Andrea Mladinić speaks about her role as Célimène: "She is a female manipulator who exploits others, confident in her feminine attributes which she uses to gain status in that society and to be on good terms with everyone. She is insincere, often wicked. Neither Miloš nor I wanted to settle for the character as written on the surface. We delved deeper, gave her additional dimensions; I insisted that she still be a woman of flesh and blood who has her good qualities, her sincere feelings, her nuances. We all added more vitality to our characters than what is inscribed in the text. The audience can expect a very serious, classical performance, a real, pure enjoyment of a classic written in verse, rhyme, rhythm, and meter. For lovers of classical theater, we are preparing a great treat. It is a pleasure to work with Miloš; he is a great director and a great man, and I would love for him to come direct here again."

Pere Eranović (Oronte): "Lolić is an excellent director, one of those who reignite a love for the theater. The work was painless, full of respect. My character is a vain villain, a misunderstood poet who, through a court of honor, tries to gain profit out of his own offense. I don't have many points of contact with him, he's a versifier like me, that's one point of contact. But, I believe my verses are somewhat better quality."

Following the premiere, repeat performances of The Misanthrope are scheduled for November 8th, 10th, and 11th, and December 3rd.

In addition to director Lolić, who is also the set designer, author of the music selection, and stage movement, the creative team includes: costume designer Mia Popovska, dramaturgs Ivona Rieger (also assistant director) and Periša Perišić, light designer Srđan Barbarić, sound designer Damir Punda, and language consultant Anita Runjić-Stoilova.