Plamen Kartaloff

Saturday, 21 January 2017

PARSIFAL

A festive stage mystery in three acts
Libretto: Richard Wagner after motifs from the poem “Parsifal” by Wolfram von Eschenbach and “Parsifal or the Prince of the Grail” by Chrétien de Troyes or “Mabinogion”
Music: Richard Wagner
First performance: 26 July 1882 in Festspielhaus, Bayreuth, Germany
CHARACTERS:
AMFORTAS, King of Monsalvat – baritone
TITUREL, Founder and Former King of the Grail – bass
GURNEMANZ, Knight of the Grail – bass
KLINGSOR, a Magician – baritone
PARSIFAL – tenor
KUNDRY, a Magician – soprano
KNIGHTS – Armour-bearers of the Grail – tenors and basses
Time of action: the middle centuries
Place of action: Northern Spain

Wagner defines this last stage work of him not as an opera, but as a “festive stage mystery”. He regarded it as something like a “religious ceremony”, and not as “traditional entertainment for the music lovers”. He insisted this work not to be applauded and presented in other theatres, except in his “Festspielhaus” (“House for festive spectacles”) in Bayreuth, where according to his concept could be performed only his works.
But at the premiere the audience was permitted by Wagner to applaud at the end of Act II (while after Act I it was forbidden to do so – this ban is valid even to this day!). Only at “Metropolitan” even to this day is valid the full ban on the applauses. What concerns the ban on the presentation of “Parsifal” outside of Bayreuth, Wagner broke it in the end of his life by permitting the tenor and impresario Angelo Neumann to show it on a series of big world stages. But the foreseen premieres were not realized, except for this in Metropolitan, New York, where the production has turned into a typical American show, with much advertisement, a special train “Parsifal Express” from Chicago to New York and so on.
The religious and philosophical ideas of Wagner’s libretto are to a certain extent a mixture of Christianity and Buddhism, whereas the symbolic of the Chalice of the Grail and the Spear is still more ancient. But Wolfram von Eschenbach’s poem is Christian in spirit – the Blessed Grail is the chalice, with which Jesus drank at the Secret Supper, and after his death Joseph of Arimathea gathered in it his blood, and the Spear is with what Christ was speared at the cross.

THE OVERTURE –
is a slowly unfolding sound poem, filled with a deep religious feeling, based on the main themes: Love, Spear, Grail, Faith. Wagner made an edition of the overture, with a completed final, so that it could be included as an independent orchestra work in the programmes of the symphonic concerts, but when it is performed in the opera, the curtain raises at the dissonant chord.

SYNOPSIS

ACT I
SCENE I. Not far from the castle – sanctuary, where is kept the Holy Grail, on the Monsalvat Mountain (the Saved Mountain) in Northern Spain. In the holy wood, surrounding the castle, under the shadow of a big branched tree is sleeping the old knight Gurnemanz. The dawn slowly rises. Gurnemanz wakes up and awakens the asleep next to him young knights, armour-bearers. All of them fall on their knees in a prayer ecstasy. They have come here to help Amfortas, the King of the Grail, to perform his everyday ritual washing in the waters of the lake nearby. All of them hope this way to be relieved the pain from his incurable wound. The magician Kundry interrupts the common prayer. She, who serves at the same time the knights of the Grail and their enemy – the magician Klingsor, has brought a balm from distant Arabia, in order to help Amfortas. The King, who was brought here on a stretcher, wants to thank the young woman, although he has already lost faith that he would recover.
When Amfortas recedes, Gurnemanz tells the knights armour-bearers a part of the story of the Holy Grail. The old King Titurel, Amfortas’ father, received both holy treasures – the Chalice or the Holy Grail, from which Jesus drank wine at the Secret Supper, and the Spear, with which He was speared on the cross. To preserve them, King Titurel constructed a sanctuary (relictorium) and gathered a detachment of devoted knights to watch vigilantly over these both relics. Now Titurel has grown very old to be able to perform this holy mission, and King became his son Amfortas. But here lived someone called Klingsor. In the past, as repented sinner, he wished to become a knight of the Grail, in order to receive absolution, but the dark passions continued to rage in his soul and he gathered around him the enemies of the Grail and began to practice evil magic. With the help of a group of young beauties, who he settled in a magical flourishing garden at the place of a former desert valley, he dragged away Amfortas there. He presented to him Kundry, who turned into a beauty and, entranced by her, the young King lost hold of the Spear for a moment. The magician grabbed it and wounded badly the young King. He could be saved only if some pure and immaculate young knight succeeded to take away the Spear from the hands of the treacherous and evil Klingsor.
At the end of Gurnemanz’s story, is heard a strong cry from the side of the lake. Before the feet of the old knight falls a shot down dying pigeon. After him arrives an unknown young man and when Gurnemanz reproaches him to have done a big evil by killing the bird, the young man absolutely naively replies that he doesn’t know what evil is. This is Parsifal, who doesn’t know even the names of his parents. Kundry, however, knows more than him and tells him that his mother was dead. Gurnemanz understands that namely this naive creature will be able to save King Amfortas. And he solemnly leads him to the castle. Under the sounds of the “Music of Transfiguration” begins

SCENE II. In the huge hall of the castle of the Holy Grail have gathered all knights. The old King Titurel asks his son to continue the ceremony. In the beginning, Amfortas refuses: the wound tortures him violently, but at the end he agrees. The ceremony – communion – with the bread and the wine begins. At the sight of the Holy Chalice, Amfortas’ wound starts bleeding. Parsifal remains speechless and watches the pains of Amfortas with indifference. On the face of the young man doesn’t appear any shade of compassion! In the end of this long ceremony, the angered Gurnemanz chased Parsifal away with the judgement that he is not worthy to be proclaimed knight of the Grail.

ACT II

SCENE I. Klingsor’s possessions. The evil magician invokes Kundry to help him and, against her will, she appears in front of him. He wants Kundry to turn again into a seductive beauty, as he did in the case with Amfortas, in order to help him – Klingsor has decided to win a victory over Parsifal. Kundry must seduce the young man, the same way she deceived Amfortas before.
SCENE II. Klingsor’s magical garden. Here is Parsifal, who has just killed some of the magician’s evil knights. The maidens-beauties in service by Klingsor reproach him because of the death of the knights, who they loved. But the appearance of Parsifal is so pure and innocent, that they, conquered by his beauty and purity, go to him, disguised as flowers, ready to endow him their love and admiration. Kundry also appears, the most beautiful of them, who sends them away, in order to remain alone with the young man. She tells him about his noble father, the knight Gamuret and about his mother, Herzeleide. She informs him that his mother has given him this name, Parsifal, which means “naïve fool”. Kundry continues to pour out her love feelings and with cunning (by convincing him that she should give him a farewell kiss from his mother) she succeeds to kiss him. This fatal kiss evokes in the young man passion and together with it a feeling of compassion. Parsifal unexpectedly remembers about the hard, bleeding wound of King Amfortas and he realizes that exactly he is obliged to cure and save him. He bluntly drives Kundry back. She starts shouting and asks Klingsor for help. The magician appears at the moment and throws to Parsifal the Holy Spear. But a wonder happens: the Spear freezes in the air exactly over the young man’s head. Then he grabs it and makes a cross sign with it. Klingsor falls down in a moment, the magical garden turns into a sand desert, and Kundry falls unconscious on the ground. Klingsor loses his strength and power. Parsifal turns to Kundry and cries out: “We shall see each other again!”

ACT III

SCENE I. After many years. The young hero cannot find the way back to the sanctuary of the Grail. And the knightly brotherhood is suffering, because its leader, the still sick Amfortas is not able to perform his assigned holy mission.
A wonderful morning on the Good Friday. The very old Gurnemanz goes out of his hut at the sun. In front of the entry he finds the lying on the ground Kundry, who is almost unconscious. After Klingsor’s death, the repentant sinner has decided to serve only the knights of the Grail. After a while draws near a knight with a black chain armour and a spear in the hand. His face is hidden. Gurnemanz convinces him to take off the armours, because during the Good Friday one doesn’t carry armour at the holy place. The knight uncovers his face, falls on his knees and begins to pray. Kundry and Gurnemanz recognize Parsifal. He tells them about his fight with Klingsor, about the wounds he received fighting on the way till he reached Monsalvat. On his part, Gurnemanz tells him about the sufferings of the knights during that time, and also about the death of the old King Titurel. While listening to the story of Gurnemanz, Parsifal continuously reproaches himself that he has become a reason for all those sufferings. But the old man solemnly makes a cross sign in front of him, and Kundry washes ritually his feet with water from the lake. On his turn, Parsifal asks Gurnemanz to anoint his head. Through this blessing Parsifal becomes the new King of the Grail. The first thing he would do as such is to convert Kundry to Christianity.
In this moment Parsifal discovers for the first time the beauty of awakening nature. There sounds the wonderful “Easter music”. There sound festive bells. The three of them – Gurnemanz, Parsifal and Kundry – go to perform the last rites over the body of the dead King Titurel.
SCENE II. The majestic hall of the Grail. The knights help Amfortas to sit down on the throne. The pain from the wound is so unbearable that he just doesn’t have strength to take off the veil from the Grail and prays for only one thing – to die as soon as possible. But in this moment in front of him appears Parsifal, who tells him: “Have faith only in the weapon, it wounded you, but it will save you!” And he touches with the Spear the wound of the King. It closes and disappears in a moment. Parsifal proclaims to be the King of the Grail. He takes off the veil from the Holy Chalice, falls on his knees in a silent prayer, and the Chalice starts to emit a strong light. The voices of the knights and the boys’ chorus raise in a wonderful harmony. The deeply moved Kundry, gazing at the Holy Grail, falls dead on the floor, at last found peace and forgiveness for her sins. And when Parsifal takes the Chalice and raises it over the heads of the knights, the orchestra plays the final, conclusive measures of the opera – the transfiguration on the theme of the Holy Grail and the Secret supper.

Ognyan Stamboliev

Saturday, 21 January 2017

“In “PARSIFAL” – this last work of his, Wagner tried to be less severe and autocratic in his attitude to music. Here we shall not find the exhausting, obtrusive representation of Tristan’s pernicious passion, nor Isolde’s insane almost animal wails, nor the verbose comments on Wotan’s inhuman cruelty. Not another page by Wagner reaches the beauty of the introduction to Act III and the episode “Good Friday”. In the whole opera, the sounding of the orchestra is unexpected, unique, noble and powerful. Before us is one majestic “monument of great Music”. These are words by Claude Debussy, who admits that he loved not so much the characters of this “mystical drama”, but its “decorative side”.
On the opera, conceived and conformable to the acoustics and the technique of the Bayreuth theatre, Wagner started working hard since 1877, but the first sketches for the libretto were made still in 1857. After the premiere, the copyrights for the production were held entire thirty years by Wagner’s theatre-temple, so that abroad the opera saw the light of day not until 1914 in Italy. And this ban increased the interest to this “mysterious work”, about which were written many pages.
In one of his letters to his patron and friend Ludwig II of Bavaria, Wagner wrote: “How is it possible to produce a spectacle, in which to be presented openly the most sublime sacraments of Christian religion, at that on stages, on which reigns frivolity and even shamelessness? This is why I am going to produce it only in my theatre in Bayreuth. Only there and nowhere else “Parsifal” may be performed even after my death!”
In 1913, monopoly copyright about the production was cancelled by Wagner’s widow Cosima. This was a wise decision, because the myth about Wagner’s festival like all myths, however, had one important defect – the absence of development. George Bernard Shaw asserts that the first productions in Bayreuth were not at all wonderful. The vocal side was badly defended, some of the singers were fat like beer barrels. The feminine costumes were shy and stupid. But not a single one of Wagner’s operas did sound so good there, like “Parsifal”.
What composes the base of the opera, its literature origin and plot, attains a special brightness in the light of the author’s musical ideas. The essence of these ideas becomes visible most distinctly in the description of the festive ceremonies of the Grail, in the image of the sparkling chalice, of the light, descending from the mysterious heights, illuminating the righteous Christians, and also in the chorales of the knights, something unprecedented till then in European music, preceding the orchestra of Berlioz, Brahms’s Requiem, close to Liszt’s poems and Giovanni Gabrieli’s music…
Here there is fear of the carnal sins. And if according to Schopenhauer the carnal pleasure is an illusion for the human being, that he or she acts for his/her own welfare, while actually he or she satisfies the needs of the human kind”, for him, “Wagner’s disciple” the sex hides still more serious dangers. This is the curse of love, tormenting the human being from the end of the 19 century, fast to exhaustion, to hysteria. That way Kundry, tortured by her instinctive impulses, is rejected by Parsifal. The relations between the sexes here reach a high tension, which shows not only the psychological fear or physical pathology, but expresses also the psychic experiences of the human being. Of each one of us!
This opera by Wagner, about which many people assert that it was more intended for the ear, than for the eyes, actually possesses a strong theatrical power, a conquering stage influence.

Gaetano Marchesi, Milano

Saturday, 21 January 2017

Recently the produced “Tristan und Isolde” by Academician Plamen Kartaloff for the first time on home stage, at the Sofia Opera, was an exceptional event in our cultural life. The production was highly estimated by the audience and the foreign critique and one can definitely say that it proved that our National Opera is on the way up and its spectacles are already commensurable with the level of the leading European stages.
But we can say that Wagner’s operas are a comparatively rare guest on our stages. The reasons are many. In the first place – the Bulgarian audience, which prefers mainly the Italian authors and before everything else Verdi, Rossini, Donizetti and Puccini. In the second place – our singers, prepared mainly for the Italian and Russian repertoire. So that it is not surprizing that till World War II in our country were realized only: “Der fliegende Holländer”, “Tannhäuser”, “Lohengrin” and “Das Rheingold”.
On 10 February 1930 was the first Bulgarian meeting with Wagner. The conductors Venedikt Bobchevski and Hermann Stange and the directors Ilia Arnaudov and Nikolay Vekov prepared diligently and precisely, in a “more German way” “The Dutchman” in Sofia. The first, moreover successful “Wagner” singers in our country were: Tsvetana Tabakova, Mihail Popov, Lyuben Minchev, Tsvetan Karolev.
On 30 January 1931, the chief conductor Stange produced “Tannhäuser”, together with the director Nikolay Vekov. The presentation of this opera also turned into a sensation for cultural Sofia. It proved the growth of the theatre. Actually, the 30-s and the 40-s can be defined as one of the most successful periods in the institute’s history. Hermann Stange worked hard with the singers, the chorus and the orchestra, in order to achieve the difficult and unwonted for them Wagner style. The young and very loud-voiced and full of temperament dramatic singer Tsvetana Tabakova, considered for one of the great phenomena of singer’s Bulgaria before the war, was an impressive, queenly Elisabeth. In the main role was the premier soloist Stefan Makedonski, Wolfram was the founder Petar Zolotovich, Walter – Konstantin Karenin /a Russian emigrant, a tenor of world class!/, Wolfram – Mihail Popov, Venus – Lyuba Krasteva. One really first-class cast!
After 3 years, the Opera turned again to this author. With “Lohengrin” on 5 October 1934 was opened season 1934/1935. Conductor was Moisey Zlatin, director – the German graduate Dragan Kardjiev, set designer Aleksandar Milenkov. Lohengrin was Konstantin Karenin, Elsa – Tsvetana Tabakova, this rising star, unfortunately deceased too early, Telramund – Sabcho Sabev, Ortrud – Konstantsa Kirova. The premiere passed with great success. The applauses at the final were tremendous, enthusiastic. “Lohengrin” became “the planks of the season” and was performed long time with full halls. After a certain time it was revived several times with new soloists. In 1939 “Tannhäuser” was produced for a second time.
In the “war season” 1943-1944 there were only three premieres. Of the Bulgarian one-act ballets after Filip Kutev’s and Petko Staynov’s music, after choreography by the famous Maria Dimova and a new production of “Lucia di Lammermoor” by Donizetti with Katya Apostolova and Lyuben Minchev. “The planks” of the season was the first realization in our country of “Das Rheingold” – conductor Asen Naydenov, director – the Director of the Frankfurt Opera Hans Meissner.
According to the memories of the chorus singer Zlata Bozhkova, the premiere made a “grandiose impression, with the direction and the musical performance, as well as with the technical achievements”. As Wotan marked one of his greatest successes the baritone Hristo Brambarov, a great singer and artist, at that time in his apogee, remarkable characteristic characters made Sabcho Sabev as Alberich and Georgi Hinchev as Mime. For two months the opera was performed eight times, after which it went off the repertoire. There came the coup d’etat from the fatal 9 September.

+++

Here we must note that the both guest-performances of the Frankfurt Opera /two times in 1938 and in 1940/ and of the Hamburg Opera in 1943 with German and more specially Wagner repertoire, influence strongly our artists and were received very well by our music audience. Moreover, they were directed by two eminent conductors and interprets of the composer – Franz Konwitschny and Hans Swarowsky and by the directors-intendants Otto Fritz and Hans Meissner.
In November 1938 was presented Wagner’s entire tetralogy in 4 evenings /10, 11, 13 and 15 November/ under the direction of Franz Konwitschny – a great event in the Bulgarian musical life before the war. All this gave a stimulus for the reception of Wagner in our country.

+++

After the coup d’etat from 1944 Wagner was for a certain time outside of the repertoire quests of our music theatres – because of ideological reasons. In 1959 Prof. Dragan Kardzhiev and the conductor Atanas Margaritov produced “Der fliegende Holländer”. It was not performed for a long time, because the audience was fallen out of the habit of this style. A greater success enjoyed “Lohengrin”, realized in Bulgarian language /like all Wagner titles till that time!/ by the director Mihail Hadzhimishev, the designer Ani Hadzhimisheva and the chief conductor Asen Naydenov. The cast was quite strong: Julia Wiener, Nadya Afeyan, Lyubomir Bodurov, Lyubomir Mihaylov. It was performed for a long time, at great interest by the audience, seasons in succession.
When Acad. Plamen Kartaloff took up and renewed our National Opera /which experienced till that time some critical periods/, the interest in Wagner was renewed. Already on another base. Produced were the operas from “The Ring” in the language of the original, for our pride! At a surprisingly high level, with wonderful young singers, who adopted the difficult music style of Wagner. The productions were received like real events and marked a top in the history of the institute. This was the first large scale Wagner series in South-East Europe, I would say at a world level – in each relation, as musical interpretation, as production concept and realization, work with the artists, as technique and artistic lighting, as modern and functional set design. Spectacles, worthy for each big world stage.
I think that Wagner was produced well also on several stages in the country. In the first place I would name the work of Dimitar Uzunov as director, after his specialization in Vienna, and of Romeo Raychev, and also of our great set designer Mariana Popova in Ruse on “Der fliegende Holländer” in 1969 with two remarkable singers-artists: Anastas Anastasov and Maria Ventseslavova-Anastasova. “The Dutchman” had also its successful Varna premiere in 1980 with Kiril Krastev under the direction of Kuzman Popov, and in 1983 also in Stara Zagora by a German production team and the conductor Dimitar Dimitrov. In Ruse in 1994 the German director Walter Eichner and the conductor from Switzerland Nikola Bliznakov produced at a comparatively good level in German “Tannhäuser” with German and Bulgarian soloists.

Ognyan Stamboliev

Saturday, 21 January 2017

The Romanian tenor Daniel Magdal will be guest-performer as Samson in Hugo de Ana’s production of “Samson et Dalila” on 28 January at 19.00 h. This is the performer’s debut in Bulgaria and he expects it with great emotion. Otello and Samson are his two favourite characters, and Saint-Saëns’s work is the preferred title in his repertoire. He prepared it for the production at the Bucharest National Opera some years ago. “The role of Samson gives everything, which a tenor wants to achieve in singing. To me personally it brings a very big satisfaction”, says Magdal, who is a lyric spinto tenor. He knows the work of the director Hugo de Ana and appreciates it very much. “He is a very big name in the world of opera and for me it is an honour to take part in a spectacle of his”, emphasized Daniel Magdal.
He graduated from the George Enescu Academy of Music in his hometown Iași, Romania. Since a child, he was attracted by classical music, and especially by the opera, although in his family there are no persons, dedicated to this art. At the Music School he played on percussions in the classical orchestra, but singing was what attracted him really and it predetermined his way. “Opera is my big love since I was a child”, notes the performer, who already has participations on prestigious stages behind his back. After several seasons as soloist of the Iași Opera Theatre in the beginning of the 90-s, he found himself at the theatre of the German town Flensburg, near to the border with Denmark. Three years later, he decided to become a freelancer.
Except for two titles, his repertoire includes the whole tenor repertoire of Puccini’s operas. He sings also works by Verdi, Boito, Meyerbeer, Berlioz, Wagner in theatres all over Germany. At the Prague State Opera he was invited for “Aida”, “La traviata” by Verdi and for “Mefistofele” by Boito. He was guest-performer at Deutche Oper Berlin, as well as at theatres in Tokyo and Osaka in Japan and in Canada. He was on one stage with performers from the rank of Daniela Barcellona and Roberto Alagna. He admits that the operas from the last century are not his liking, although sometimes he has participations also in such titles. “Today it is much more difficult to make a career as an opera singer. The artist doesn’t have especially big choice and he is forced to accept also roles, which are maybe not his favourite. Preferred are quite young performers, without experience and without enough well developed style of singing. I am trying to adhere strictly to the requirements of the directors, with who I work, although I believe that each thing must reflect the concept of the author of the work. Of course, the set design and the costumes can be modern, but what’s happening should not contradict the composer’s intentions. It is necessary to understand the action in order to begin loving it”, says he.
Daniel Magdal believes that the opera is an art with future, which must remain true to its roots. “I think that it will forever remain a very important part of the life of everyone, because it models our souls. It is very important to transfer this feeling to the young generations.”

Friday, 20 January 2017

“Bulgarian mezzo Nadia Krasteva’s fiery performance as the temptress fully aware of her powers displayed an entire constellation of vocal beauty, sensuality, and acting prowess. Integrating Krasteva’s astonishingly flexible body movements into the mix added a whole new dimension to this character, with nuances of grace and subtlety that have rarely emerged in traditional portrayals of Delilah as a merciless, conniving woman bent on revenge. Most impressive of all, Krasteva’s voice, a perfect mélange of expansive range, lush tones and agility, made hers a stunning San Diego Opera debut.” Erica Miner in “Operapulse” about the debut of Nadia Krasteva in the role of Dalila in San Diego (USA).
“The mezzo-soprano Nadia Krasteva has a developed international career, with polished voice, beautiful colouring and confidence all over the range. She is endowed also with exceptional actor’s qualities. Supported by Leda Lojodice for the dances, she revealed an unexpected talent of a ballerina. She developed a unique and fascinating character of the inconstant, seductive and lustful Dalila.
Merit of the mastery of the director Hugo de Ana is also one final touch of a nearly “Christian” charity towards the wretched and ridiculed character, for his betrayal, led to blindness and infirmity.” Quotation from the review by Andrea Merli, L’opera magazine:
Nadia Krasteva was born in Sofia. She graduated from the Pancho Vladigerov National Academy of Music, major “Opera singing“, in the class of Prof. Zhasmina Kostova, and then she specialized at the Boris Christoff Academy in Rome with Anita Cerquetti. Nadia Krasteva is mezzo-soprano.
She has worked at the Stara Zagora State Opera. In 2002, she received an invitation from the Vienna State Opera and Nadia Krasteva fast turned into a leading figure and favourite of the audience in Vienna, where she made her debut as Fenena in “Nabucco” and performs with great success almost all big mezzo-soprano parts like Carmen (“Carmen”), Leonora (“La Favorita”), Adalgisa (“Norma”), Sara (“Roberto Devereux”), Eboli (in the French and in the Italian version of “Don Carlo”), Maria Gesualdo (“Gesualdo”), Ulrica (“Un Ballo in Maschera”), Giulietta (“Les contes d’Hoffmann”), Marina (“Boris Godunov”), Preziosilla (“La Forza del Destino”), Maddalena (“Rigoletto”), Olga (“Eugene Onegin”), Suzuki (“Madama Butterfly”) and others.
The well-known Bulgarian singer conquered also the stage of the Lyric Opera of Chicago, where she sang in the opera “Carmen” by G. Bizet, and her partners were the Americans Brandon Jovanovich, Kyle Ketelsen and others. The theatre’s management considered that the “sensational mezzo-soprano Nadia Krasteva dances and sings in the role of the gipsy seducer as no one else today!”
Nadia Krasteva is a permanent guest-performer on the most prestigious opera stages and musical festivals in Europe, the USA and Japan – with all of the listed roles, as well as with parts like Dalila, Amneris, The Princess (“Rusalka”), Venus (“Tannhäuser”), Verdi’s and Mozart’s “Requiem”, Beethoven’s 9th Symphony, at opera gala concerts and solo recitals.
Nadia Krasteva has sung together with names like Edita Gruberova, Placido Domingo, Agnes Baltsa, Anna Netrebko, Marcelo Alvarez, Neil Shicoff under the baton of celebrated conductors like Zubin Mehta, Seiji Ozawa, Fabio Luisi, Riccardo Muti, Adam Fischer, Julian Kovatchev, Daniele Gatti. She has taken part in productions of directors like Franco Zeffirelli, Hugo de Ana, Peter Konwitschny, Vera Nemirova, Marco Arturo Marelli. The audience has applauded her not only in Vienna, but also in Paris, Berlin, Moscow, Tokyo, Milan, Zurich, Amsterdam, Munich, Chicago, Dallas, San Diego, Santander, Valencia, Hamburg, Beijing, on Arena di Verona, in Sankt Margarethen.
In October 2013, Nadia Krasteva made her debut at La Scala di Milano as Amneris in “Aida”, and in her schedule later on followed guest-performances in Berlin with the same role, as well as with Preziosilla in Munich, Adalgisa and Giulietta in Vienna, premiere of “Carmen” and others.
On 11 December 2014, Nadia Krasteva participated in the premiere of the opera “Samson et Dalila” at the Sofia Opera and Ballet. She will perform Dalila again on 27 January, 19:00 and 29 January, 16:00.

Friday, 20 January 2017

“Samson et Dalila” – the world recognized masterpiece by Camille Saint-Saëns, the second work on the stage of Sofia Opera and Ballet of the well-known producer – the Argentinian-born Hugo de Ana, will be staged again on 27, 28 and 29 January.
In 2013 De Ana produced “Aida”, which was welcomed with admiration by the audience and the critique in Sofia. A year after its premiere in the theatre, we will see again Hugo de Ana’s interpretation of the famous story of the impossible love between the Jew Samson and the Philistine Dalila.
“Samson et Dalila” was produced for the first time in Bulgaria 82 years ago – on 27 February 1924. The production wasn’t off the theatre’s playbill during three years, at that Stefan Makedonski dressed the costume of his legendary character more than 50 times!
For the interesting production by Hugo de Ana is attracted a really star cast from guest-performers and native soloists. As Dalila you will have the chance to see the living in Vienna brilliant Bulgarian performer Nadia Krasteva. She triumphs in that role at San Diego Theatre, the USA, in 2013. One more participant will present herself in the main role – Tsveta Sarambelieva. Three are also the performers of Samson – the Romanian tenor Daniel Magdal, who makes his debut in Sofia in this role as well as the Bulgarian Kostadin Andreev. Biser Georgiev a leading soloist of The Sofia Opera, and Svilen Nikolov and Vesselin Mihaylov are among the other participants.
Conductor is Yurie Florea. Hugo de Ana is Set and Costume Designer in the production, Choreography Leda Lojodice, Light Designer Vinicio Cheli, Multimedia Designer Lora Runevska and Chorus Master Violeta Dimitrova.

“Samson et Dalila” will be presented only 3 times during this season – on 27, 28 and 29 January.

Friday, 20 January 2017

It was a real present for the friends of the opera to have the chance to applause the marvellous mezzo-soprano Nadia Krasteva. And, second, the management of Sofia Opera since some time already succeeds to wake and keep awake the interest of its audience to entirely new or totally forgotten works from the opera repertoire. This was the case with Wagner’s tetralogy “Der Ring des Nibelungen”, which was performed as a whole for the first time on the Balkans and provoked a sensation with international response. Now such is the case with the opera by Camille Saint-Saëns, a work, which was not presented in the last 80 years in Sofia. (Before there were two performances in 1923 and in1932, as well as one in 1968 at the Opera in Ruse).

Except for shining in the main part of Dalila, Nadia Krasteva played a decisive role for the choice of this work. She expressed her desire to sing exactly this role on her native stage. For her it is a „divine music”. She admits also that her debut in the role of Dalila in the USA was exceptionally successful and that she had wonderful memories of this enthusiastic reception. The Bulgarian audience already knows her fiery Carmen. It is understandable this success to be followed by another passionate character – by Dalila. At that Nadia Krasteva possesses a strong, in all respects well-sounding voice, dark coloured timbre, impressive look, as well as acting skill, therefore everything, which is necessary for the representation of this character. From stage and musical point of view Dalila absolutely suits Nadia Krasteva and this will surely be her next famous role.

The director Hugo de Ana, well-known with his specific director’s solutions and complex work, puts high requirements to the soloist Nadia Krasteva, as well as to the entire ensemble. They have to represent a homogeneous part of the total appearance, by taking part in the ballet scenes too. As it was expected, Hugo de Ana again placed an emphasis on a set design, based on light effects. Characteristic for his choice of the costumes is the collision between the ascetic clothes of the Hebrews and the kitsch garments of the Philistines, which in the last act turn the temple into a real cabaret.

As a whole we can speak of a triumphal evening for Nadia Krasteva, as well as of enthusiastic audience, very long applauses for the soloists, the chorus, the ballet and the conductor after the final drop of the stage curtain.

Irena Gadeleva (Bulgarian National Radio), Boryana Yosifova (correspondent of the Bulgarian National Radio in Vienna), 2015

Saturday, 03 December 2016

ACAD. PLAMEN KARTALOFF IS THE WINNER OF THE “ST. PAISIY HILENDARSKI” STATE AWARD FOR 2016

The Premier Boyko Borisov handed over the “St. Paisiy Hilendarski” state award to the Director of the Sofia Opera and Ballet Acad. Plamen Kartaloff. The distinction was awarded to the eminent opera director for his exceptional contribution for the development of the national cultural identity and spiritual values.

“For me it’s a real pleasure that next to the names of the former winners of this exceptionally high and prestigious state award today we place also the name of Acad. Plamen Kartaloff”, declared at the ceremony the Minister of Culture Vezhdi Rashidov and he pointed that the name of the Director of the Sofia Opera and Ballet is known not only in our country, but all over the world. “From Sofia to Tokyo, from Rome and Milano to Vienna, from Moscow to Rio de Janeiro, everywhere the name of Acad. Kartaloff is being mentioned with exceptional respect and recognition. His contribution for the development not only of the Bulgarian, but also of the world operatic art is generally recognized”, said the Minister.

At the acceptance of the award, Acad. Plamen Kartaloff expressed his gratitude for the awarded distinction. “With a great emotion I am accepting this sign of distinction”, declared he by emphasizing that the enormous longing in his work has always been our country to be recognizable in the whole world with its best achievements in the sphere of culture. “I shall carry this high recognition with still bigger responsibility, because this is the name of Paisius of Hilendar – the originator of the Bulgarian Renaissance, emissary and patriot. We are striving to follow these paths of spirituality and development of our nation – you, the politicians and statesmen, and we – the men of art”, said Acad. Plamen Kartaloff.

The annual “St. Paisiy Hilendarski” state award was founded with Government Decree No. 149 from 2000. It is awarded for stimulation of the Bulgarian artists and performers of works, connected with the Bulgarian history and traditions. Its winner for 2015 was the world-known Bulgarian composer Acad. Vassil Kazandjiev. His other laureates in the years were Prof. Vera Mutafchieva, Acad. Svetlin Roussev, Prof. Stefan Danailov, Yordan Radichkov, Prof. Hristo Hristov, arch. Bogdan Tomalevski, Bogomil Raynov, Valeri Petrov, Rangel Valchanov, Prof. Krum Damyanov, Naum Shopov, Hristo Ganev, Member-corr. Prof. Elka Bakalowa, Angel Wagenstein, Acad. Anton Donchev.

Thursday, 21 July 2016

Susanna Branchini, Gabriela Georgieva, Vladimir Stoyanov, Kiril Manolov, Shay Bloch, Oana Andra, Daniel Damyanov, Daniel Ostretsov, Roberto Scandiuzzi, Dimitar Stanchev, Kakhaber Shavidze et al soloists. choir, ballet and orchestra conducted by Mikhail Sinkevich are mastering details from the directing by Plamen Kartaloff.

Monday, 11 July 2016

Monday, 11 July 2016

The construction of the stage for the premiere of the opera “Nabucco”

The construction of the stage for the premiere of the opera “Nabucco” by Verdi begins. It will

be erected next to the north facing part of the St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, on the side of Moskovska Street, informed the Sofia Opera.

The trapezium stage with the form of unfolded roll – with 40 meters length and 10 meters depth and the 4-floor Semiramida gardens, built on a massive pyramidal construction, as well as veritable Stairways to heaven, which ends with Moses’s hands, will impress the huge audience with the new large-scale creative challenge with Maestro Plamen Kartaloff’s signature.

Giuseppe Verdi’s “Nabucco” – from 23 to 31 July, for the second time after “Boris Godunov” by Mussorgsky in 2014. The Sofia Opera will transform the space around the St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral into a stage, on which will be presented the immortal opera by the great Italian. Verdi’s third opera turned into the title, which launched him forever into the orbit of the greatest in the world of this art. The theatre’s newest premiere is dedicated to 125 Years Sofia Opera.

The stage director Plamen Kartaloff reminded us of one very emotional and fatal phrase in the opera “Nabucco”, “which could be connected with today’s demographic, political, spiritual and economic crisis in our country: “Oh, Motherland, beautiful and lost…”, noted from the Opera.

Sofia, 4 July /Desimira Mitkova, BTA/

Friday, 24 June 2016

For the seventh year from 1 to 17 July the festival “Opera in the Park” will fill with music the park of the Defence Academy. As host of the event, the Head of the Academy general Todor Dochev reassured that everyone who has chosen to visit the opera and ballet spectacles or the spectacles for children will feel himself wonderful by the conditions made.

The Director of the National Opera Acad. Plamen Kartaloff pointed out that the festival has already its tradition, at that not only among the adult love makers, but also among the children, because for the sixth year in succession in the specially assigned space will be performed spectacles for children, in which it turns out that “the children are taking their parents to the opera”. As for the programme, it will be opened with three consecutive spectacles of Puccini’s opera “Turandot” (1, 2 and 3 July), an opera, which fascinated for a third time in succession the Japanese audience in the season’s beginning, emphasized Acad. Kartaloff.

It is curious that on 3 July Act II will be with the special participation of Uti Bachvarov. What exactly will be his participation and if the culinary specialist will sing on the stage will find out the spectators, who will be there.

Moreover, as a whole in the programme of “Opera in the Park” this year a very strong presence will have the ballet of the National Opera too.

http://bnr.bg/post/100706765/operata-za-sedmo-lato-e-v-parka-na-voennata-akademia

Четвъртък, 17 август 2017

Oper in ungewohntem mystischem Ambiente

Die Belogradchik Peaks, also die Felsen von Belogradchik im äußersten Nordwesten Bulgariens, sind turmartige Felsformationen, die sich hier seit dem Perm vor ungefähr 230 Millionen Jahren durch tektonische Bewegungen und anschließende Erosion formten und die verschiedensten Felsfiguren bilden. Man sieht Formationen wie menschliche und tierische Köpfe, die zusammen mit anderen Felsbildern und der insgesamt beeindruckenden Gestaltung der Peaks der gesamten Region einen mystischen Charakter verleihen. Ein ideales Ambiente für die Aufführung von Freilicht-Opern, wie es der Intendant der Sofia Oper und Ballett, Acad. Plamen Kartaloff, mit seiner großen Fantasie für ungewöhnliche Aufführungsorte schnell erkannte und hier vor kurzem ein Sommer-Festival für Oper und Ballett ins Leben rief.

Das vor den Peaks bereits zwischen dem 1. und 3. Jahrhundert unserer Zeitrechnung entstandene kleine Festungsversteck, welches bis ins 15. Jahrhundert unter verschiedenen Herrschern und Besatzern zu einer Festung ausgebaut wurde, bietet dafür den nahezu idealen theatralen Raum. Die Festung Belogradchik wurde zuletzt ab 1805 von französischen Ingenieuren total umgebaut und erweitert. Ihre Arbeit beendeten italienische Schutzanlagespezialisten im Jahre 1837. Zwischen den beiden 12 Meter hohen Festungsmauern ergibt sich vor den Peaks ein Areal, das der Bühne, einem davor liegenden mittelgroßen unüberdachten Orchester sowie einer Tribüne von 650 Zuschauern Platz bietet. Von dieser kann man dem Stück mit großer Nähe und damit einer gewissen Intimität beiwohnen. Eine Verstärkung der Sänger ist deshalb auch nicht erforderlich, die Akustik ist sehr gut.

Das diesjährige Sommer-Festival eröffnete mit „Nabucco“ und brachte des Weiteren die Opern „Lakmé“, „Tosca“, „La Cenerentola“ sowie „Madama Butterfly“ und die Ballettaufführungen „Zorba the Greek“, „Carmen“, „Rhapsody in Blue“ und „Don Quixote“. Vor Beginn der Aufführung von „Nabucco“ hielten der Metropolit der Regionshauptstadt Vidin, der Vize-Kulturminister, der Bürgermeister von Belogradchik sowie Plamen Kartaloff kurze Ansprachen. Die Aufführung war ausverkauft.

Plamen Kartaloff führte in „Nabucco“ Regie und schuf auch das auf hohen Symbolwert aus der Glaubenswelt der Hebräer setzende klassische Bühnenbild. Boryana Angelova kreierte die Bühnenbildelemente. Links und rechts an der Seite der mit einem Aluminiumboden ausgelegten Bühne liegt eine riesige Thora-Rolle, die zwischen ihren beiden Enden den Chor beherbergt. In der hinteren Bühnenmitte sieht man die monumentalen Hände Moses‘ mit der Tafel der Zehn Gebote. Den Vordergrund bilden einige bauliche Elemente des Tempels über einer goldenen Schatztruhe. Für interessante Momente sorgen der Lichtdesigner Emil Dinkov und die Multimedia-Spezialistin Vera Dimitrova. So lassen sie beispielsweise die Peaks selbst zum Götzenbild der Babylonier werden, in rötlichen Farben, die zu einem matten Schimmer verglühen, wenn das Götzenbild im 4. Akt stürzt. Für die überaus klassischen Kostüme aus der Zeit der Handlung zeichnet Tsvetana Petkova-Stoynova verantwortlich. Etwas weniger Konservativismus beim Design hätte hier gut getan. Die Personenregie ist trotz einer gewissen Statik zumal in den Ensembleszenen gut und hebt die Bedeutung der Aktionen der Protagonisten in den entsprechenden Momenten nachvollziehbar hervor. Mit großer Bewegung und guter Choreographie (Riolina Topalova) setzt sich immer wieder der stimmstarke, von Violeta Dimitrova geleitete Chor in Szene. Auch hier geriet der Gefangenenchor zu einem berückenden Moment des Abends. Für anmutige und choreographisch fantasievolle Momente sorgt das Ballett im 3. Akt.

Im Programmheft hebt die Festspielleitung hervor, dass sie zwei internationale Gäste für diese Produktion an den Peaks gewinnen konnte, und zwar Carlos Almaguer aus Mexiko als Nabucco und Roberto Scandiuzzi aus Italien als Zacharias. Beide erfüllten die Erwartungen sowohl stimmlich wie auch darstellerisch vollkommen. Almaguer war mit seinem kräftigen und aussagestarken Bariton ein Respekt gebietender, überaus souveräner Nabucco und konnte auch in den Szenen überzeugen, in denen er dem Wahnsinn verfallen war. Scandiuzzi ließ seinen prachtvollen, samtenen Bass erklingen und legte als Zacharias ebenfalls große Souveränität an den Tag. Auf diesem hohen Niveau konnte aber auch die Abigail von Gabriela Georgieva aus dem Sofioter Ensemble mithalten. Wann immer sie auf der Bühne stand, war sie sofort Zentrum des Geschehens mit ihrer starken Mimik und einem fast als hochdramatisch zu bezeichnenden Sopran mit eindrucksvoller Attacke, der keine Höhe dieser so anspruchsvollen Partie scheute, wobei sie auch in den tiefen Lagen beeindrucken konnte. Ein Höhepunkt der Aufführung war ihr Duett mit Nabucco im 3. Akt. Diletta Scandiuzzi war eine zarte und mit einem sehr klangschönen, aber nicht allzu großen Mezzo singende Fenena und spielte die Rolle mit viel Emphase. Rosen Nenchev war ein noch sehr junger Ismael, mit einer noch nicht ganz für diese Rolle ausgereiften Stimme. Es war aber erklärtes Ziel des Regisseurs, ihn mit dieser Rolle an das größere Verdi-Fach heranzuführen. Darstellerisch machte er seine Sache mit lebhaftem Spiel sehr gut. Dimitar Stanchev als Oberpriester des Baal, Hrisimir Damyanov als Abdallo und Silvana Pravcheva als Anna rundeten mit sowohl stimmlich wie darstellerisch ansprechenden Leistungen das gute Ensemble ab.

Grigor Palikarov dirigierte das Orchester der Sofia Oper und Ballett mit viel Verve und konnte gleich zu Beginn mit einem sauber strukturierten und akzentuierten Vorspiel beeindrucken. Allerdings gerieten im weiteren Verlauf einige Stellen zu laut, insbesondere die großen Tableaus, sodass selbst Sänger wie Scandiuzzi oder Almaguer bisweilen zugedeckt wurden. Man muss allerdings dazu sagen, dass das Orchester fast auf gleicher Höhe wie die Bühne liegt und die Transparenz somit auch aus diesem Grund etwas leiden kann. Vor den mystisch wirkenden Peaks von Belogradchik war dies jedoch eine beeindruckende „Nabucco“-Aufführung in völlig ungewohntem Ambiente.

Tags darauf spielte man „Lakmé“ von Léo Delibes ebenfalls in einer für die Belogradchik Festung angepassten Produktion der Sofia Oper und Ballett. Plamen Kartaloff führte wieder Regie. Für die wiederum klassische und mit einigen wenigen Bühenbildelementen das Brahmanentum andeutende Szenografie zeichnete Miodrag Tabacki verantwortlich. Der Lichtdesigner Sasho Bekafigo bezog diesmal die Peaks nicht so stark ein. Dafür fand er stimmungsvolle farbige Lichtfantasien für das Geschehen auf der Bühne, insbesondere die Chorszenen und großen Tableaus. Die geschmackvollen und in den Massenszenen auf farbige Pastelltöne setzenden Kostüme aus der Zeit der Handlung der Oper wurden von Angelina Atlagic entworfen. Sie zeigen die Engländer in ihren typischen beigen Militäruniformen und die Brahmanen in ihren weiten weißen Gewändern. Ein Trupp der englischen Soldaten hisst oben zwischen den Peaks die englische Nationalflagge als Zeichen der Besatzung.

Tabacki schuf durch die Errichtung eines kleinen und schlichten Brahmanentempels in der Bühnenmitte mit hinabführenden Rampen links, rechts und hinten zwei Spielebenen. Das weitete die darstellerischen Möglichkeiten aus und bot auch mehr Platz für Monologe und Duette sowie die bestens choreografierten (Maya Shopova) Massenszenen, von denen das lebhafte Treiben auf dem Markt zu Beginn des 2. Akts ein Höhepunkt des Abends war. Das Dach dieses kleinen Brahmanentempel wird durch eine Statue des Elephantengottes Ganesh geziert, an dem Lakmé immer wieder betend niederkniet – er ist so etwas wie das spirituelle Zentrum der Bühne. An den Seiten sieht man, vielleicht etwas zu klischeehaft, zwei große Elefantenattrappen. Auf dem Dach des Brahmanentempels findet auch die Verwundung Geralds durch den Brahmanenpriester Nilakantha statt, nachdem Lakmé ihre Glöckchenarie gesungen hat. Nilakantha wird von Peter Naydenov mit einem ausdrucksstarken und klangvollen Bassbariton gesungen. Er spielt die Rolle als sehr Respekt gebietender souveräner Anführer der Brahmanen. Im 3. Akt, in dem ja Lakmé Gerald im Wald gesund zu pflegen versucht, wird der Brahmanentempel und die Rampe davor mit Gerald und Lakmé mit einem Dschungel von Farnen angestrahlt, so dass sich mit wenigen Mitteln die Ästhetik einer Waldszenerie einstellt.

Wir erleben eine viel detailliertere Personenregie als in „Nabucco“. Alle Figuren werden sehr genau im Einklang mit der Musik geführt. So ist die Blumenarie von Lakmé und Mallika im 1. Akt ein echter musikalischer und auch darstellerischer Höhepunkt. Diana Vasileva singt die Lakmé mit einem technisch bestens geführten lyrischen Sopran, der in der Blumenarie gut mit dem klangvollen Mezzo Diana Genova als Mallika harmoniert. Auch die Glöckchenarie im 2. Akt gelingt Vasileva mit viel Liebe zum Detail und Verinnerlichung. Das Duett mit Gerald am Ende des 1. Akts ist ebenfalls zu den besten Momenten der Aufführung zu zählen.

Kartaloff gelingt es überzeugend, den kulturellen Clash zwischen den englischen Besatzern und den Brahmanen darzustellen. Wenn Gerald und Frederick mit ihren drei Begleiterinnen mit den obligaten Sonnenschirmen in den Bereich des Tempels kommen, wirkt das tatsächlich wie eine weitere Okkupation. Das unbeherrschte Benehmen der Engländer steht in starkem Widerspruch zu dem zurückhaltenden Gebaren der Brahmanen. Diese Differenzierung zieht sich dramaturgisch effektvoll durch den ganzen Abend, auch im Verhalten Geralds zu Lakmé. Daniel Ostretsov, der Loge des Sofioter „Ring“, ist ein erstklassiger Gerald mit einem baritonal unterlegten, fast ins Heldische gehenden Tenor mit kraftvoller Höhe. Er agiert auch darstellerisch mit viel Emphase. Atanas Mladenov, der Amfortas des jüngst heraus gekommenen Sofioter „Parsifal“, lässt einmal mehr als Frederick seinen beeindruckenden Bariton mit guter Facettierung und stimmlichem Ausdruck erklingen – ein ganz großes Talent! Elena Stoyanova singt Ellen, die Verlobte Geralds, mit einem klangvollen Sopran. Rose, ihre Cousine, wird von Silvana Pravcheva und Mrs. Bentson von Rumyana Petrova gesungen und ebenso wie Ellen manieriert gespielt. Miroslav Andreev ist ein serviler Hadji. Weiter sind die guten Leistungen, vor allem auch das Piano des von Violeta Dimitrova einstudierten Chores sowie das fantasievolle Ballett hervor zu heben.

Francesco Rosa dirigierte das Orchester der Sofia Oper und Ballett mit großem Einfühlvermögen für die Sänger. Diesmal geriet nichts zu laut, die Harmonie zwischen Bühne und Orchester war nahezu perfekt.

Bilder: Svetoslav Nikolov

Klaus Billand, 2.8.2017

Сряда, 16 август 2017

Die Belogradchik Peaks, also die Felsen von Belogradchik im äußersten Nordwesten Bulgariens, sind turmartige Felsformationen, die sich hier seit dem Perm vor ungefähr 230 Millionen Jahren durch tektonische Bewegungen und anschließende Erosion formten und die verschiedensten Felsfiguren bilden. Man sieht Formationen wie menschliche und tierische Köpfe, die zusammen mit anderen Felsbildern und der insgesamt beeindruckenden Gestaltung der Peaks der gesamten Region einen mystischen Charakter verleihen. Ein ideales Ambiente für die Aufführung von Freilicht-Opern, wie es der Intendant der Sofia Oper und Ballett, Acad. Plamen Kartaloff, mit seiner großen Fantasie für ungewöhnliche Aufführungsorte schnell erkannte und hier vor kurzem ein Sommer-Festival für Oper und Ballett ins Leben rief.

Das vor den Peaks bereits zwischen dem 1. und 3. Jahrhundert unserer Zeitrechnung entstandene kleine Festungsversteck, welches bis ins 15. Jahrhundert unter verschiedenen Herrschern und Besatzern zu einer Festung ausgebaut wurde, bietet dafür den nahezu idealen theatralen Raum. Die Festung Belogradchik wurde zuletzt ab 1805 von französischen Ingenieuren total umgebaut und erweitert. Ihre Arbeit beendeten italienische Schutzanlagespezialisten im Jahre 1837. Zwischen den beiden 12 Meter hohen Festungsmauern ergibt sich vor den Peaks ein Areal, das der Bühne, einem davor liegenden mittelgroßen unüberdachten Orchester sowie einer Tribüne von 650 Zuschauern Platz bietet. Von dieser kann man dem Stück mit großer Nähe und damit einer gewissen Intimität beiwohnen. Eine Verstärkung der Sänger ist deshalb auch nicht erforderlich, die Akustik ist sehr gut.

7R8A7968 600

Das diesjährige Sommer-Festival eröffnete mit „Nabucco“ und brachte des Weiteren die Opern „Lakmé“, „Tosca“, „La Cenerentola“ sowie „Madama Butterfly“ und die Ballettaufführungen „Zorba the Greek“, „Carmen“, „Rhapsody in Blue“ und „Don Quixote“. Vor Beginn der Aufführung von „Nabucco“ hielten der Metropolit der Regionshauptstadt Vidin, der Vize-Kulturminister, der Bürgermeister von Belogradchik sowie Plamen Kartaloff kurze Ansprachen. Die Aufführung war ausverkauft.

Plamen Kartaloff führte in „Nabucco“ Regie und schuf auch das auf hohen Symbolwert aus der Glaubenswelt der Hebräer setzende klassische Bühnenbild. Boryana Angelova kreierte die Bühnenbildelemente. Links und rechts an der Seite der mit einem Aluminiumboden ausgelegten Bühne liegt eine riesige Thora-Rolle, die zwischen ihren beiden Enden den Chor beherbergt. In der hinteren Bühnenmitte sieht man die monumentalen Hände Moses‘ mit der Tafel der Zehn Gebote. Den Vordergrund bilden einige bauliche Elemente des Tempels über einer goldenen Schatztruhe. Für interessante Momente sorgen der Lichtdesigner Emil Dinkov und die Multimedia-Spezialistin Vera Dimitrova. So lassen sie beispielsweise die Peaks selbst zum Götzenbild der Babylonier werden, in rötlichen Farben, die zu einem matten Schimmer verglühen, wenn das Götzenbild im 4. Akt stürzt. Für die überaus klassischen Kostüme aus der Zeit der Handlung zeichnet Tsvetana Petkova-Stoynova verantwortlich. Etwas weniger Konservativismus beim Design hätte hier gut getan. Die Personenregie ist trotz einer gewissen Statik zumal in den Ensembleszenen gut und hebt die Bedeutung der Aktionen der Protagonisten in den entsprechenden Momenten nachvollziehbar hervor. Mit großer Bewegung und guter Choreographie (Riolina Topalova) setzt sich immer wieder der stimmstarke, von Violeta Dimitrova geleitete Chor in Szene. Auch hier geriet der Gefangenenchor zu einem berückenden Moment des Abends. Für anmutige und choreographisch fantasievolle Momente sorgt das Ballett im 3. Akt.

Im Programmheft hebt die Festspielleitung hervor, dass sie zwei internationale Gäste für diese Produktion an den Peaks gewinnen konnte, und zwar Carlos Almaguer aus Mexiko als Nabucco und Roberto Scandiuzzi aus Italien als Zacharias. Beide erfüllten die Erwartungen sowohl stimmlich wie auch darstellerisch vollkommen. Almaguer war mit seinem kräftigen und aussagestarken Bariton ein Respekt gebietender, überaus souveräner Nabucco und konnte auch in den Szenen überzeugen, in denen er dem Wahnsinn verfallen war. Scandiuzzi ließ seinen prachtvollen, samtenen Bass erklingen und legte als Zacharias ebenfalls große Souveränität an den Tag. Auf diesem hohen Niveau konnte aber auch die Abigail von Gabriela Georgieva aus dem Sofioter Ensemble mithalten. Wann immer sie auf der Bühne stand, war sie sofort Zentrum des Geschehens mit ihrer starken Mimik und einem fast als hochdramatisch zu bezeichnenden Sopran mit eindrucksvoller Attacke, der keine Höhe dieser so anspruchsvollen Partie scheute, wobei sie auch in den tiefen Lagen beeindrucken konnte. Ein Höhepunkt der Aufführung war ihr Duett mit Nabucco im 3. Akt. Diletta Scandiuzzi war eine zarte und mit einem sehr klangschönen, aber nicht allzu großen Mezzo singende Fenena und spielte die Rolle mit viel Emphase. Rosen Nenchev war ein noch sehr junger Ismael, mit einer noch nicht ganz für diese Rolle ausgereiften Stimme. Es war aber erklärtes Ziel des Regisseurs, ihn mit dieser Rolle an das größere Verdi-Fach heranzuführen. Darstellerisch machte er seine Sache mit lebhaftem Spiel sehr gut. Dimitar Stanchev als Oberpriester des Baal, Hrisimir Damyanov als Abdallo und Silvana Pravcheva als Anna rundeten mit sowohl stimmlich wie darstellerisch ansprechenden Leistungen das gute Ensemble ab.

Grigor Palikarov dirigierte das Orchester der Sofia Oper und Ballett mit viel Verve und konnte gleich zu Beginn mit einem sauber strukturierten und akzentuierten Vorspiel beeindrucken. Allerdings gerieten im weiteren Verlauf einige Stellen zu laut, insbesondere die großen Tableaus, sodass selbst Sänger wie Scandiuzzi oder Almaguer bisweilen zugedeckt wurden. Man muss allerdings dazu sagen, dass das Orchester fast auf gleicher Höhe wie die Bühne liegt und die Transparenz somit auch aus diesem Grund etwas leiden kann. Vor den mystisch wirkenden Peaks von Belogradchik war dies jedoch eine beeindruckende „Nabucco“-Aufführung in völlig ungewohntem Ambiente.

7R8A9039 600

Tags darauf spielte man „Lakmé“ von Léo Delibes ebenfalls in einer für die Belogradchik Festung angepassten Produktion der Sofia Oper und Ballett. Plamen Kartaloff führte wieder Regie. Für die wiederum klassische und mit einigen wenigen Bühenbildelementen das Brahmanentum andeutende Szenografie zeichnete Miodrag Tabacki verantwortlich. Der Lichtdesigner Sasho Bekafigo bezog diesmal die Peaks nicht so stark ein. Dafür fand er stimmungsvolle farbige Lichtfantasien für das Geschehen auf der Bühne, insbesondere die Chorszenen und großen Tableaus. Die geschmackvollen und in den Massenszenen auf farbige Pastelltöne setzenden Kostüme aus der Zeit der Handlung der Oper wurden von Angelina Atlagic entworfen. Sie zeigen die Engländer in ihren typischen beigen Militäruniformen und die Brahmanen in ihren weiten weißen Gewändern. Ein Trupp der englischen Soldaten hisst oben zwischen den Peaks die englische Nationalflagge als Zeichen der Besatzung.

Tabacki schuf durch die Errichtung eines kleinen und schlichten Brahmanentempels in der Bühnenmitte mit hinabführenden Rampen links, rechts und hinten zwei Spielebenen. Das weitete die darstellerischen Möglichkeiten aus und bot auch mehr Platz für Monologe und Duette sowie die bestens choreografierten (Maya Shopova) Massenszenen, von denen das lebhafte Treiben auf dem Markt zu Beginn des 2. Akts ein Höhepunkt des Abends war. Das Dach dieses kleinen Brahmanentempel wird durch eine Statue des Elephantengottes Ganesh geziert, an dem Lakmé immer wieder betend niederkniet – er ist so etwas wie das spirituelle Zentrum der Bühne. An den Seiten sieht man, vielleicht etwas zu klischeehaft, zwei große Elefantenattrappen. Auf dem Dach des Brahmanentempels findet auch die Verwundung Geralds durch den Brahmanenpriester Nilakantha statt, nachdem Lakmé ihre Glöckchenarie gesungen hat. Nilakantha wird von Peter Naydenov mit einem ausdrucksstarken und klangvollen Bassbariton gesungen. Er spielt die Rolle als sehr Respekt gebietender souveräner Anführer der Brahmanen. Im 3. Akt, in dem ja Lakmé Gerald im Wald gesund zu pflegen versucht, wird der Brahmanentempel und die Rampe davor mit Gerald und Lakmé mit einem Dschungel von Farnen angestrahlt, so dass sich mit wenigen Mitteln die Ästhetik einer Waldszenerie einstellt.

Wir erleben eine viel detailliertere Personenregie als in „Nabucco“. Alle Figuren werden sehr genau im Einklang mit der Musik geführt. So ist die Blumenarie von Lakmé und Mallika im 1. Akt ein echter musikalischer und auch darstellerischer Höhepunkt. Diana Vasileva singt die Lakmé mit einem technisch bestens geführten lyrischen Sopran, der in der Blumenarie gut mit dem klangvollen Mezzo Diana Genova als Mallika harmoniert. Auch die Glöckchenarie im 2. Akt gelingt Vasileva mit viel Liebe zum Detail und Verinnerlichung. Das Duett mit Gerald am Ende des 1. Akts ist ebenfalls zu den besten Momenten der Aufführung zu zählen.

Kartaloff gelingt es überzeugend, den kulturellen Clash zwischen den englischen Besatzern und den Brahmanen darzustellen. Wenn Gerald und Frederick mit ihren drei Begleiterinnen mit den obligaten Sonnenschirmen in den Bereich des Tempels kommen, wirkt das tatsächlich wie eine weitere Okkupation. Das unbeherrschte Benehmen der Engländer steht in starkem Widerspruch zu dem zurückhaltenden Gebaren der Brahmanen. Diese Differenzierung zieht sich dramaturgisch effektvoll durch den ganzen Abend, auch im Verhalten Geralds zu Lakmé. Daniel Ostretsov, der Loge des Sofioter „Ring“, ist ein erstklassiger Gerald mit einem baritonal unterlegten, fast ins Heldische gehenden Tenor mit kraftvoller Höhe. Er agiert auch darstellerisch mit viel Emphase. Atanas Mladenov, der Amfortas des jüngst heraus gekommenen Sofioter „Parsifal“, lässt einmal mehr als Frederick seinen beeindruckenden Bariton mit guter Facettierung und stimmlichem Ausdruck erklingen – ein ganz großes Talent! Elena Stoyanova singt Ellen, die Verlobte Geralds, mit einem klangvollen Sopran. Rose, ihre Cousine, wird von Silvana Pravcheva und Mrs. Bentson von Rumyana Petrova gesungen und ebenso wie Ellen manieriert gespielt. Miroslav Andreev ist ein serviler Hadji. Weiter sind die guten Leistungen, vor allem auch das Piano des von Violeta Dimitrova einstudierten Chores sowie das fantasievolle Ballett hervor zu heben.

Francesco Rosa dirigierte das Orchester der Sofia Oper und Ballett mit großem Einfühlvermögen für die Sänger. Diesmal geriet nichts zu laut, die Harmonie zwischen Bühne und Orchester war nahezu perfekt.

Klaus Billand
DER MEUE MERKER

WIEN 2017

Die Belogradchik Peaks, also die Felsen von Belogradchik im äußersten Nordwesten Bulgariens, sind turmartige Felsformationen, die sich hier seit dem Perm vor ungefähr 230 Millionen Jahren durch tektonische Bewegungen und anschließende Erosion formten und die verschiedensten Felsfiguren bilden. Man sieht Formationen wie menschliche und tierische Köpfe, die zusammen mit anderen Felsbildern und der insgesamt beeindruckenden Gestaltung der Peaks der gesamten Region einen mystischen Charakter verleihen. Ein ideales Ambiente für die Aufführung von Freilicht-Opern, wie es der Intendant der Sofia Oper und Ballett, Acad. Plamen Kartaloff, mit seiner großen Fantasie für ungewöhnliche Aufführungsorte schnell erkannte und hier vor kurzem ein Sommer-Festival für Oper und Ballett ins Leben rief.

Das vor den Peaks bereits zwischen dem 1. und 3. Jahrhundert unserer Zeitrechnung entstandene kleine Festungsversteck, welches bis ins 15. Jahrhundert unter verschiedenen Herrschern und Besatzern zu einer Festung ausgebaut wurde, bietet dafür den nahezu idealen theatralen Raum. Die Festung Belogradchik wurde zuletzt ab 1805 von französischen Ingenieuren total umgebaut und erweitert. Ihre Arbeit beendeten italienische Schutzanlagespezialisten im Jahre 1837. Zwischen den beiden 12 Meter hohen Festungsmauern ergibt sich vor den Peaks ein Areal, das der Bühne, einem davor liegenden mittelgroßen unüberdachten Orchester sowie einer Tribüne von 650 Zuschauern Platz bietet. Von dieser kann man dem Stück mit großer Nähe und damit einer gewissen Intimität beiwohnen. Eine Verstärkung der Sänger ist deshalb auch nicht erforderlich, die Akustik ist sehr gut.

7R8A7968 600

Das diesjährige Sommer-Festival eröffnete mit „Nabucco“ und brachte des Weiteren die Opern „Lakmé“, „Tosca“, „La Cenerentola“ sowie „Madama Butterfly“ und die Ballettaufführungen „Zorba the Greek“, „Carmen“, „Rhapsody in Blue“ und „Don Quixote“. Vor Beginn der Aufführung von „Nabucco“ hielten der Metropolit der Regionshauptstadt Vidin, der Vize-Kulturminister, der Bürgermeister von Belogradchik sowie Plamen Kartaloff kurze Ansprachen. Die Aufführung war ausverkauft.

Plamen Kartaloff führte in „Nabucco“ Regie und schuf auch das auf hohen Symbolwert aus der Glaubenswelt der Hebräer setzende klassische Bühnenbild. Boryana Angelova kreierte die Bühnenbildelemente. Links und rechts an der Seite der mit einem Aluminiumboden ausgelegten Bühne liegt eine riesige Thora-Rolle, die zwischen ihren beiden Enden den Chor beherbergt. In der hinteren Bühnenmitte sieht man die monumentalen Hände Moses‘ mit der Tafel der Zehn Gebote. Den Vordergrund bilden einige bauliche Elemente des Tempels über einer goldenen Schatztruhe. Für interessante Momente sorgen der Lichtdesigner Emil Dinkov und die Multimedia-Spezialistin Vera Dimitrova. So lassen sie beispielsweise die Peaks selbst zum Götzenbild der Babylonier werden, in rötlichen Farben, die zu einem matten Schimmer verglühen, wenn das Götzenbild im 4. Akt stürzt. Für die überaus klassischen Kostüme aus der Zeit der Handlung zeichnet Tsvetana Petkova-Stoynova verantwortlich. Etwas weniger Konservativismus beim Design hätte hier gut getan. Die Personenregie ist trotz einer gewissen Statik zumal in den Ensembleszenen gut und hebt die Bedeutung der Aktionen der Protagonisten in den entsprechenden Momenten nachvollziehbar hervor. Mit großer Bewegung und guter Choreographie (Riolina Topalova) setzt sich immer wieder der stimmstarke, von Violeta Dimitrova geleitete Chor in Szene. Auch hier geriet der Gefangenenchor zu einem berückenden Moment des Abends. Für anmutige und choreographisch fantasievolle Momente sorgt das Ballett im 3. Akt.

Im Programmheft hebt die Festspielleitung hervor, dass sie zwei internationale Gäste für diese Produktion an den Peaks gewinnen konnte, und zwar Carlos Almaguer aus Mexiko als Nabucco und Roberto Scandiuzzi aus Italien als Zacharias. Beide erfüllten die Erwartungen sowohl stimmlich wie auch darstellerisch vollkommen. Almaguer war mit seinem kräftigen und aussagestarken Bariton ein Respekt gebietender, überaus souveräner Nabucco und konnte auch in den Szenen überzeugen, in denen er dem Wahnsinn verfallen war. Scandiuzzi ließ seinen prachtvollen, samtenen Bass erklingen und legte als Zacharias ebenfalls große Souveränität an den Tag. Auf diesem hohen Niveau konnte aber auch die Abigail von Gabriela Georgieva aus dem Sofioter Ensemble mithalten. Wann immer sie auf der Bühne stand, war sie sofort Zentrum des Geschehens mit ihrer starken Mimik und einem fast als hochdramatisch zu bezeichnenden Sopran mit eindrucksvoller Attacke, der keine Höhe dieser so anspruchsvollen Partie scheute, wobei sie auch in den tiefen Lagen beeindrucken konnte. Ein Höhepunkt der Aufführung war ihr Duett mit Nabucco im 3. Akt. Diletta Scandiuzzi war eine zarte und mit einem sehr klangschönen, aber nicht allzu großen Mezzo singende Fenena und spielte die Rolle mit viel Emphase. Rosen Nenchev war ein noch sehr junger Ismael, mit einer noch nicht ganz für diese Rolle ausgereiften Stimme. Es war aber erklärtes Ziel des Regisseurs, ihn mit dieser Rolle an das größere Verdi-Fach heranzuführen. Darstellerisch machte er seine Sache mit lebhaftem Spiel sehr gut. Dimitar Stanchev als Oberpriester des Baal, Hrisimir Damyanov als Abdallo und Silvana Pravcheva als Anna rundeten mit sowohl stimmlich wie darstellerisch ansprechenden Leistungen das gute Ensemble ab.

Grigor Palikarov dirigierte das Orchester der Sofia Oper und Ballett mit viel Verve und konnte gleich zu Beginn mit einem sauber strukturierten und akzentuierten Vorspiel beeindrucken. Allerdings gerieten im weiteren Verlauf einige Stellen zu laut, insbesondere die großen Tableaus, sodass selbst Sänger wie Scandiuzzi oder Almaguer bisweilen zugedeckt wurden. Man muss allerdings dazu sagen, dass das Orchester fast auf gleicher Höhe wie die Bühne liegt und die Transparenz somit auch aus diesem Grund etwas leiden kann. Vor den mystisch wirkenden Peaks von Belogradchik war dies jedoch eine beeindruckende „Nabucco“-Aufführung in völlig ungewohntem Ambiente.

7R8A9039 600

Tags darauf spielte man „Lakmé“ von Léo Delibes ebenfalls in einer für die Belogradchik Festung angepassten Produktion der Sofia Oper und Ballett. Plamen Kartaloff führte wieder Regie. Für die wiederum klassische und mit einigen wenigen Bühenbildelementen das Brahmanentum andeutende Szenografie zeichnete Miodrag Tabacki verantwortlich. Der Lichtdesigner Sasho Bekafigo bezog diesmal die Peaks nicht so stark ein. Dafür fand er stimmungsvolle farbige Lichtfantasien für das Geschehen auf der Bühne, insbesondere die Chorszenen und großen Tableaus. Die geschmackvollen und in den Massenszenen auf farbige Pastelltöne setzenden Kostüme aus der Zeit der Handlung der Oper wurden von Angelina Atlagic entworfen. Sie zeigen die Engländer in ihren typischen beigen Militäruniformen und die Brahmanen in ihren weiten weißen Gewändern. Ein Trupp der englischen Soldaten hisst oben zwischen den Peaks die englische Nationalflagge als Zeichen der Besatzung.

Tabacki schuf durch die Errichtung eines kleinen und schlichten Brahmanentempels in der Bühnenmitte mit hinabführenden Rampen links, rechts und hinten zwei Spielebenen. Das weitete die darstellerischen Möglichkeiten aus und bot auch mehr Platz für Monologe und Duette sowie die bestens choreografierten (Maya Shopova) Massenszenen, von denen das lebhafte Treiben auf dem Markt zu Beginn des 2. Akts ein Höhepunkt des Abends war. Das Dach dieses kleinen Brahmanentempel wird durch eine Statue des Elephantengottes Ganesh geziert, an dem Lakmé immer wieder betend niederkniet – er ist so etwas wie das spirituelle Zentrum der Bühne. An den Seiten sieht man, vielleicht etwas zu klischeehaft, zwei große Elefantenattrappen. Auf dem Dach des Brahmanentempels findet auch die Verwundung Geralds durch den Brahmanenpriester Nilakantha statt, nachdem Lakmé ihre Glöckchenarie gesungen hat. Nilakantha wird von Peter Naydenov mit einem ausdrucksstarken und klangvollen Bassbariton gesungen. Er spielt die Rolle als sehr Respekt gebietender souveräner Anführer der Brahmanen. Im 3. Akt, in dem ja Lakmé Gerald im Wald gesund zu pflegen versucht, wird der Brahmanentempel und die Rampe davor mit Gerald und Lakmé mit einem Dschungel von Farnen angestrahlt, so dass sich mit wenigen Mitteln die Ästhetik einer Waldszenerie einstellt.

Wir erleben eine viel detailliertere Personenregie als in „Nabucco“. Alle Figuren werden sehr genau im Einklang mit der Musik geführt. So ist die Blumenarie von Lakmé und Mallika im 1. Akt ein echter musikalischer und auch darstellerischer Höhepunkt. Diana Vasileva singt die Lakmé mit einem technisch bestens geführten lyrischen Sopran, der in der Blumenarie gut mit dem klangvollen Mezzo Diana Genova als Mallika harmoniert. Auch die Glöckchenarie im 2. Akt gelingt Vasileva mit viel Liebe zum Detail und Verinnerlichung. Das Duett mit Gerald am Ende des 1. Akts ist ebenfalls zu den besten Momenten der Aufführung zu zählen.

Kartaloff gelingt es überzeugend, den kulturellen Clash zwischen den englischen Besatzern und den Brahmanen darzustellen. Wenn Gerald und Frederick mit ihren drei Begleiterinnen mit den obligaten Sonnenschirmen in den Bereich des Tempels kommen, wirkt das tatsächlich wie eine weitere Okkupation. Das unbeherrschte Benehmen der Engländer steht in starkem Widerspruch zu dem zurückhaltenden Gebaren der Brahmanen. Diese Differenzierung zieht sich dramaturgisch effektvoll durch den ganzen Abend, auch im Verhalten Geralds zu Lakmé. Daniel Ostretsov, der Loge des Sofioter „Ring“, ist ein erstklassiger Gerald mit einem baritonal unterlegten, fast ins Heldische gehenden Tenor mit kraftvoller Höhe. Er agiert auch darstellerisch mit viel Emphase. Atanas Mladenov, der Amfortas des jüngst heraus gekommenen Sofioter „Parsifal“, lässt einmal mehr als Frederick seinen beeindruckenden Bariton mit guter Facettierung und stimmlichem Ausdruck erklingen – ein ganz großes Talent! Elena Stoyanova singt Ellen, die Verlobte Geralds, mit einem klangvollen Sopran. Rose, ihre Cousine, wird von Silvana Pravcheva und Mrs. Bentson von Rumyana Petrova gesungen und ebenso wie Ellen manieriert gespielt. Miroslav Andreev ist ein serviler Hadji. Weiter sind die guten Leistungen, vor allem auch das Piano des von Violeta Dimitrova einstudierten Chores sowie das fantasievolle Ballett hervor zu heben.

Francesco Rosa dirigierte das Orchester der Sofia Oper und Ballett mit großem Einfühlvermögen für die Sänger. Diesmal geriet nichts zu laut, die Harmonie zwischen Bühne und Orchester war nahezu perfekt.

Klaus Billand
DER MEUE MERKER

WIEN 2017

Tuesday, 21 June 2016

About the summer festival programme of the Sofia Opera

The summer spectacles of the Sofia Opera turned into real great feasts of the art of the opera and ballet of Bulgaria. Numerous are the guests from the country and abroad, who are coming from thousands of kilometers in Sofia, specially for the spectacles of the Sofia Opera.

For the first time on three stages, this year the Sofia Opera offers an exceptionally rich and varied summer playbill. In the historical St. Alexander Nevsky Square, where in 2014 for the first time in front of the temple we presented our own version of the opera super production of “Boris Godunov” by Mussorgsky, we are meeting the great interest of the audience with a new premiere – the opera “Nabucco” by G. Verdi.

The summer festival programme of the Sofia Opera enriches the tradition on our stage for “Opera in the Park” of the Military Academy. For a seventh time we are presenting classical masterpieces from the ballet and opera repertoire.

And the traditional Wagner weeks continue on the main stage of the Sofia Opera with “Tristan und Isolde”, after we presented in May for the fifth time in the recent years the tetralogy “Der Ring des Nibelungen”, just several months after its sensational success in Germany.

The derby between Wagner and Verdi, which continues more than two centuries, is worthy of the attention and the interest for their work also because of the revolutionary nature of both of them. There is one very emotional and fatal phrase in the opera “Nabucco” by the Maestro of the Italian revolution Giuseppe Verdi, which could be connected with today’s demographic, political, spiritual and economic crisis in our country: “Oh, my Motherland, beautiful and lost…”

This phrase springs out of the thoughts with golden wings, so that they could land on rocks and hills of the motherland, on the ravaged towers of far-off glorious times and of the golden harps of believers and poets, with the hope that God would inspire a song and inspire the virtuous ones.

The connection with the weeping and the moaning from the Chorus of the Hebrew Slaves from “Nabucco” is metaphorical with our days, when on our mother earth are getting born so many talents, people with enormous energy from different strata, but enslaved by the unconcern, the neglect of the valuable, by the political, economic and cultural home muddle. And the fruit of the combination of the material and the spiritual work of art creates the culture of one nation, and without culture what kind of a nation is it…

That is why as an appealing peal and as from the Temple of Salvation, we have chosen to sound the messages from NABUCCO by the immortal maestro of the Italian revolution Giuseppe Verdi.

Plamen Kartaloff
Stage Director

Tuesday, 21 June 2016

The biblical legend about the suffering of the enslaved Hebrew people in Verdi’s masterpiece will take place from 23 to 31 July next to the St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral with performers from 5 countries

A new imposing stage will build the Sofia Opera in July – this time from the northern side of the St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, where from 23 to 31 July in six evenings will take place the drama of the first historical-heroic opera by Giuseppe Verdi – “Nabucco”. The newest project of the stage director Plamen Kartaloff is the second one after the production of “Boris Godunov” by Mussorgsky in 2014, in which was used the imposing natural scenery of the Patriarchal cathedral.

The trapezium stage with the form of unfolded roll – with 40 meters length and 10 meters depth and the 4-floor Semiramida gardens, built on a massive pyramidal construction, as well as a veritable Stairways to heaven, which ends with Moses’s hands, will impress the huge audience with the new large-scale creative challenge with Maestro Kartaloff’s signature. There is one very emotional and fatal phrase in the opera “Nabucco” by the Maestro of the Italian revolution Giuseppe Verdi, which could be connected with today’s demographic, political, spiritual and economic crisis in our country: “Oh, my Motherland, beautiful and lost…” This phrase springs out of the thoughts with golden wings, so that they could land on rocks and hills of the motherland, on the ravaged towers of far-off glorious times and of the golden harps of believers and poets, with the hope that God would inspire a song and inspire the virtuous ones. The connection with the weeping and the moaning from the Chorus of the Hebrew Slaves from “Nabucco” is metaphorical with our days, when on our mother earth are getting born so many talents, people with enormous energy from different strata, but enslaved by the unconcern, the neglect of the valuable, by the political, economic and cultural home muddle. And the fruit of the combination of the material and the spiritual work of art creates the culture of one nation, and without culture what kind of a nation is it… That is why as an appealing peal and as from the Temple of Salvation, we have chosen to sound the messages from “Nabucco” by the immortal maestro of the Italian revolution Giuseppe Verdi”, pointed out Plamen Kartaloff. He and the entire creative team have long ago shown taste and high achievements in the mastering of big stages in the open air. The set design idea is by the stage director, and the costume design – by Tsvetanka Petkova-Stoynova.

A real star presence will decorate the multinational cast of performers of the main roles from Bulgaria, Italy, Israel, Georgia and Romania. In the famous work by Verdi in the role of Nabucco will shine Vladimir Stoyanov and Kiril Manolov. Four are the performers of Abigaille: Gabriela Georgieva, Iordanka Derilova, Radostina Nikolaeva and Susanna Branchini, Italy. In the role of Zaccaria will present themselves the guest from Italy Roberto Scandiuzzi, Dimitar Stanchev and Svetozar Rangelov. In the rest of the roles – Daniel Damyanov, Daniel Ostretsov and Rosen Nenchev (Ismaele); Diletta Scandiuzzi, Italy, Oana Andra, Romania, Tsveta Sarambelieva and Shay Bloch, Israel (Fenena), Angel Hristov and the Georgian guest Kakhaber Shavidze (the High priest), Krasimir Dinev and Hrisimir Damyanov (Abdallo), Elena Stoyanova and Silvana Pravcheva (Anna).

Two years ago Plamen Kartaloff said that with the production of “Boris Godunov” was erected a new altar of the opera – in front of the St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral. On 23, 24, 28, 29, 30 and 31 July this altar will be stage for one of the most interesting titles in Giuseppe Verdi’s work, which he himself considered as the beginning of his creative development. The spectacles will be conducted by Mikhail Sinkevich from Russia and Grigor Palikarov.

The premiere of “Nabucco“ is dedicated to the Jubilee 125 years Sofia Opera and is under the patronage of the Mayor of Sofia Municipality Yordanka Fandakova as an important part of the cultural programme of the capital. The premiere of Verdi’s celebrated opera became possible thanks to the kind support by the Ministry of Culture, with the sponsorship of Utex, United Bulgarian Bank, Mtel, Bulstrad.

Media partners are the Bulgarian National Television and the Bulgarian National Radio.

Friday, 17 June 2016

FESTIVAL “OPERA OF THE PEAKS – BELOGRADCHIK ROCKS” 2016 – TICKET PRICESFESTIVAL “OPERA OF THE PEAKS – BELOGRADCHIK ROCKS” 2016 – TICKET PRICES

The Belogradchik Rocks, with their amazing beauty, are globally recognized as a miracle of nature, one of the 100 national tourist sites of Bulgaria.

On the way to them we pass through the ancient Belogradchik Fortress built back in the time of the Roman Empire. The Belogradchik Fortress is not only a historical monument, but also a synonym of national courage, heroism and desire for freedom of the Bulgarians from North-western Bulgaria.

The admiration of the beauties of nature and the majestic cliffs blends with the emotions and traces of glorious history, a page of which in this Bulgarian region is the struggle for dignity and national independence from Ottoman rule whose tragic result was the crushing of the Belogradchik Uprising in 1850. The strength of disobedience, the spirit and courage of the thousands of known and unknown Bulgarians led them to choose death rather than subordination, humiliation and slavery.

Bulgaria today, member of the European Union, has the mandatory requirement to preserve its national cultural identity, not only to keep its national natural and cultural wealth, but also to develop with innovative zeal and vision its current and future traditions. Bulgarians have the strength and spirit to fight for their dignity and independent place in the European home, to feel proud and commensurable in it with the grandeur of their history and achievements, with their contribution of contemporaries to a new spiritual and cultural progress.

Opera of the Peaks – Belogradchik Rocks is an innovative idea by director Plamen Kartaloff whose unusual theatrical visions and design of original director’s interpretation are associated with their conception among the magical beauty of the Belogradchik Rocks. They give the audience the opportunity to feel their favourite works in a new way.

This project will live for the future as a new sanctuary for the messages of opera and ballet art, it will become a national and international cultural event.

Opera of the peaks will attract many guests in Belogradchik who will come to enjoy opera and ballet art in the open air.

Belogradchik will be a magnet for a new kind of cultural tourism – opera tourism, which will provide new and additional impact and contribution to the economy of the city.

Along with the performances that will be held in the first courtyard of the fortress starting at 20:00, there will be the offer for a special cultural event – visit the Magura Cave for an extraordinary performance – “Wagner Magura: Gods, Giants, Dwarves, Valkyries” starting at 16:00 on 5.08, and at 11:00 on 6 and 7.08.

For this performance tickets must be booked in advance. It lasts an hour and twenty minutes. The sites of the action are three: the first part at the entrance of the cave, the second part in the concert hall of the cave, with a sequel on the way to the exit, not just looking around the cave but also with scenes from Wagner’s operas, as the fragment “the cave of Venus” and others.

The third part, the finale of the performance, will end with “the Ride of the Valkyries” being played at the exit of the Magura Cave. The audience will have the opportunity to taste the collection of the famous Bulgarian wines from the region.

The audience will then have enough time to go to the castle for the performances in the programme of the Summer Opera Festival – Opera of the Peaks – Belogradchik Rocks.

Dear audience,

For your comfort during the performance of the cave festival impression “Wagner Magura: Gods, Giants, Dwarves, Valkyries” it is advisable to be with low (sport) shoes with even soles and to wear topcoat.

Thank you for the understanding!

Friday, 03 June 2016

Friday, 03 June 2016

Wednesday, 25 May 2016

Tuesday, 24 May 2016

Nationaloper Sofia

DAS RHEINGOLD

Wiederaufnahme am 21. Mai 2016

In diesem Jahr feiert die Nationaloper Sofia ihr 125-jähriges Bestehen. Nicht zuletzt zu diesem hier besonders wichtigen Ereignis hat Generaldirektor Plamen Kartaloff die Internationalen Wagner Wochen ausgerufen, in deren Rahmen er eine Wiederaufnahme seines sehenswerten „Ring des Nibelungen“ vom 21. bis 27. Mai zeigt. Dieser „Ring“ wurde im letzten September auch im Festspielhaus Füssen im Allgäu mit großem Erfolg präsentiert.

Der „Ring“ in Sofia hatte mit dem „Rheingold“ unter der Stabführung von Manfred Mayrhofer mit dem Orchester der Sofia Oper gestern Abend einen guten Start. Wir erblicken im Wesentlichen einen großen, beliebig variationsfähigen bühnengroßen Ring, einige kegelförmige Konusse, reduziert auf wesentliche symbolische Bedeutungen. Kartaloff setzt sie in ständiger Variation dramaturgisch ein, wobei Multimedia Design und Beleuchtung von Vera Petrova und Georgi Hristov sowie die Lichtregie Andrej Hajdinjak eine ganz entscheidende Rolle spielen. Es gelingt dem Regieteam, mit den Bühnenbildelementen und fantastischen Figurinen von Nikolay Panayotov und dem facettenreichen Multimedia-Design, den Mythos des „Ring“ mit einer nahe an Wagners Regieanweisungen operierenden Dramaturgie und ausgefeilten Personenregie mit großem Unterhaltungswert zu verbinden. Farbintensive und eindringliche Bilder sind da zu sehen, insbesondere die Regenbogenbrücke über die sieben hochstehenden Konusse auf dem Ring. Sie sehen wie Zinnen einer Burg, also Walhalls, aus.

Unterhaltsam sind wie immer in dieser Produktion die drei Rheintöchter, die auf Trampolin unermüdlich mit ihren Sprüngen und Saltos (von drei Akrobatinnen gedoubelt) eine Art Herumtollen im Rheinwasser suggerieren. Milena Gurova als Woglinde, Silvia Teneva als Wellgunde und Elena Marinova als Flosshilde singen dazu klang- und Ausdrucksvoll mit bestem Deutsch. Bühnenbeherrschend sind Nikolay Petrov als Wotan und Daniel Ostretsov als Loge. Und wenn diese beiden Figuren gut sind, kann ein „Rheingold“ eigentlich nicht mehr schiefgehen – wie eben an diesem Abend. Petrov singt mit seinem gut geführten und kraftvollen Bassbariton einen beeindruckenden Wotan. Ostretsov gibt einen sehr musikalischen und geschickt die Strippen ziehenden Loge. Biser Georgiev ist seit seinen letztjährigen Auftritten als Alberich noch besser geworden, sowohl stimmlich, wie auch darstellerisch – er liefert eine beeindruckende Rollenstudie des Nibelungenfürsten ab.

Stefan Vladimirov ist ein wohlklingender Fasolt mit profundem Bass. Petar Buchkov steht ihm mit mehr Prägnanz in der Stimme kaum nach. Rumyana Petrova spielt als Fricka stark, bleibt aber stimmlich etwas spröde. Silvana Pruchcheva ist eine intensive Freier mit gut ansprechendem Sopran und großer Höhensicherheit. Svetozar Rangelov ist ein starker Donner mit viel Aktion auf der Bühne, und Hrisimir Damvanov singt den Froh lyrisch klangschön. Plamen Papazikov ist eine guter Mime, und Blagovesta Mekki-Tsvetkova lässt einmal mehr als Erda stimmliche Qualitäten vermissen – zu unscharf und klanglos ist ihr Mezzo für diese so wichtige Partie.

Manfred Mayrhofer hatte mit dem Orchester der Sofia Oper ebenfalls einen guten Start in diesen „Ring“, wobei kleinere Ungenauigkeiten einiger Musiker kaum ins Gewicht fielen. Großer Applaus für alle Mitwirkenden, teilweise mit signifikanten Bravi. Man kann also gespannt sein auf die heutige „Walküre“. Am 27. Mai, dem Tag der „Götterdämmerung“ wird der Verfasser dieser Kritik wie schon in Füssen wieder ein Symposium zum Thema „Wagnersches Regietheater versus traditioneller Inszenierungsstil“ moderieren. Es findet im Goethe-Institut Sofia statt.

Klaus Billand 22.05.2016

SIEGFRIED & GÖTTERDÄMMERUNG

Kurzbericht Sofia 7. – 9. Juli 2015

Vorgestern fast um Mitternacht ging die zyklische Aufführung des „Ring des Nibelungen“ an der Oper Sofia mit stehendem Applaus des zahlreich erschienenen und zu großem Teil internationalen Publikums zu Ende, allen voran für die Dessauer Brünnhilde Jordanka Derilova und Erich Wächtermit dem Orchester der Sofia Oper und Ballett. Es hatte über die letzten fünf Jahre, in denen dieser wahrlich sehenswerte „Ring“ entstanden ist, enorme Fortschritte gemacht. Im „Siegfried“ erlebte man den stimmstarken Kostadin Andreev als jungen Siegfried, der zwar mit beachtlichem Höhepotenzial aufwartete, aber im musikalischen Duktus, in Phrasierung und deutscher Aussprache noch einige Wünsche offen ließ. Dennoch, durch seine Aktivität auf der Bühne und sehr authentische Rollendarstellung konnte er einige Sympathien wecken. Radostina Nikolaeva, die hier eine gute Isolde in vergangenen Februar sang, war die Brünnhilde im „Siegfried“. Sie gestaltete die Partie mit einer vorwiegend sängerischen Note, wenngleich sie mit der Brünnhilde in ihrer noch so jungen Karriere etwas vorsichtig sein sollte. In der „Götterdämmerung“ war die in Dessau engagierte und dort das gesamte schwere Fach singende Jordanka Derilova als Brünnhilde der Star des Abends. Mit einer hervorragenden Leistung erhielt sie zu Recht den größten Applaus. Neben ihrer ausgezeichneten Technik und einem beachtlichen Durchstehvermögen ist sie auch bildhübsch und sollte Wagners Idee von einer jungen und attraktiven Brünnhilde sehr nahe kommen. Noch weniger als zwei Wochen zuvor hatte sie in Dessau – der Rezensent war auch dort und eine Rezension folgt – noch alle drei Brünnhilden im dortigen „Ring“ gesungen und gestaltet. Ihr Partner in Sofia war der Sofioter Tristan, Martin Iliev, der trotz geringer Ermüdungserscheinungen gegen Ende der „Götterdämmerung“ einen sehr musikalischen und charismatischen Siegfried gab, mit einem schönen, baritonal unterlegten Timbre und ebenfalls exzellenten Höhen. Martin Tsonev, beeindruckender Boris Godunov hier im Vorjahr, war ein sehr guter Wanderer mit exzellentem Deutsch, guter Phrasierung und großer Musikalität. Er empfahl sich an diesem Abend für die Besetzung auch des Wotans im „Rheingold“ und in der „Walküre“, die er schon 2013 sang (detaillierte Rezension unter http://klaus-billand.com/deutsch/rezensionen/ring-des-nibelungen/sofia-der-ring-des-nibelungen-ni-22-bis-29-juni-2013.html). Auch der Hagen von Angel Hristov konnte stimmlich und mit einer den allgegenwärtigen üblen Strippenzieher verkörpernden Darstellung voll überzeugen.

Vom 12. bis 17. September d. J. wird dieser „Ring“ nun als Gastspiel im Festspielhaus Füssen zu erleben sein, wo einst das König Ludwig II Musical gespielt wurde. Im Anblick von Neuschwanstein und Hohenschwangau wird das im übertragenen Sinne eine Rückkehr Richard Wagners an einen wichtigen Ort seines künstlerischen Lebens, in gewissem Maße auch eine Hommage…. Man darf gespannt sein.

Klaus Billand 12.7.15
TRISTAN UND ISOLDE

Premiere am 26.2. und 1. Rep. 1.3.2015

Nach einer überaus phantasievollen und auch beim internationalen Wagner-Publikum erfolgreichen Neuinszenierung von Richard Wagners “Ring des Nibelungen“ in den vergangenen Jahren, der übrigens Mitte September diesen Jahres am Festspielhaus Füssen im Schatten der Königsschlösser Neuschwanstein und Hohenschwangau gezeigt werden wird, hat sich der Direktor der Nationaloper Sofia, Acad. Plamen Kartaloff, nun Wagners opus summum, „Tristan und Isolde“ vorgenommen. Es wurde ebenso wie beim „Ring“ die Erstaufführung dieses Werkes in Bulgarien – 150 Jahre nach der Uraufführung! Das allein zeigt schon, welch große Momente die Nationaloper Sofia unter der visionären und engagierten Führung Kartaloffs in diesen Jahren, und das nicht nur hinsichtlich des Oeuvres des Bayreuther Meisters, erlebt.

Hatte Richard Wagner „Tristan und Isolde“ unter anderem auch aus der Überlegung heraus komponiert, mit einer vermeintlich relativ leicht zu spielenden Oper – nur wenige große Sänger sind erforderlich – seiner prekären finanziellen Situation abzuhelfen und das Werk gar nur als eine „Handlung in drei Aufzügen“ bezeichnet, machte Plamen Kartaloff mit seinem Bühnenbildner Miodrag Tabacki sowie dem Licht-Designer Andrei Hajdinjak, dem Multimedia-Designer Georgi Hristov und dem geschmacksicheren Kostümbildner Leo Kulas daraus nun ein Musikdrama im besten Sinne des von Wagner geschaffenen Begriffs des Gesamtkunstwerks. Selten, wenn überhaupt, war bei diesem dramaturgisch ja nicht immer besonders handlungsintensiven Werk ein solch intensives thematisches Ineinanderwirken von Szene – hier besonders einem sehr variablen Bühnenbild – gesanglicher Gestaltungskraft und Musik zu erleben. Kartaloff wählte diese Interpretation aus der Überzeugung heraus, dass Wagners „poetisches Meisterwerk“ in einer verständlichen, emotionalen, dynamischen und musikalisch expressiven Theatersprache zu gestalten sei. In Anlehnung an die Ausführungen Schopenhauers zur Rolle der Musik in der Oper war es dem Regisseur ein Herzensanliegen, ihren tiefen philosophischen Charakter zur Grundlage der Regiearbeit zu machen: Diese Musik sollte in der Optik und Dramaturgie auf der Bühne in sublimer und poetischer Form sichtbar werden, und zwar mit einem Duktus, der den Zuschauer auf ganz natürliche Weise nachvollziehen ließ, wie eine große romantische Liebe nach einer alten Legende wieder auflebt.

Daran hat sich Kartaloff den ganzen Abend stringent gehalten – und dazu sogar einen theatralischen Prolog geschaffen. Noch bevor das Vorspiel zum 1. Aufzug anhebt, gewahren wir in einem nebeligen Grau vergangener Tage, wie die Könige von Irland und Kornwall dem fatalen Kampf Tristans und Morolds zusehen – mit erklärenden Übertiteln. Isolde erkennt sodann an Tristans Schwert, wer ihren Verlobten getötet hat und erhebt es gegen ihn – der ihr genau in diesem Augenblick in die Augen sieht… Die Szene endet mit der durch Irlands König abgesegneten Überfahrt Isoldes mit Tristan nach Kornwall. Wenn auch der Kampf etwas weniger plastisch hätte ausfallen können, so war das doch eine ebenso ungewöhnliche wie beeindruckende Idee, in die Szene des 1. Aufzugs einzuführen, zumal der größte Teil des bulgarischen Publikums das Werk zum ersten Mal erlebt haben dürfte.

Die Inszenierung lebt sodann in großem Einklang mit der Musik von stimmungsbezogenen Farbspielen, die manchmal an jene Heiner Müllers bei seinem Bayreuther „Tristan“ erinnern. Der Bühnenboden ist in mehrere Segmente unterteilt, die fast unmerklich gegeneinander verschoben werden und damit ständigen Wandel in der Optik bieten, immer in Einklang mit der jeweiligen Handlung. So kommt der Seemannschor schemenhaft aus einem Spalt aus dem Untergrund wie eine Warnung der Realität gegenüber der beginnenden Annäherung Tristans und Isoldes. Wenn diese allerdings den Liebestrank getrunken haben, bildet sich im Zentrum ein rotierendes Podest, auf das sie sich unmittelbar begeben – es stellt fortan „ihre“ Welt, gewissermaßen ihre Insel in dieser für sie so feindlichen Umgebung dar, in der während des 2. Aufzugs immer wieder Melot spionierend herum streicht. Während bei Heiner Müller die tristen Brustpanzer die ganze Konvention und Enge am Hofe König Markes ausstrahlten, lässt Kartaloff den König am Ende des 1. Aufzugs in überbordendem Ornat völlig versteift wie eine museale Figur auf die Bühne fahren. Auch Isolde ist zu Beginn des 2. Aufzugs in ein überdimensionales Stanniol-Korsett gezwängt, das sich über die ganze Vorderbühne ausbreitet – es wirkt wie ein riesiger Keuschheitsgürtel. Dazu halten neun junge Damen des Balletts Wache, die sich später auch an Tristans Krankenlager finden. Ein surrealistisch anmutender Wachtturm, ebenfalls die feindliche Umgebung der beiden Liebenden charakterisierend, dient später als Beobachtungsposten für König, Melot und Gefolge. Marke verabschiedet sich vor dem Gang zur Jagd überaus formell von seiner neuen Ikone, die offenbar jedem unerlaubten Zugriff entzogen sein soll. Das ändert sich schlagartig, nachdem die an der Wand abgebildete mondäne Leuchte erloschen ist und sich Isolde bei Tristans Auftritt aus dem Kostüm zwängt. Unmittelbar tritt zunächst wieder herzliche Menschlichkeit in der Begrüßungsszene ein. Was man in Sofia als Liebesduett nun zu sehen bekommt, könnte man als eine äußerst phantasievolle romantisierende Apotheose der Liebe bezeichnen, und es ist zweifellos der Höhepunkt des Abends. Kartaloff lässt die beiden auf zwei Hebebühnen zu schillernder romantischer Optik in die Höhe schweben. Beim Höhepunkt des Duetts scheinen sie wirklich dieser Welt entzogen, und das Konzept des Regisseurs, die ganze Poesie und Philosophie in Wagners Musik zu zeigen, geht hier voll auf.

Im 3. Aufzug erscheint Tristan als Leidender im weißen Büßerkleid, sorgsam von Kurwenal betreut. Einen besonderen Akzent setzt hier der Hirte, den der Regisseur als den nahenden Tod in seinem kleinen Nachen darstellt, der immer wieder aus dem Bühnennebel an Tristans Krankenlager auftaucht. Auch das gesamte Englischhorn-Solo ist von diesem guten Einfall begleitet, der die Tristesse der Situation bildhaft untermauert. Die Szenen erinnern an Böcklins „Toteninsel“. Der finale Kampf gerät mit sechs Kampf-Statisten wieder etwas plastisch, aber all das hindert Tristan und Isolde nach deren Liebestod nicht, in inniger Umarmung auf ihrem kleinen Podest, ihrer Insel des Glücks, in die Welt der unbesiegbaren virtuellen Liebe zu entschweben…

Wieder konnte man in Sofia einen Abend erleben, an dem alle Sängerdarsteller ihr jeweiliges Rollendebut gaben. Das ist als Hintergrund vor den gezeigten Leistungen zu betonen, obwohl diese in vielen Fällen ganz ausgezeichnet waren. Der bewährte Richard Trimborn hatte wieder die musikalisch-sprachliche Einführung in die Rollen vorgenommen. Martin Iliev, der Siegmund und „Götterdämmerung“-Siegfried des Sofioter „Ring“, sang einen – ganz zur Dramaturgie passend – leicht depressiven Tristan mit großer vokaler Präsenz, Musikalität und guter Diktion, sicher in der Höhe, im Halten auch der langen Bögen und mit einem schönen, leicht abgedeckten Timbre in der Mittellage. Er ist auch zu ansprechendem Legato fähig („Isolde, wie schön bist du!“). Radostina Nikolaeva gab ihre erste Isolde mit einer lyrischen und eher an den italienischen Gesangsstil erinnernden Note mit voller, leuchtender Mittellage und auch großer Leichtigkeit in den Höhen. Die beiden hohen Cs im 1. Aufzug waren ebenso wie die tückischen Höhen in der Begrüßungsszene des 2. Aufzugs perfekt. Wie Iliev ist auch sie ein ganz großes Talent für diese so bedeutende Rolle. Die Sofioter „Walküre“- Brünnhilde, Bayasgalan Dashnyam, sang die Brangäne, sicher etwas überraschend für die Besetzung dieser Mezzorolle, die eigentlich gegen die Isolde dunkel abgesetzt sein sollte. So fühlte sie sich besonders wohl im 1. Aufzug, sang auch die beiden Rufe sehr klangvoll. Im Zwiegespräch mit Isolde im 2. Aufzug offenbarten sich jedoch in den tieferen Lagen gewisse klangliche Defizite. Dashnyam spielte ebenso wie Nikolaeva ihre Rolle mit großem Engagement und viel Emphase. Angel Hristov sang den König mit voluminösem Bass, der aber in den dramatischeren Momenten etwas an Klangfülle einbüßte und es an Phrasierung missen ließ. Veselin Mihaylov spielte einen umtriebigen Melot, dem Tristan das Schwert zur Selbstverletzung entriss. Plamen Papazikov sang die Stimme des jungen Seemanns etwas dunkel, aber mit viril unterlegtem Tenor. Krasimir Dinev gab den skurrilen Hirten als Tod mit leichter Stimme, und Nikolay Petrov komplettierte als Steuermann. Der von Violeta Dimitrova einstudierte Chor sang stimmkräftig, aber teilweise etwas zu rau. Bei Biser Georgiev, dem beherzten und engagierten Kurwenal, machte sich im Laufe des Abends eine starke Indisposition bemerkbar – auch in Sofia ging die Grippewelle um.

Für den musikalischen Leiter Constantin Trinks war dieser „Tristan“ ebenfalls ein Debut, das letzte Werk Wagners, welches ihm noch fehlte. Davon merkte man aber gar nichts. Mit sehr ruhiger, ja bedachtsamer Hand und unglaublich viel Gefühl für die Sänger ließ er die wunderbare Musik Wagners in vornehmlich zarten und lyrischen Tönen erklingen. Sehr getragen begann bereits das Vorspiel zum 1. Aufzug. Trinks kam es offenbar auf die psychologische Detailzeichnung an, damit dem Konzept Kartaloffs entgegen kommend, obwohl er dann auch gute und stets transparent und sorgsam gestaltete Staffelungen für die diversen Steigerungen und Höhepunkte dirigierte. Trinks und das Orchester der Oper Sofia bekamen für die gute musikalische Leistung auch einen starken Auftrittsapplaus vor dem 3. Aufzug. Auch am Schluss zeigte sich die Begeisterung des Publikums durch lang anhaltenden starken Applaus für alle Beteiligten. Mit diesem neuen „Tristan“ hat die Oper Sofia nach dem „Ring“ einen weiteren Eckstein zu einer bemerkenswerten Belebung des Ouevres von Richard Wagners in Bulgarien gesetzt.

1. Reprise am 1.3.2015

Mittlerweile hatte die Grippe auch Constantin Trinks heimgesucht, sodass er sich nach dem ersten Aufzug durch den ohnehin für eine spätere Reprise vorgesehenen Dirigenten Velizar Genchev, der das Stück auch mit dem Orchester einstudiert hatte, ersetzen lassen musste. Auch für Genchev, schon weit in den Sechzigern, war es eine Werks-Premiere! Er legte weit mehr als Trinks wert auf Expressivität und Dynamik, gegen Ende des 3. Aufzugs geriet allerdings manches zu laut. Es gab drei wichtige Zweitbesetzungen. Die Sieglinde des Sofioter „Ring“, Tsvetana Bandalovska, übernahm die Isolde und fiel gegenüber der Premierenbesetzung signifikant ab. Die Stimme, trotz guter Höhensicherheit, hat noch nicht ausreichend Volumen und Mittellage für die große Rolle, was auch zu einer unzureichenden Phrasierung und Wortdeutlichkeit führte. Mit etwas mehr Zeit und Erfahrung mag Bandalovska jedoch in die Rolle der Isolde hineinwachsen. Der junge Atanas Mladenov ersetzte des erkrankten Biser Georgiev als Kurwenal und überzeugte mit seinem hellen, sehr musikalischen und klar artikulierenden Bariton sowie großer Spielfreude. Petar Buchkov war nun als Marke zu hören, sang ähnlich wie Hristov mit einem voluminösen Bass, der aber mit etwas mehr Phrasierungskunst ausdrucksvoller hätte klingen können. Daniel Ostretsov sang nun den Melot mit seinem ins Charakterfach weisenden Tenor, den er schon als Loge im Sofioter „Rheingold“ vorstellte. Beeindruckend war wieder, wie Martin Iliev den Tristan nicht nur vokal, sondern auch konditionell nach nur zwei Tagen Ruhe wieder meisterte. Der Heldentenor Peter Svensson sang diese Rolle dann noch in der vorletzten Reprise.

Klaus Billand 15.3.15

http://www.deropernfreund.de/sofia.html

Monday, 09 May 2016

Sunday, 07 February 2016

6 December – guest-performance of VESSELINA VASSILEVA in the role of Violetta from Verdi‘s “La Traviata”

On 12.12 the world renowned bass Roberto Scandiuzzi – for the first time on the Sofia stage in the role of Filippo II

02 and 05.12.2015 – Guest-performance of DIANA TUGUI in the role of Violetta

02 and 05.12.2015 – Guest-performance of KIRIL MANOLOV in the role of Georges Germont

Monday, 09 November 2015

The tenor Martin Iliev was awarded the Chrystal Lyre for Siegmund and Siegfried

With a Bulgarian title the Sofia Opera opened its season in which were officially and festively marked 125 years of the first opera performances in the Capital. More than 100 years after its premiere, the first historical opera “Borislav” with author Maestro Georgi Atanasov gathered on the Day of the National Revival Leaders admirers of the art of the opera, representatives of the business, diplomats.

The long expected premiere was preceded by a stylish gratitude ceremony for the support by the realization of the guest-performance of the Sofia Opera in September in Füssen, Germany, with Wagner’s “Der Ring des Nibelungen”. Managers and leading Bulgarian and German companies from different fields were congratulated personally by the Director of our first opera theatre Plamen Kartaloff, who expressed gratitude to each one of them for their sponsorship for the realization of this important cultural and political project.

The opera “Borislav” was already presented this summer within the Stage of the Ages Festival in Veliko Tarnovo, where it was welcomed exceptionally warm by the Bulgarian and foreign audience. The little bit different from the walls of the Tsarevets citadel stage version by the director Plamen Kartaloff won the Sofia audience with its simple sets without any pomposity, beautiful costumes from the period of the Second Bulgarian Kingdom by Hristiana Mihaleva-Zorbalieva and the conquering with its simplicity and melody music by the young Maestro Atanasov. Impressing acting mastery and vocal presence showed the soloists Atanas Mladenov (Borislav), the bass Angel Hristov (Tsar Ivan Asen II), Lilia Kehayova (Tamara), Plamen Papazikov (Gavrail), Daniel Ostretsov (Kir Todor), Blagovesta Mekki-Tsvetkova (Irina), Aleksandar Nosikov (Slav), Elena Marinova (Vela), Silvana Pravcheva (Zoya) and the other performers. The young conductor George Dimitrov confidently and elegantly led the orchestra and the chorus through this little known work of art, which reached to an audience of thousands thanks to the direct broadcasting by the Bulgarian National Radio. The enthusiastic applause at the end of the spectacle was the most categorical proof that the enormous efforts of the entire creative team to bring back to life on the stage Maestro Georgi Atanasov’s first opera were fully justified.

While at the Sofia Opera was taking place the premiere of “Borislav”, the theatre’s leading soloist, the tenor Martin Iliev, was awarded a fully merited recognition – the Chrystal Lyre distinction of the Union of the Bulgarian Musicians and Dancers for the roles of Siegmund and Siegfried from Wagner’s tetralogy “Der Ring des Nibelungen”. For the five years in our first opera theatre Iliev, who started his career as baritone, “conquered” a series of opera bastions. His repertoire includes parts like Pollione from “Norma“ by Bellini, Manrico from “Il trovatore“, Othello, Radamès from “Aida” (Verdi), Calaf from “Turandot” by Puccini, Don José from “Carmen” by Bizet. With his interpretation of Tristan from “Tristan und Isolde” by Wagner this year the tenor won the admiration of Wagnerians from all over the world. Having received the distinction from his well-known colleague Aron Aronov, Martin Iliev thanked to God that such were the circumstances in his life and that he had the luck to take part in the first presentation of Wagner’s tetralogy in Bulgaria. The performer thanked also to the director Plamen Kartaloff for the trust and the support, as well as to the conductors Pavel Balev and Velizar Genchev and to the music consultant Richard Trimborn for the priceless help by the mastering of both characters. Iliev noted that all of his colleagues, who have worked on the tetralogy, deserve this award and that he would like to share it with them.

The next premiere titles on the playbill of the Sofia Opera this season are the new author’s ballet spectacle “Bulgarian toccata” by Mila Iskrenova after Dimitar Nenov’s and Vasil Kazandzhiev’s music – on 13 November, and “Attila” by Giuseppe Verdi – on 22 November.

Wednesday, 09 September 2015

Soloists, chorus, orchestra, technical staff and sets arrived in Bavaria

Since days the Festival theatre in Füssen is unusually animated. During the weekend here arrived six TIR with sets, technic, costumes, props and everything necessary for the upcoming spectacles of the Sofia Opera of the “Ring des Nibelungen” by Richard Wagner. In spite of the continuous rain and the cold (in Sunday the temperature dropped to 9 degrees Celsius) the teams of our first opera theatre unloaded the equipment on the dot and together with their German colleagues they started the construction of the sets for the spectacles. “Sofia has come” – under this title the local “Allgäuer Zeitung” described in a press coverage with photos the “landing” of the Sofia Opera in the little town in the Bavarian Alps.

Not easy from logistic point of view, most of all because of the traffic jams because of the streams of refugees at the Hungarian borders turned out to be the transporting of a part of the Opera’s teams. Seven busses transported the soloists, the chorus, the orchestra, the creative and the technical staffs – in total more than 230 people. The main casts came directly from Ljubljana after their terrific success at the famous International festival with “Tristan und Isolde” by Wagner. The guest-performance was within the organized by the Municipality of Sofia “Days of Sofia in Ljubljana”. In the early hours of Sunday arrived the last group, after18-hour travelling from Budapest, out of which nearly 8-hour stay at the Hungarian-Austrian border.

After the three triumphal performances of the “Ring” in Sofia in 2013, 2014 and 2015, the team of the director Plamen Kartaloff is very motivated to present itself in the best way here, in Wagner’s fatherland, in the favourite of his patron Ludwig II Bavaria. “When last summer, on the way from Salzburg to Bayreuth, I discovered for myself Füssen and its beautiful Festspielhaus, came the moment of illumination and courage to return our Wagner to his patron and protector King Ludwig II, to return and show our Bulgarian “Ring” to the one who first lit the fire in me to think about the opera as a theatre of audacity and great ideas”, shared Maestro Kartaloff in a large interview for “Allgäuer Zeitung”.

Besides the regional editions, in practice all big German media, among which “Süddeutsche Zeitung” and “Bild” already informed about the upcoming guest-performance of the Sofia Opera with the “Ring des Nibelungen”. The Bavarian television will reflect the rehearsals. It is expected the performances to be visited by connoisseurs of Richard Wagner’s work of art, as well as by many music critics.

Big is the interest for the upcoming first performance of Wagner’s tetralogy in Füssen and in the region of Bavaria. Everywhere on the streets, the squares, the hotels and the numerous restaurants can be seen posters, advertising banners and leaflets. The Festival theatre in Füssen is also diligently preparing itself for the spectacles from 12 to 17 September. Except for the Bulgarian “Ring”, which is to be performed here, Festspielhaus offers a correspondence meeting with posters and with different other productions of Wagner’s tetralogy from Germany, France, Finland.

Text and photos: Dimitar SOTIROV

Tuesday, 08 September 2015

Saturday, 05 September 2015

Friday, 14 August 2015

Friday, 14 August 2015

Monday, 13 July 2015

Thursday, 02 July 2015

Wednesday, 01 July 2015

Tuesday, 16 June 2015

The marvellous production of The Ring of the Nibelung will be played in four nights in Fuessen in September

Sofia Opera and Ballet’s triumph continues. From 12 to 17 September the theatre will show its marvellous staging of The Ring of the Nibelung in Fuessen, Germany. “

There is a great buzz about Sofia Opera and Ballet’s visit with The Ring of the Nibelung, with a lot of viewers – members of various Wagner Societies from around Germany, expected to see the show,” said the mayor of Fuessen, Paul Iacob. He was in Sofia together with Stefan Weigert, the director of Fuessen’s opera house Festspielhaus, to attend the premiere of another of Richard Wagner’s masterpieces – Tristan and Isolde on 26 February. Both guests were impressed with the performance of the Bulgarian opera singers. They discussed the scheduled visit of Sofia Opera in Fuessen with the mayor of Sofia Ms Yordanka Fandakova and Minister for Culture Vezhdi Rashidov.

The idea for Sofia Opera’s trip to Fuessen came from the troupe’s director and producer of the show, maestro Plamen Kartaloff. He discovered Fuessen and its Festspielhaus on his way to Bayreuth. Fuessen is a Bavarian city, located some 5km from the Austrian border. The town is known for its violinmaking industry. This is also the home of the Neuschwanstein Castle (or New Swan Stone Castle) of King Ludwig II, who was Richard Wagner’s patron.

According to maestro Kartaloff, it is the perfect place to show the tetralogy The Ring of the Nibelung, which has never been performed there.

Sofia Opera and Ballet’s version will be played in four nights – The Rhine Gold on 12 September, The Valkyrie on 13 September, Siegfried on 15 September and Twilight of the Gods on 17 September.

The shows will pave the way for other joint projects of the two cities as well as attracting tourists, providing a boost for cultural tourism. They will also be in support of Bulgaria’s upcoming presidency of the European Council in 2018.

http://www.europost.eu

Tuesday, 16 June 2015

Zum ersten Mal „importiert“ eine deutsche Bühne eine ausländische Wagner-Opernproduktion: Die bulgarische Nationaloper Sofia zeigt Richard Wagners Operntetralogie „Ring des Nibelungen“ im September 2015 im Festspielhaus Füssen. „Das Rheingold“ wird hier am 12.09. aufgeführt, gefolgt von „Die Walküre“ am 13.09. und „Siegfried“ am 15. September. Am 17. September beschließt „Götterdämmerung“ die Wagner-Woche.

Mit der ersten eigenen Umsetzung der Operntetralogie hat die Opera Sofia in der Wagner-Welt nachdrücklich auf sich aufmerksam gemacht. Ab 2010 brachte das Haus in jedem Jahr eine der Opern neu heraus, bis 2013 zum 200. Geburtstag Wagners alle vier Teile miteinander in Sofia aufgeführt werden konnten. „Eine der gelungensten und schönsten Ring-Produktionen“, so die Bewertung von Josef Lienhart, Ehrenpräsident des internationalen Richard-Wagner-Verbandes.

Der Inszenierung des Intendanten Plamen Kartaloff gelingt es, mit eindrucksvollen, bisweilen an den fantastischen Realismus erinnernden Bilderwelten und einem facettenreichen Multimedia-Design den Mythos des „Ring“ mit einer sehr nahe an Wagners Regieanweisungen operierenden Dramaturgie zu verbinden. Das ausgezeichnete Sängerensemble macht dem Weltruf der „Bulgarian Voices“ alle Ehre, die musikalische Stabführung hat der Dirigent Erich Wächter.

Insgesamt 220 Mitwirkende bringen den „Ring“ auf die Bühne des Festspielhauses in Füssen im Allgäu. Die Leitung der bulgarischen Nationaloper will ihre Entscheidung für diesen Aufführungsort in Sichtweite von Schloss Neuschwanstein als Hommage an den Wagnerfreund Ludwig II. verstanden wissen. Das Haus mit 1.366 Plätzen und ausgezeichneter Akustik ist dem Festspielhaus in Bayreuth und den Plänen von Gottfried Semper für ein Wagner-Festspielhaus in München nachempfunden.

Die Aufführungen finden in Partnerschaft mit den Ministerien für Kultur, Tourismus und Auswärtige Angelegenheiten der Republik Bulgarien, der Botschaft der Republik Bulgarien in Deutschland, der Stadt Sofia, der UNESCO (Creative City 2014), Sofia 2018, der Gemeinde Bansko (Bulgarien) und der Stadt Füssen statt.

Vorgestellt wird die Idee heute Vormittag um 11:30 Uhr im Festspielhaus Füssen mit dem bulgarischen Kulturminister Vezhdi Rashidov und dem Intendanten der Opera Sofia Plamen Kartaloff.

http://www.allgaeuhit.de

Monday, 15 June 2015

Saturday, 13 June 2015

Wednesday, 27 May 2015

font size decrease font size increase font size Print Email

“Prince Igor” and “Turandot” will be performed this autumn in the Land of the Rising Sun

With performances of “Prince Igor” on 5 June at 19.00 h and “Turandot” on 7 June at 16.00 h the Sofia Opera will present the programme for its upcoming tour in Japan. The theatre will have guest-performances this autumn for the sixth time since 2000 in the Land of the Rising Sun. In both upcoming spectacles will sing the soloists, who will take part in the Japan tour in the period 6-21 October. It includes 6 performances of “Turandot” and 3 – of “Prince Igor” on different stages in the country.

In “Prince Igor” the director Plamen Kartaloff makes his own author’s dramaturgical concept, which finds a new meaning of the title by rejecting war and ending with the peace and the love of both young characters. In the spectacle participate the soloists: Biser Georgiev, Radostina Nikolaeva, Petar Kostov, Aleksandar Nosikov, Petar Buchkov, Tsveta Sarambelieva, Miroslav Andreev, Kostadin Mechkov, Plamen Papazikov, Vetka Petkova, Silvana Pravcheva. Conductor is Grigor Palikarov.

The Bulgarian-Greek production of “Turandot”, created in 1995 by Plamen Kartaloff, brought back 20 years ago on the stage of the Sofia Opera the great dramatic soprano Ghena Dimitrova and the conductor Metodi Matakiev. Yoanna Manoledaki is author of the costumes and the sets. The same production, with 187 participants, was presented in other different places during the next years. It was performed with great success in 2000 in Japan during the first guest-performance of our first opera there. It was revived by request of the Japanese impresario agency, which presents the Sofia Opera in Japan.

In “Turandot” on 7 June at 16.00 h the audience will hear: Gabriela Georgieva, Miroslav Andreev, Svetozar Rangelov, Kostadin Andreev, Silvana Pravcheva, Atanas Mladenov, Plamen Papazikov, Daniel Ostretsov, Nikolay Petrov. Conductor is Grigor Palikarov.

The special jubilee matinée at 11.00 h the same morning will mark the 20th jubilee of the production and 40 years of the debut of Ghena Dimitrova in the role of Turandot in Treviso, Italy, in 1975. At the matinée will be reminded marking moments of this role of the great dramatic soprano with fragments from her performances in Plamen Kartaloff’s production from 1995, as well as participations of the renowned soprano as the capricious Chinese princess at Arena di Verona and La Scala di Milano from 1983.

The first guest-performance of the Sofia Opera in Japan was in 2000, when Plamen Kartaloff attracted for his productions of “Turandot” by Puccini and “La Gioconda” by Ponchielli the legends Ghena Dimitrova and Nicola Ghiuselev. The next guest-performances of our first opera theatre in this country were in 2002, 2005, 2008 and 2012.

Monday, 25 May 2015

Saturday, 02 May 2015

“In the last five years, the Sofia Opera became an attractive centre for the admirers of Richard Wagner. The reason is the gradual acquaintance of the Bulgarian audience with his “opus magnum”, the teralogy “Der Ring des Nibelungen”. Each year the Director of our first theatre, Acad. Plamen Kartaloff, was leading step by step the performers and the audience in this unusual journey in the world of the German romantic.” This way begins an interview of Magdalena Manolova with Klaus Billand, a music critic from Austria. In it he expressed a high opinion of Acad. Plamen Kartaloff’s productions – “Der Ring des Nibelungen” and “Tristan und Isolde”. This opinion is not only of the Sofia Opera and ballet, but also of the Bulgarian culture before the world.

Here is the rest of the interview:

“Each year the Bulgarian and foreign audience, critics and Wagnerians from all over the world climbed the highest hill of our ancient capital to experience the magic of the Bulgarian Bayreuth. An event, which turned into tradition, about which the world learned that here, on the Balkans, one can experience the music of the revolutionary Wagner, with the special flavour of the Bulgarian spirituality and beauty.

One of the specialists and critics, who reflect on the events of our first opera theatre, is the well-known Austrian opera critic Dr. Klaus Billand, member of the Music Critics Association of North America. He is not only connoisseur of theatre of Wagner, but also an observer of the different interpretations on the stages from Europe to America. One possibility for us to understand how the Bulgarian dimension and achievement fits into the world opera practice. He is here also for the premiere of “Tristan und Isolde”.

That is why my first question is how opus magnum, “Der Ring des Nibelungen”, of our National opera and ballet fits into the world context? What requires the realization of this majestic tetralogy, as synthesis of all arts?

First of all, what is required is an exceptionally strong creative personality with own vision and with the courage to create the greatest challenge in the history of music, such as “Der Ring des Nibelungen”. Plamen Kartaloff has accepted this great challenge, which he creates in time. I would like to emphasize that I have seen many productions of “Der Ring”, but this one is exceptional as concept and interpretation. It attracts not only the connoisseurs, but also people who are meeting for the first time with the complex world of Wagner.

In the production there are many associative moments, elements, in which one can recognise himself and reflect on what does it mean? Something very important was achieved. One very cleared up way of play, incredible fantastic scenes, which are close to modern pop art. Kartaloff has managed to make this “side-split” between the vision and the messages of high art and the entertainment elements, characteristic for our time. Regarding the stylistic, the use of technologies for the different stage transformations, this is a spectacle with exceptional multimedia design, multi-layer, difficult, but all this is excellently mastered from the standpoint of technical complexity. Kartaloff has succeeded to unite all these complex elements in a multimedia spectacle with an accurate and direct message, something, which is actually the strong suggestion of this “Ring”. This is the secret of the success of the Sofia “Ring”.

The concept of Gesamtkunstwerk in “Der Ring des Nibelungen” and the vocal symphonic poem “Tristan und Isolde” are two different creative dimensions. Two different challenges, in which each of them is a special characteristic moment in the destiny of the revolutionary and romantic Wagner. Which is the key to them?

“Tristan und Isolde” is a very important moment in Wagner’s life: this is his personal drama, the unrealized love for Mathilde Wesendonck, the wife of his benefactor Wesendonck. In “Der Ring” there is much dynamic in the action, while “Tristan und Isolde” is something like a crime story. Not by chance Wagner called his work “drama in three acts”. This is a drama for singers-actors and at that only for two main characters. The characters ate six in total, but except Tristan and Isolde the rest appear only in precise moments in the dramaturgy. It is a piece, a great challenge, which has to hold the attention of the audience for more than four hours. Something exceptionally difficult.

Kartaloff has a different approach in “Tristan und Isolde”, but it is close to that in “Der Ring”. He holds the attention with action, in which he develops the state of mind of the characters, especially strongly in some marking moments. For example in Act II, before the well-known love duet, Isolde raises above the others, one erected inaccessible figure, which communicates with no one else, but with the King Marke, but when Tristan enters, she goes down and everything is already so human. Both are left alone in their love. The love duet is an impressive apotheosis of eternal love. The scene of their raising in a flight on high platforms, in another world, where they are beyond the common world, they immerse entirely in their feelings, what exists is only they and nothing else.

Another interesting suggestion is the including of the chorus, which is normally not seen, it is behind the curtains in other productions. Here the chorus has a function. For example in Act I the chorus springs out of different platforms; it has the action of an injection in the world of the lovers.

Kartaloff creates an impressive theatre, which isn’t a static symphonic poem about love, as one usually thinks of this work by Wagner. Here the suggestion of the unreal magical world gives another meaning.

This poem about love has only two main characters from six characters in total. From this love poem Kartaloff makes an impressive theatre, a strong theatrical suggestion. Which is the secret of this magic according to you?

One of the secrets of this spectacle is that Kartaloff makes a visual interpretation on a musical basis. He creates a world beyond the other in a very theatrical way of presentation. Everything comes from the music. In very natural harmony with music is the action of both lovers. A shocking contrast is, for example, when in Act II Melot comes from one totally different world. What we have here is a very strong contrast between both worlds: the one of love and the other – of brutality.

The role of Tristan is extremely difficult vocally. It requires an incredible voice tenacity and something more. What is the suggestion of Martin Iliev?

This Tristan is different from those, who I have seen. Martin Iliev impresses not only with his beautiful voice, but also with the overall development of the character. This Tristan is exceptionally strong as suggestion. By him there is a deep inner experience, which is subject to development, to change from the low spirits in Act I (born from his mother’s death), it reveals his inner world in a real dramatic development: from low spirits to dissolving in love.

Not less difficult in vocal and actor’s aspect is the role of Isolde.

I believed in the young Isolde too. She found her way with a beautiful Italian way of singing to be also dramatic. Especially in Act II and at the final. Not to talk about her brilliant heights. I cannot separate the vocal aspect from the theatrical one, the singing from music. They complement one another; there is an excellent suggestion; it brings much real life to this work of art.

You said that Isolde has the warmth and the beauty of the Italian voice. The Wagner voices are different from the Italian ones. If you have to compare the typical Wagner singers with what you saw here, what would you say? Which is the spirit of this spectacle?

This was a lighter singing, I would say not “shouting”, a dramatic singing, which I am usually meeting. Radostina Nikolaeva has shown a high-class technique, which makes her so natural. Many well-known Isoldes don’t do this. Martin Iliev has a dark, impressive voice, he also doesn’t overdramatize, he doesn’t sing with force. I would say, that sometimes the Isoldes “shout”, especially in Act I, and Tristan often tries to suggest the verbal and the musical message in Act III with very strong voice and much declamation. This is tiring for the audience, as well as for the audience.

In this spectacle I had the feeling of perfect harmony with music. A very romantic inner experience. An overdramatized singing, a strong voice would destroy the overall suggestion.

Something interesting and unusual – we have three Isoldes, all of them are Bulgarian singers. What is your impression of them? Usually for this title people invite special Wagner singers.

This is really an extraordinary phenomenon. To cover this exceptionally difficult performance only with Bulgarian singers. Something, which is obviously very important for the creation of Wagnerian tradition and way to make music. In this case, however, I would say that some of the characters required another vocality and music-making. Brangäne for example requires a little bit more mezzo-soprano, especially in Act II. Marke, as well, was too much overdramatized in sound. He had to be more reserved and deeper. Even the king must show authority not by singing strongly, but to experience psychologically his state of mind. Kurwenal was very good.

An excellent idea was the choice of one single singer for the small, but interesting role of the Shepherd and of the Death. Actually, this was set also in the stage dramaturgy. Still in the introduction, when Tristan is sealing with the ship to Isolde, appears the small ghostly boat and when Tristan dies in the last act and death is coming, appeared this ghostly vision. An excellent idea, death had a very strong suggestion.

The musical suggestion of the spectacle as a whole was very complex. The orchestra was playing in a light way, without unnecessary overdramatizing of the strong dynamics. The dialogue between orchestra and singers in this multi-layer score also suggested the feeling of complete interdependence between the vocal and the instrumental. There was a special care about the singer. Something, which confirmed that the conductor Constantin Trinks is very sensitive and experienced. The musical training of Richard Trimborn was of a great significance for everything, related to Richard Wagner at the Sofia Opera.

The vision of the whole spectacle was very intriguing. It was holding the attention all the time. Obviously, the merit was also of the set designer Miodrag Tabacki and the costume designer Leo Kulas. Something unusual and new was the beginning. This trailer, developed in the language of cinema and plastics, was amazing. I haven’t seen such an introduction into the plot of the most important moments, which creates the notion about the pre-history, it is an excellent concept of the director.

You have your own experience and you have gathered impressions from the Bulgarian Wagner. What do you think of this first journey of this kind in the world of the lord of romanticism with his big opuses? What message does it have for our society of consumers? What is saying Wagner to us, the contemporaries of the 21 century?

I can say that I know what meant such a meeting with Wagner for example in Brazil. There was a great interest. Because Wagner is always modern. He was a social revolutionary, who, like Shakspeare, can lead a dialogue with each age. The interesting is that Wagner can be interpreted in different historical and political periods, in the East and in the West. Because especially in “Der Ring” there is a great message, the message of change. People recognize the fact that they have to fight against the evil of their time. Wagner tells everything to the politicians, he suggests ideas about what kind of philosophy of government is necessary, especially in our time.

Today we have lost to a great extent the feeling of true love. “Tristan und Isolde” is one possible answer to this problem. Naturally, when the work was read in depth and with understanding.

Why the role of the critique is important today?

The critique is very important, especially today, because we are usually used to read information for a particular event, which is written by journalists. Whereas the professional critique helps the audience to reflect better on what it is seeing. The critique not only introduces to the work, but also to its message. It shows the key for understanding of some very intelligent productions, which would otherwise remain unintelligible.

Monday, 23 March 2015

Monday, 23 March 2015

Tristan: Martin Iliev, Isolde: Radostina Nikolaeva, Brangane: Bayasgalan Dashnyam, Marke: Angel Hristov, Melot: Veselin Milhaylov, Kurwenal: Biser Georgiev. Direttore: Constantin Trinks. Regia: Plamen Kartaloff. Scene: Miodrag Tabacki. Costumi: Leo Kulas. Luci: Andrei Hakdinjak. M°del coro: Violeta Dimitrova. Teatro Nazionale dell’Opera, 26 febbraio 2015.

Wagner è ormai di casa a Sofia. E’ora il turno di Tristan und Isolde, dopo la Tetralogia offerta per la prima volta in lingua originale nel corso di quattro stagioni e di cui si è puntualmente riferito su queste pagine, Anello che verrà riproposto integralmente in una sorta di ideale maratona durante la prima settimana del prossimo mese di luglio. Il fatto ha destato la curiosità dei wagneriani più fedeli, molti dei quali si spostano ormai facilmente in aereo -provvidenziali pure le compagnie low cost- anche di continente in continente, vista la presenza di un gruppo di fans asiatici. La musica, ancora una volta, unisce ed impera!

Naturalmente, come già per le precedenti produzioni, si tratta di uno sforzo all’insegna del “fai da te”, inteso come fatto in casa. In Bulgaria, per le voci -miniera di talenti- a Sofia, per lo sforzo produttivo. Plamen Kartaloff, direttore del teatro, anzi e meglio, “uomo di teatro”, è una sorta di Don Chisciotte che ama le sfide impossibili. Le affronta però, coi piedi sempre in terra. I suoi non sono fantasmagorici mulini a vento, anche se nell’assistere a questa recita, sua la regia, si è rimasti meravigliati dal gioco scenico e teatrale dovuto all’uso di carrelli e macchinari degni del più mirabolante teatro barocco, ma concepiti con le tecniche moderne, senza far sussurro per intenderci, creando effetti davvero stupefacenti.

L’impostazione è, ancora una volta, volutamente didascalica, come lascia intendere l’azione teatrale che si sviluppa su una base musciale che sottintende un tempestoso ululare di vento e minaccia di tempesta, dove ci spiega l’antefatto. L’incontro di “Tantris” ferito, accolto e curato da Isotta, il rapimento di quest’ultima. Il tutto appena accennato come in un evanescente sogno, che è pure la memoria e la nemesi di un percorso predestinato. La scena, firmata dal fantasioso Miograd Tabacki, è quindi minimale: formata da una piattaforma che si scompone, si inabissa, si alza, si piega in mille ed una prospettive e forme. Bellissimi i costumi disegnati da Leo Lukas, reinterpretazione di un mondo arcaico e medievale, ma con sensibilità moderna e cromatismi affascinanti. Fondamentali alla riuscita dello spettacolo sia le luci, perfettamente dosate da Andrei Haijdinjak, che le proiezioni del Multimedia Designer Georgi Hristov, che ci hanno trasportato in uno spazio cosmico, laddove l’amore ed il sentimento lasciano il campo aperto alla sovraumanità di una storia in cui, comunque, non si rinuncia alla passione travolgente. Vanno citati Hristov Namliev, che ha creato il Musical Design del Prologo, e Kamen Ivanov, Maestro d’armi nel duello tra Tristano e Mellot, in cui il primo, di fatto, si lancia sulla spada impugnata dall’attonito falso amico.

A fronte di un risultato teatrale coinvolgente, abbiamo avuto una resa musicale altrettanto emozianante. Innanzi tutto lode alla superlativa orchestra che negli anni ha acquistato una consapevole specificità, lavorando sodo e perfezionandosi con tenacia. Ottimo anche, nei suoi interventi, il coro maschile istruito dall’infaticabile Violeta Dimitrova. Il merito della splendida riuscita, va ascritto alla giovane, ma già lanciatissima bacchetta di Costantin Trinks. Maestro attivo soprattutto in Germania, a Dresda ha diretto importanti produzioni, che recentemente è approdato anche da noi, in Italia a Palermo, dirigendo la novità di Henze Gisela!. La sua è stata una lettura raffinata, sottile, attenta ai dettagli, con un occhio sempre vigile al palcoscenico, qui senza buca di suggeritore, ma il team è formato da una miriade di solerti Maestri, tra cui citiamo Vera Petrova e Vera Beleva, Yulia Krasteva, Teodora Hristova, Vladimir Gorchakov, Stefka Georgieva, Yolanta Smolyanova e Milen Stanev. Trinks non ha mai perso di vista le ragioni del canto, sostenendo sempre le voci, chiamate come ben si sa a immane sforzo, premiato, alla fine, da un successo vibrante.

Trionfo che ha accolto i protagonisti, sui quali va fatta una necessaria premessa. Risaputamente il Tristano comporta la disponibilità di due protagonisti d’eccezione. Qui, a Sofia e nel corso di recite ravvicinate, si sono allineati ben due tenori e addirittura tre soprano per il ruolo di Isotta, tenendo conto che tutti gli altri ruoli avevano, comunque, un doppio. Alla “prima” il cast, completamente nazionale -ma preparato con estrema cura dal veterano Richard Trimborn, pure in palcoscenico e festeggiatissimo alla fine- ha allineato tre fuoriclasse. Tutti, per altro, al loro debutto di ruolo. Tristan è stato interpretato con solida vocalità, fermezza e tenuta, timbro colore ambrato in zona centrale e squillante in acuto, dal bravissimo Martin Iliev, che è stato già apprezzato Sigfrido, tanto nel Siegfried quanto nel Gotterdammerung nella Tetralogia. Anche scenicamente non scherza, per la presenza atletica ed una forza nella recitazione che hanno reso benissimo anche nel terzo sfibrante atto, ivi compresa l’esaltazione che precede la morte nell’annuncio dell’arrivo dell’amata Isotta. Questa era la radiosa Radostina Nikolaeva (ma si dice un gran bene anche delle altre due: Tsevtana Bandalovska e Marina Zvetkova) la quale, oltre ad avere un timbro accattivante, ha un’ammirevole capacità di modulare il suono che, alla bisogna, si fa potente nell’acuto, lanciato di forza e tenuto spavaldamente. Ha sedotto il pubblico, in questo suo primo approccio, per la intensa e partecipe recitazione, culminata nel fatidico momento della “trasfigurazione” in un improvviso volo, in bilico su una piattaforma, nell’abbraccio finale con Tristan, ormai spiritualmente unito a lei verso il cielo: bellissimo e struggente effetto. Terza relativa sorpresa, per chi non l’avesse udita eccezionale Brunilde in Siegfried, il soprano Bayasgalan Dashnyam nel ruolo di Brangane, la fida e solerte amica e ancella, dalla voce potente, da soparno Falcon per intenderci, che bene si addice al ruolo: giustamente applauditissima. Ben integrati, sia musicalmente che scenicamente l’accorato, ma autorevole Re Marke di Angel Hristov, il viscido ed insinuante Melot di Veselin Mihaylov y l’ottimo Kurwenal di Biser Georgiev. Un’altra scommessa vinta!

Monday, 16 February 2015

Assuming Wagner’s statement that he does not write operas but dramas, “Tristan und Isolde”, fits exactly in his creative life and biography as his personal and genuine emotional drama. With this work, the Maestro defined his philosophy in reaching the supreme impulse and meaning of life, with the insight that only through love and within love a man can find himself.

The music and lyrics of “Tristan und Isolde” spring from the most intimate fibers of experienced heartaches. Like living shadows, out of an unrealized dream of love oblivion, passionately and without fear, our characters fly off into their space made of dreams and emotions of illusory happiness.

The delusion of their stellar love journey is not sinful. With their ardent fiery flight from reality, the road of their life leads them from an inseparable love to their choice in flight to happiness in death. So they save themselves and their love.

As in no other opera, here with Wagner the leading heroine does not die. She is transformed into light, which is the realm of the eternal and most true love. Carrying away with her her favorite creature to ever be together and live together forever.

With the last bars of the score, the finale of the performance, we see the image of love in the allegory for cosmic happiness.

The complex philosophy of Richard Wagner’s poetic masterpiece I sought to realize in a fully understandable, emotional, dynamic and highly expressive musical and theatrical language. Wagner himself wanted to see on stage the theatre of his music. Notwithstanding the extreme requirement for the vocal stamina of singers, no lesser condition is that they have to be great actors.

Looking from the score of “Tristan und Isolde” towards the creation of its image on the stage, in the director’s interpretation and the development of the roles with the artists, it is natural to recognize the understanding that Wagner’s musical poetic mystery of Tristan and Isolde is absolutely in compliance with the philosophy of Schopenhauer. Here are some lines from his thoughts “On the Metaphysics of Music”:

The music of an opera, as presented in the score, has a wholly independent, separate, and as it were abstract existence by itself, to which the incidents and characters of the piece are foreign, and which follows its own unchangeable rules; it can therefore be completely effective even without the text. But as this music was composed with respect to the drama, it is, so to speak, the soul of this, since, in its connexion with the incidents, characters, and words, it becomes the expression of the inner significance of all those incidents, and of their ultimate and secret necessity that rests on this significance. It is on the obscure feeling of this that the spectator’s pleasure really depends, unless he is a mere gaper. Yet in opera, music shows its heterogeneous nature and its superior intrinsic virtue by its complete indifference to everything material in the incidents; and in consequence of this, it expresses the storm of the passions and the pathos of the feelings everywhere in the same way, and accompanies these with the same pomp of its tones, whether Agamemnon and Achilles or the dissensions of an ordinary family furnish the material of the piece. For only the passions, the movements of the will, exist for it, and, like God, it sees only the heart. (Arthur Schopenhauer, “The World as Will and Representation”, Volume 2)

In this context, the deeply philosophical side of Richard Wagner’s music is the task of the directing: to paint in images the beautiful and the sublime through the music and the poetry in the space of the stage, to tell the viewer and listener in the most natural way an enticing romantic tale of love revived from an ancient legend.

I might have tried a little bit too much by introducing a small prologue of the back-story, before the overture, before we see with the first bars of the first act in Wagner’s opera the Irish princess Isolde on the ship, on the way to her unwanted wedding with the Cornish King Marke.

In the genesis of the back-story the action takes place first in Ireland, where she saved from death a foreigner – the knight Tristan, and strongly felt a longing for him. In the opera we directly see Isolde already forcibly on board the ship to Brittany; severely wounded by the insult, she hysterically suffers. For the deceit she has decided to take revenge on the traitor, whom however she still loves and always, until the end of her life, will be doomed to be only his.

I am grateful to my wonderful colleagues: Martin Iliev, Peter Svensson, Radostina Nikolaeva, Tsvetana Bandalovska Mariana Zvetkova, Bayasgalan Dashnyam, Tsveta Sarambelieva, Angel Hristov, Petar Buchkov, Veselin Mihaylov, Daniel Ostretsov, Biser Georgiev. Atanas Mladenov, Krasimir Dinev, Plamen Papazikov, Anton Radev, Nikolai Petrov. Sparing no effort in the difficult mise-en-scène and with true devotion, they worked to achieve the necessary dramatic expressiveness and acting acrobatics. Naturally, first of all, bow to their talent to meet the requirements of the vocal complexity. This is a joint result, for which we attach great merit to their musical training by the tireless pianist-accompanist Richard Trimborn, who worked with them for a whole year, as well as the pianists Milen Stanev and Yolanta Smolyanova, the conductor Velizar Genchev and the leading conductor of the production Constantin Trinks. Appreciation for the professionalism of the technical services and workshops, which produced the decor and the costumes, and to the assistants Vera Petrova and Yulia Krasteva and all the staff in our solid directorial team to create the first “Tristan” on the Bulgarian national opera stage.

Plamen Kartaloff

26.02.2015

Friday, 23 January 2015

150 years since the premiere of “Tristan und Isolde” by Richard Wagner

The soloists, the conductor, the director and the entire team are working hard for the premiere on 26 February

During the last weeks the artistic and production-technical teams are busy with the upcoming on 26 February new premiere of Sofia Opera – Wagner’s marking work of art “Tristan und Isolde”. Many hours continue the hard rehearsals. At the moment the Director Plamen Kartraloff and the Assistant Directors Vera Petrova and Yulia Krasteva are putting the finishing touches of scenes from Act III of one of the most difficult works by the German composer and philosopher.

Parallel with the spectacles on the stage of Sofia Opera and Ballet, rehearsals are made also at the Inter Expo Centre and on Small stage of Sofia Opera and Ballet. Our exceptional performers Martin Iliev (the Bulgarian Tristan), Tsvetana Bandalovska, Radostina Nikolaeva and Mariana Zvetkova (the Bulgarian performers of Isolde), Atanas Mladenov (the Bulgarian Kurwenal), Krasimir Dinev and Plamen Papazikov (in the role of the Young Sailor) are elaborating the scenes, bringing into life the first in our country production of “Tristan und Isolde”. 150 years after its premiere on 10 June 1865 in Munich, the moving love drama will shake the audience from Sofia and the country, as well as the numerous guests from abroad, who will arrive specially for the premiere performance of this title by Wagner on Bulgarian stage.

Fully understandable is the excitement of the entire team working on the title. Important is each detail, each gesture, each facial expression and look. Impressive is the diligence with which all artists are approaching the development of the characters. All this happens with the piano accompaniment by Yolanta Smolyanova and Milen Stanev, under the conductor’s look and direction of Velizar Genchev. The guest-performing young and promising conductor Constantin Trinks, who has a remarkable career in Germany, has already made his first rehearsals with the orchestra during several days. Musical and Language Consultant is again the “pillar” of the Bulgarian “Ring” by Wagner, maestro Richard Trimborn.

A little more than one month before the long-awaited premiere of the prestigious for each theatre title the efforts of everyone, busy with it, are directed to the achievement of the maximum. Everybody is clear that after the grandiose success of the first in our country and on the Balkans “Der Ring des Nibelungen” the responsibility for the first stage performance of “Tristan und Isolde” in Sofia is even greater. The artistic team, which will present this title, includes also the well-known and valuable Set Designer Miodrag Tabacki, already known in Bulgaria (“Tosca”, “Turandot”, “Lakmé”) and the Costume Designer Leo Kulaš (“Tosca”).

Dimitar SOTIROV

Wednesday, 14 January 2015

Tuesday, 13 January 2015

As a young singer, just appointed at the Sofia Opera, I find myself at Plamen Kartaloff’s spectacle of “Turandot”. Ibecame dizzy by the charisma and the fixing power of the spectacle and wished strongly for myself to take part in it. The year was 1995, several months after the premiere. Obviously fate realizes the hot desires and И received this present.

Already 20 years since then, Puccini’s work of genius lasts forever with the talent of the whole team of the National Opera. The stage life of this spectacle is incredible. It was decorated with the extraterrestrial voice of the greatest Turandot – Ghena Dimitrova, to whom I had the great happiness to be partner. The production has conquered the greatest stages of Japan and was rewarded with the hot applauses of the audience there, as well in Sofia and everywhere in the world.

During the years I have participated in different productions of “Turandot”, but the vortex energy, locked namely in this staging of Plamen Kartaloff, blow up in me all my acting and singing passions and bring me always to the highest flight of the spirit.

I am praying hotly like 20 years ago to have the possibility to participate in the magic called Turandot.

Kostadin Andreev

Tuesday, 13 January 2015

“One great evening, big event, not only an artistic one”

With these words the President of Bulgaria, Mr. Zhelev began his cordial congratulation to the Bulgarian-Greek co-production of “Turandot”, which was shown in Sofia on 11 June 1995.

“For the Bulgarian audience this Bulgarian-Greek production of the opera “Turandot” means first the coming back on the stage of the Sofia Opera of the great Bulgarian soprano Ghena Dimitrova, with the role which was marking for her career /she has been called “Turandot of the century”/.

The emanation, the energy of Dimitrova would have been enough by itself in order to thrill the evening of the premiere, but the Bulgarian-Greek Turandot had also another reason to be a hot event. Together with Dimitrova came back after long absence from the Sofia stage one great Bulgarian artist, the conductor Metodi Matakiev. Together with him, Plamen Kartaloff invited the designer Ioanna Manoledaki, who after the success of the Bulgarian-Greek co-production “La belle Hélène” by Offenbach came back in Sofia with exactly this production of “Turandot”. In the rest of the roles the audience enjoyed Konstantin Yankov – Calàf, Tsvetelina Vasileva – Liù, Yulian Konstantinov – Timur and others.

Except everything, this was the first international co-production of “European Capital of Culture – Thessaloniki 1997”, which marked the first significant cultural achievement on the Balkans. The significance of this great event of such a life important meaning culminated into the magnificence of the performance. Everyone agreed that this Bulgarian-Greek Turandot will be the beginning of cooperation at several levels. This means that with art we present a contact between both countries, which is more effective that all kinds of diplomatic missions.

It is important to mark that exactly this staging of TURANDOT created in 1995, and already presented with great success in 2000 in Japan, (the first guest-performance of the Sofia Opera in the Country of the Rising Sun), was now revived at the request of the Japan Impresario Agency, which presented the Sofia Opera in Japan for the sixth time in autumn 2015.

In the spectacle on 15 January 2015 will take part: Bayasgalan Dashnyam, Kostadin Andreev, Tsvetana Bandalovska, Angel Hristov, Atanas Mladenov, Plamen Papazikov, Daniel Ostretsov, Miroslav Andreev, Nikolay Petrov. On 16 January the participants will be: Iordanka Derilova, Martin Iliev, Silvana Pravcheva, Svetozar Rangeliv, Atanas Mladenov, Plamen Papazikov, Daniel Ostretsov, Miroslav Andreev, Nikolay Petrov. Conductor of both spectacles will be Grigor Palikarov.

Tuesday, 13 January 2015

MUSIC

EXOSTIS (weekly review of Art Events) 2/11/95

Laud applause for Turandot

Great artistic success for both spectacles of Puccini’s opera “Turandot”, presented in the frames of the Dimitria Festival.

This co-production of the Sofia National Opera, the European Capital of Culture Organization, Thessaloniki 1997 and the Macedonian Techni Art Association, Thessaloniki, gave birth to an event with exceptional meaning. The happy ones, who had the opportunity to watch the spectacle, have overcrowded the hall. They had the fortune to experience the most beautiful opera performance, ever staged in Thessaloniki.

This was one exceptionally rich and inspired production, which the audience applauded more than ten minutes long, an expression of one audience, thirsty for spectacle of highest quality and of enrichment of its knowledge about art.

The spectacle presented one imposing Turandot, Ghena Dimitrova, who came back on the stage of Sofia Opera and Ballet after an absence of many years. The alienating severity, cruelty of the Princess was expressed with incredible technique and suggestion.

The staging of Plamen Kartaloff was inspiring. Successfully was reproduced the overall atmosphere of the work of art, the requirements of the director from the artists gave moving results.

Impressive was also the work of Ioanna Manoledaki, who created the costume and the set design. In short: remarkable inspiration, fascinating visual conception. The sets were multifunctional and covered a large surface between the magnificence of the Imperial throne and the simplicity of the platforms. The eighty costumes of the protagonists and the accessories created a magic atmosphere of the fairy-tale, something, which charmed the audience. An extraordinary work, worthy of the “great opera”.

We shall emphasise that this production with 187 participants will be presented at other places during the next years.

We believe that this artistic achievement, born by the international cooperation, will be just the beginning of future partnership.

Tasos Sarigiannidis

Wednesday, 31 December 2014

Wednesday, 10 December 2014

Erich Wächter: Such team of starts is the best thing which has happened to me for 40 years in the profession

“In the country of chaos we are the country of madness…” So explained the Director of Sofia Opera and Ballet maestro Plamen Kartaloff at the press conference the audacity in the conditions of crisis to stage the opera “Samson et Dalila” with 11 guest-artists. Among them are the world-known director Hugo de Ana, the star of the Wiener Staatsoper Nadia Krasteva, the conductor Erich Wächter, the tenors Endrik Wottrich and Peter Svensson and a whole constellation of leading soloists of Sofia Opera and Ballet, among which Tsveta Sarambelieva, Daniela Dyakova, Kostadin Andreev, Biser Georgiev, Stanislav Trifonov, Svilen Nikolov and others.

“To make opera is challenging and difficult, especially with such team of international stars whose participation would be honour for the greatest opera theatres, declared the director Hugo de Ana, who is in Bulgaria with a part of his permanent team – the assistant-director Filippo Tonon and the choreographer Leda Loiodice. This is a new, different spectacle, prepared specially for Sofia. It is made with another means of expression, with special sensuality and spirit. The spectator is invited on his own to discover the spectacle, to become a party in the action. The opera isn’t a museum, where one could sit and observe. Opera is interaction, that is why our expectations are also to you” turned Hugo de Ana to the journalists by joking: “We are in the hands of the conductor”.

“I didn’t know Nadia Krasteva bofore, but I am obsessed by the talent of this singer, declared Erich Wächter. 40 years I am in this profession, but such a team of stars is the best thing, which has happened to me. 11 years Camille Saint-Saëns worked on the opera “Samson et Dalila”. He conceived it as an oratorio, and then, encouraged by Ferencz Liszt, he developed it in three acts. This is felt in Act I and III. An extraordinarily complex work of art, that is why in the most opera theatres, including in Germany, it isn’t produced often”, pointed out Erich Wächter.

“This opera wasn’t staged in Sofia since 1932, reminded Nadia Krasteva, by thanking for the opportunity to be in her fatherland and sing for the Bulgarian audience. This is an exceptionally melodic work of art, which has got into the hands of such great masters like Hugo de Ana and Erich Wächter and such wonderful team of true stars, declared Nadia Krasteva.

“These amazing, natural, genuine voices in East Europe are a real wonder, declared the tenor Endrik Wottrich. They sound complete, emotional, because fortunately they are not deformed by the opera engineering, which now prevails in the West. I feel the support of the entire team, the production carries sensuality, spirit, it creates the feeling of community. This is very important, because the opera is a common deed”, said Endrik Wottrich.

“Each month, since September, we present one new title, declared Plamen Kartaloff, Director of Sofia Opera and Ballet. In September it was “Don Carlo”, in October we presented the premiere of “Town Musicians of Bremen”, in November the ballet “Sleeping Beauty”, and now, in December “Samson et Dalila”. In January are upcoming two revivals of “Prince Igor” and “Turandot” in Japan, and in February is the next opera premiere of “Tristan und Isolde”. Most interesting is to work in the time of crisis, there is no money, but we won’t stop, declared at the press conference maestrо Plamen Kartaloff.

Monday, 03 November 2014

The premier-soloist Emil Yordanov received the award for ballet art

The production team of the premiere title of Sofia Opera and Ballet, the opera “Boris Godunov” by Mussorgsky, was awarded the Crystal Lyre for 2014 of the Union of Bulgarian Musicians and Dancers and the Classic FM Radio. The ceremony of the bestowing of the annual awards in 15 categories, 2 special and 2 extra insignia of honour, took place at the State Music Theatre “Stefan Makedonski” on the Day of the National Revival Leaders.

The crystal statuette in the category “Production team” was bestowed to the Director and Set Designer Plamen Kartaloff by Thomas Dayan, Assistant General Secretary of the International Federation of Musicians. He congratulated the team of Sofia Opera and Ballet with its great achievement – the spectacle of “Boris Godunov” in the open air. “Without my colleagues, without my artists, without the five basses and all the rest, who have believed in the miracle, we wouldn’t have how to immerse ourselves in this magic”, marked Acad. Kartaloff. He shared that today, when he passes by the St. Alexander Nevsky Square, to him himself is difficult to believe that the production happened for only 3 weeks.

The awarded production team of Sofia Opera and Ballet has the following members: Direction and Set Design Plamen Kartaloff, Conductors Konstantin Chudovsky and Boris Spasov, Stage Manager Vera Beleva, Chorus Master Violeta Dimitrova, Chorus Master of the Children’s Choir Tanya Lazarova, Costumes Marta Mironska and Stanka Vauda.

This is the second recognition for “Boris Godunov” after the Sofia Award in the category “Music”, which was bestowed for direction to Plamen Kartaloff in September at the Awards of Sofia Municipality of this year for pronounced achievements in the field of culture.

The premier-soloist of Sofia Opera and Ballet Emil Yordanov is the winner of this year in category “Ballet art” for the roles of Basilio in the ballet “Don Quixote” by Ludwig Minkus and of Prince Siegfried in the ballet “Swan Lake” by Tchaikovsky in Season 2013/2014. The award was bestowed by the prima ballerina Vesa Tonova.

Tuesday, 23 September 2014

The theatre honoured the 100th Anniversaries of Boris Christoff and Mihail Hadzhimishev

A unique performance of “Don Carlo” gave as a present Sofia Opera and Ballet to its loyal audience at the opening of season 2014/2015. The overcrowded hall enjoyed the mastery and the unique artistry of the considered as number one in the world at the moment as Filippo II Italian Ferruccio Furlanetto. With the guest-performers Ivan Momirov (Don Carlo), Svilen Nikolov (Rodrigo) and Cinzia Chiarini (Eboli), as well as Radostina Nikolaeva (Elizabeth), Petar Buchkov (The Grand Inquisitor), Dimitar Stanchev (Monk), the chorus and the orchestra under the baton of Grigor Palikarov proved, that the longevity of this production – already 27th season on the theatre’s playbill – is not at all by chance.

“In his Biblical messages St. Apostle Paul recommends for their wishes and requests the people always to thank and to honour. In the great tradition of the Bulgarian opera, and today we have only 123 years Bulgarian opera, and in order to go forward, we are always thanking and honouring the pioneers, the founders and the followers of the Bulgarian opera theatre. Royally we marked Boris Christoff’s 100th Anniversary. Unfortunately, he never sung and dressed no one of his royal costumes from his crown roles here, but his angelic chants sounded in the St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral and namely in front of the temple we addressed our prayer to the skies to thank him and honour him for what he did as Bulgarian in his career. Such century-old hero of a jubilee is also the great Bulgarian opera director Mihail Hadzhimishev, who almost 40 years worked on this stage”.

The destinies of both of them in the beginning went parallel, pointed out Plamen Kartaloff. Boris Christoff was a graduate in law, Mihail Hadzhimishev studied diplomacy at the Sorbonne, in order to follow the steps of his father, the great diplomat Pancho Hadzhimishev. Subsequently, however, destiny led him on the field of music, in order to become assistant director and then, during 37 years, director at Sofia Opera and on the stages of “Teatro Colon” in Buenos Aires, London Opera Centre, Glyndebourne, “La Monnaie” in Brussels, as well as all over Bulgaria. Mihail Hadzhimishev was a fervent supporter of the Bulgarian composers. “What prophesy of the pen and what courage!” emphasized Acad. Kartaloff on this occasion. Journalist, diplomat, librettist, director, translator, pedagogue – one encyclopaedic personality, said he also about Mihail Hadzhimishev, whom he defined as real teacher in the craft.

“I am moved, because this spectacle of “Don Carlo” I produced in 1988, when I was working with Boris Christoff in Rome, founding his Academy for young opera singers, his will. I received an invitation from Svetozar Donev to make a new spectacle, with new artists. There were Stefan Elenkov, Nicola Ghiuselev, Nicolai Ghiaurov and one generation of young singers, among who Stefka Evstatieva, who is here, in the hall, Kaludi Kaludov and many, many others. In order to go forward, we with gratitude and honour address these veterans, lions and eagles of the Bulgarian opera stage”. Plamen Kartaloff added that Sofia Opera has at its disposal a third generation of talented performers of the five key roles in “Don Carlo”, who not all opera theatres could allow. The world-known bass Ferruccio Furlanetto was guest-performer on his personal invitation, in order to become part of the opening of one strong season.

The spectacle was sent off with unabated 20-minute applause. There were presented flowers and greeting addresses from the Minister of Culture Assoc. Prof. Dr. Martin Ivanov, from the Artistic Director of State Opera Varna Borislav Ivanov and from the President of the Union of Bulgarian Musicians and Dancers Prof. Dr. Petya Bagovska. In the hall were present the opera primas Raina Kabaivanska and Stefka Evstatieva, the Deputy Minister of Culture Viktor Stoyanov, the Ambassador of Argentina in Bulgaria Н.E. Mr. Guillermo Azrak, the President of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences Acad. Stefan Vodenicharov, many guests of the Italian Chamber of Commerce in Bulgaria, correspondents of foreign media, accredited in our country.

Saturday, 02 August 2014

Saturday, 26 July 2014

The director Plamen Kartaloff received the highest insignia of honour of the Wagner Societies

A festive atmosphere accompanied the opening of the Summer Wagner Week at Sofia Opera and Ballet. The space in front of the theatre, arranged with much taste, welcomed guests from over 10 countries from all over the world. Music lovers from Germany, Great Britain, the Netherlands, South Africa, Australia, Russia, China, Japan and the USA arrived specially for the repeated performance of Richard Wagner’s “Der Ring des Nibelungen”. The news about the success of last year’s production of Sofia Opera and Ballet reached the Wagner admirers all over the world. More than an hour before the performance of “Das Rheingold” – the first title from Richard Wagner’s tetralogy, impatient Wagner admirers of many languages surrounded the theatre. They welcomed with applauses the short music fragments performed by the brass section of the orchestra of Sofia Opera and Ballet. Greetings received also the author of the stylish exhibition arranged in the Opera’s lobby – the 17-year old Reni Ninova, graduate of the National School of Fine Arts in Sofia, and her teacher and author of the concept – Alexandra Gogova. The exhibition is dedicated to Wagner’s tetralogy and presents visions for covers and designs for posters.

During two and a half hours the full hall witnessed “Das Rheingold” with great interest. Richard Trimborn, author of the music training for the tetralogy, with excitement and without a break beating the time followed the spectacle from the director’s box. A storm of applause and shouts “Bravo” sent off the inspired play of the soloists Nikolay Petrov, Svetozar Rangelov, Hrisimir Damyanov, Daniel Ostretsov, Biser Georgiev, Plamen Papazikov, Stefan Vladimirov, Petar Buchkov, Rumyana Petrova, Silvana Pravcheva, Blagovesta Mekki-Tsvetkova, Irina Zhekova, Dorotea Doroteeva and Dimitrinka Raycheva. Many compliments received also the performance of the orchestra, conducted by Erich Wächter. Visibly agitated, on the stage appeared Josef Lienhart, Honorary President of the International Association of Wagner Societies and President of the Wagner Society in Freiburg. On behalf of the newly-elected President of the association Thomas Krakow he awarded the director Plamen Kartaloff a golden badge and a flag with the logo “W” – the highest insignia of honour for exceptional achievements in the promotion of Wagner’s music. After thanking the present spectators for their attendance and for the interest, Maestro Kartaloff reminded of the words of the young Wagner “My place is outside Germany”, which became an occasion for Josef Lienhart to add jokingly that maybe the great composer had Bulgaria in mind. The Bulgarian production of “Der Ring” will certainly receive still wider echoes and press reports abroad, after Wagner admirers have shared enthusiastically that what they saw in Sofia excelled some of Bayreuth productions. Their delights before the director Plamen Kartaloff expressed also admirers of the composer who have arrived from Great Britain and who are expecting with impatience the next performances from Wagner’s tetralogy in Sofia.

Wednesday, 23 July 2014

Monday, 14 July 2014

Monday, 14 July 2014

Monday, 14 July 2014

Wednesday, 25 June 2014

Tuesday, 24 June 2014

Friday, 20 June 2014

Thursday, 19 June 2014

Friday, 13 June 2014

Thursday, 05 June 2014

Monday, 02 June 2014

Sunday, 01 June 2014

Monday, 19 May 2014

Thursday, 10 April 2014

Tuesday, 08 April 2014

Monday, 07 April 2014

Saturday, 22 March 2014

Sunday, 16 March 2014

Sunday, 16 March 2014

Wednesday, 22 January 2014

Monday, 20 January 2014

Saturday, 18 January 2014

Saturday, 18 January 2014

Sunday, 29 December 2013

Opernglas DE 2013-1

Es ist geschafft. Pünktlich am 200. Geburtstag von Richard Wagner am 22. Mai kam der letzte Teil der „Ring“-Tetralogie in Sofia zur Aufführung – eine bewundernswerte und hoch zu lobende Leistung des Opernhauses. Die dortige Wagner-Tradition ist erst wenige Jahre alt. Umso interessanter ist es zu erleben, wie auf diese Weise ganz neue Aspekte, eine ungewohnte Frische im Umgang mit dem Stoff besonders in musikalischer Hinsicht entsteht. Da mag mancher gestandene, Bayreuth-erfahrene Wagnerianer die Nase rümpfen, weil betörend mystischer Schmelz bei den Streichern nicht immer satt ausgekostet wird, diese hin und wieder durch zwar präzise, aber raue Blechbläsereinsätze im fließenden Klang gestört werden. Umso erstaunlicher ist es, wie die Premiere der „Götterdämmerung“ vom ersten bis zum letzten Takt in eine Klimax hineinwächst, die mitreißt.

Eines der Highlights des Abends war die Begegnung von Brünnhilde und Waltraute im ersten Akt – ein eindringlich gestaltetes Kamerspiel der beiden Frauen, wie nicht besser sein kann. Tsveta Sarambelieva mit schlankem Mezzosopran als Waltraute, scheu, doch unerbittlich und keinen Widerspruch duldend in ihrem Flehen. Brünnhilde solle den Ring wegwerfen und ihn den Rheintöchtern zurückgeben – dieser Auftritt wird belohnt mit Zwischenapplaus des atemlos lauschenden Publikums. Und schon hier zeigt Mariana Zvetkova ihr enormes sängerisches und dramatisches Potenzial in der Rolle der Brünnhilde, die ihr auf den Leib geschrieben scheint. Bis zum letzten Ton reicht die Kraft ihrer bei aller Wucht klangschönen Sopranstimme. Nuancen von machtvollem Fortissimo bis zum zarten Hauch im Piano gelingen mühelos. Dazu hat sie eine klare nahezu akzentfreie verständliche Diktion de deutschen Sprache. Glücklicherweise stand ihr als gleichwertige Sängerkollege Kostadin Andreev zur Seite. Mit strahlendem Tenor und packender Spielfreude interpretierte er den Part des Siegfried.

Biser Georgiev (Alberich) und Atanas Mladenov (Gunther) mit wohlig timbrierten Baritonstimmen, Petar Buchkov als Hagen mit dunklem Bass, schließlich Tsvetana Bandalovska mit ausdrucksvollem Sopran als Gutrune vervollständigten die hervorragende Besetzung. Bei letzteren mag man dann gar nicht mehr erwähnen, dass noch an der Textverständlichkeit gearbeitet werden sollte. Denn das musste an diesem Abend peripher bleiben. Fein besetzt auch die Rollen der übrigen Walküren und der Nornen.

Erich Wächter führte den Taktstock, brachte das gut vorbereitete Opernorchester und den Chor (Violeta Dimitrova) zur derzeit wohl möglichen Bestleistung des Klangkörpers, der bisher eher Verdi gewohnt ist. Wille und Fähigkeiten der Musiker sind da, doch es ist noch ein Weg zu gehen bis zur Präsentation allerletzter Finesse im Orchesterklang.

Plamen Kartaloff führte wie auch in den vorangegangenen „Ring“-Teilen bewährt Regie, zauberte eine reich und vital differenzierte Welt in dem unverändert verwendeten modernen, aber nicht aufdringlichen Design von Nikolay Panayotov und erreichte somit eine Einheitlichkeit. Dieses Konzept ist beste Voraussetzung dafür, hier ein ganz neues, auch junges Publikum dauerhaft anzulocken. Frenetische Beifallsbekundungen im Saal waren verdienter Lohn für das ganze Team.

Gabriele Helbig

EUROPOST – Weekly for politics, business and culture

1 March, 2013 Director of Sofia Opera and Ballet, Prof. Plamen Kartalov: Sofia makes Wagner s dream come true The complete four-opera Ring Cycle is performed in the Balkans for the first time

Geor­gi P. Dim­it­rov Close-up: Aca­de­mi­cian Pla­men Kar­ta­lov is Direct­or of Sofia Opera and Bal­let. He grad­u­at­ed from the Nation­al Acad­e­my of Music and then stud­ied opera direct­ing in Ger­ma­ny and film direct­ing at National Academy of Theatre and F­ilm Arts, Sofia. His high and invent­ive apti­tude cov­ers a wide range of styles and com­pos­ers. As an under­grad­u­ate he found­ed the first cham­ber opera house here, now the Cham­ber Opera in Bla­go­ev­grad. Staged inno­va­tive oper­at­ic pro­duc­tions in the USA, Egypt, Aus­tral­ia, Greece, Ser­bia, Cro­a­tia, Roma­nia, Poland, the Czech Repub­lic, Hun­ga­ry, Tur­key, Ger­ma­ny, Switz­er­land, Bra­zil, Japan. – Mr. Kar­ta­lov, are the prep­a­ra­tions for the fourth opera of the Ring Cycle well under way? – The four-opera Ring Cycle is a saga, which takes indom­i­ta­ble cour­age to stage as each of the four oper­as can be per­formed on its own. Wagn­er made his dream to have them staged in suc­ces­sion come true on 13 August 1886 in Bay­reuth. It means focus­ing on this dra­ma – 15 hours of music, which is a pains­tak­ing effort. My ambi­tion was to stage the Ring with Bul­gar­i­an per­form­ers alone. Any opera house around the world that would per­form the com­plete Ring Cycle with its own resour­ces faces a grave risk. I held seri­ous audi­tions and found the right sing­ers. I’d elab­o­rate that we have such a coach like Rich­ard Trim­born, head coach of the Bava­ri­an State Opera. He has worked togeth­er with such con­duct­ors as Karl Boehm, Wolf­gang Saw­al­lisch, Her­bert von Kar­a­jan, who have become a hall­mark of world oper­at­ic art. Ini­tial­ly, he doubt­ed Bul­gar­ia’s abil­i­ty to select such a set of per­form­ers, but com­ing here, he found that we were on the right track and he has been con­trib­ut­ing to the stag­ings for four years now. We staged an opera of the cycle every year: Das Rhe­in­gold (The Rhin­e­gold) in 2010; Die Walk­ure (The Ride of the Val­kyr­i­es) in 2011; Sieg­fried in 2012 and now Gott­er­dam­mer­ung (Twi­light of the Gods). I did not know that La Sca­la did the same: they will pre­miere Gott­er­dam­mer­ung on 17 May; while on 24 May they start show­ing the com­plete four-opera cycle. We will be the first in the Bal­kans to per­form the four oper­as on 22, 23, 26 and 29 June, i.e. the Ring is to be shown over four nights in a row, as Wagn­er intend­ed. – Will the vision of Gott­er­dam­mer­ung be brought up to date? – The vision of this pro­duc­tion will be a con­tin­u­a­tion of the con­cept of the pre­ce­ding three oper­as. We build up the com­plete epic of four oper­as using the same ele­ments. We add to or take away from the ring onstage depend­ing on the curse. The ring car­ries with it a cor­rupt­ing curse and has to be brought back into the riv­er, where it belongs and where peace and qui­et of the uni­verse is so as to com­plete the entire dra­ma proc­ess. We take great pride in our pro­duc­tion. ­ – How come you took to stag­ing Wagn­er, most of your pred­e­ces­sors focused on bel can­to, on Ital­ian, French and Rus­sian oper­as? – Wagn­er him­self dreamt of the force of bel can­to, that is of beau­ti­ful and express­ive sing­ing what bel can­to means. With Wagn­er we have melod­i­cism and con­ti­nu­i­ty of music lan­guage, which require agil­i­ty and sing­ing long lines, i.e. sing­ing with sus­tained full voice. Being a direct­or, I find grat­i­fi­ca­tion in the task to see Bul­gar­i­an oper­at­ic prac­tice brought clos­er at long last to the coun­tries boast­ing great tra­di­tions in the field of opera and Sofia to be priv­i­leged and respon­si­ble for tack­ling this mate­ri­al. We are fit for the most chal­leng­ing Wag­ne­ri­an rep­er­toire. All the three oper­as came to show that we relate to the best Wag­ne­ri­an mate­ri­al or so Aus­tri­an, Ger­man and now Rus­sian review­ers think. They even defined our pro­duc­tions as much bet­ter than those of opera hous­es with estab­lished Wag­ne­ri­an tra­di­tions. I do not feel flat­ter­ed and I am not pre­sump­tu­ous, but I am hap­py that Bul­gar­i­ans suc­ceed­ed in attract­ing atten­tion with these par­tic­u­lar pro­duc­tions for review­ers’ emo­tions are not biased in favour of a par­tic­u­lar nation. Tak­ing to Wagn­er’s oper­as, we com­bined our chil­dren’s naiv­ety and inno­cence with adult pro­fi­cien­cy. It was vital as until then Sofia Opera had been stu­pen­dous and nota­ble for its Rus­sian and Ital­ian rep­er­toire. Now, with the Wag­ne­ri­an rep­er­toire we expli­cat­ed anoth­er aspect with the same sing­ers, who sang in Japan Tos­ca, Caval­ler­ia Rus­ti­cana, Gian­ni Schic­chi, La Boheme, Don Car­lo, Rig­o­let­to, Oth­e­llo, La Gio­con­da, Turan­dot. But then we have Boris Christ­off, who sang Par­si­fal in La Sca­la. The best Wag­ne­ri­an sing­er, Spas Ven­kov is a Bul­gar­i­an. We have Anna Tom­owa-Sin­tow to men­tion just a few of the excel­lent Wag­ne­ri­an per­form­ers. Let then have a new gen­er­a­tion teach­ing a les­son of a the­a­tre of inter­na­tion­al sig­nif­i­cance! This project gains fur­ther inter­na­tion­al pres­tige for Bul­gar­i­an music cul­ture. – Should we expect Bul­gar­i­ans liv­ing abroad to sing in Gott­er­dam­mer­ung? – Yes, you should. I invit­ed all Bul­gar­i­ans, both resid­ing here and abroad to the audi­tion. A major sing­er is Mar­tin Tzon­ev, who plays Wot­an and lives in Bonn. But where would all we be with­out our Bul­gar­i­an sing­ers Kosta­din Andreev, Mar­tin Iliev, Mari­ana Tsvet­ko­va, Bla­go­ves­ta Mek­ki, Niko­lay Pav­lov, Niko­lay Pet­rov, Pla­men Papaz­ik­ov, Kras­im­ir Din­ev: they are all per­form­ers that deserve to be acclaimed both by me and the audi­en­ces. There are 48 solo­ists tak­ing part in the four-opera Wagn­er’s cycle, all of them Bul­gar­i­ans in the prime of their careers; with Ger­man con­duct­or Erich Vekh­ter we per­formed Sieg­fried at the third Minsk Inter­na­tion­al Christ­mas Opera Forum and had a great suc­cess. Until recent­ly we did a good job with con­duct­or Pavel Bal­ev, also liv­ing in Ger­ma­ny. The­a­tre design­er is Niko­lai Pan­ay­ot­ov, who lives in Par­is.

“SIEGFRIED” FOR ALL
Markus Thiel, Opernwelt, July 2012

The director of the Opera Plamen Kartaloff relies, as director of the production, along with production designer Nikolay Panayotov, on simple signs that are easily stamped on the memory. A key element in their tetralogy is a large ring illuminated with video effects. Sometimes it is cut in two; next to each other the two semicircles reminiscent huge eyes (Fafner?). A complex scaffold used with enthusiasm by the soloists, marks the forest. In the finale Brünnhilde and Siegfried stand against each other, each in their segment of a sphere. But even in the first act, when the Wanderer inflates a globe of the world and dribbling with it passes by Mime, one thing becomes clear: Sofia’s “Siegfried” is far from superficial.
Kartaloff’s staging is in the best sense narrative theatre. With a distancing wink and sovereign mastery. The theatre machine moves at full speed. Nothing lead-heavy in a German way, and in the big moments Kartaloff leaves space for the music. An almost child’s enjoyment is awakened, without betraying the work. Kartaloff puts on stage reminiscences..

SIEGFRIED
Sebastian Barnstorf, Das Opernglas, July-August 2012

Sofia, 22 May. On the 199th birthday of Richard Wagner the first Bulgarian “Ring” was launched on the home straight with “Siegfried” in initially adverse circumstances – in the early hours of the day the earth shook strongly, luckily neither people nor the scenery were hurt. Plamen Kartaloff, director of the Opera and director of the production, has engaged only Bulgarian singers, and then in two to three casts. The orchestra of the opera had never played Wagner until the start of the “Ring” production in 2010! Nevertheless, or precisely because of it, in the evening of the premiere all participants excelled in delivering in an unbiased and almost entirely new way Wagner’s work to a hesitant at first, but obviously curious audience. Thus the claim of the Sofia Opera to create a productive artistic event that excites and moves was impressively confirmed!
The performance began with a display of the events between “Die Walküre” and “Siegfried” amidst the ever-present ring, which gave the action a sense of timelessness. Sieglinde penetrates Mime’s abode, gives birth to Siegfried and dies. Later she will appear repeatedly with Siegmund. This is pure illustrating, but it helps to understand the action. The scenography of Nikolay Panayotov affects more insightfully and less like comic book than in the first two parts: Siegfried forges and Mime cooks, after Wotan – the most risky of the director’s instructions – earlier blew up the globe and played basketball with it.
The Sofia National Opera Orchestra approached the work in a very concentrated and motivated manner under the leadership of Pavel Baleff. Wagner in primary form – here the strings vibrate, humming and whispering with subtle ease and precision, the forging song resonates with ringing clarity, and the sweltering stuffiness of Fafner’s cave acquires plasticity through the more mellow threat of the curse pronounced by the brass instruments.
The third act led to a compelling climax in the curving heights between the fire bursts and Brünnhilde’s rock. Kostadin Andreev (Siegfried) presented the forging song without refrain, in an excited way, brilliantly and with force-emitting youthfulness, and continued blithely along this path, naturally and without diversions, right to the end of the “laughing death” as if it was the simplest thing the world.
Plamen Papazikov (Mime), with a little lighter timbre of the voice, performed masterfully and extremely convincingly the difficult – especially for a singer whose mother tongue is not German – accents, phrases and declamations, clearly demonstrating high musical sensitivity to emotions and tense moments. Biser Georgiev continued his Alberich with richly shaded and diabolically fierce emphasis on “r”. Nikolai Petrov was entirely persuasive with powerful intonation and great vocal durability. For the final endorsement of the high-class cast of singers contributed Mariana Tsvetkova (Brünnhilde). Her reliably and flexibly led soprano fit brilliantly into the awakening starry sky. With intoxicating soft timbre she sang “Ewig war ich” and rose spectacularly to the powerfully differentiated heights of the final duet.
We expect with interest the completion of this “Ring” for the bicentennial of Wagner’s birth.

=====================

“THE RING” EXPLAINED TO ALL
Andrea Merli, l’Opera Magazine, July-August 2012

The first Tetralogy in the original language at the Sofia Opera reached its second day, “Siegfried”. As always we remain amazed at the presence of two casts, but so it is –Bulgaria is generous and wonderful treasure trove of voices. Tenor Martin Iliev was the talented Siegmund in “Die Walküre”. There he emphasized, justifiably, the lyricism of the young man in love rather than the impetuosity of the warrior, using a nice bright timbre with an outstanding musicality. Now he achieved a remarkable change in interpretation by presenting a spirited young man with a sharp tone and emphasis – the music consultant Richard Trimborn has done a great job – and then, in the third act, acquiring an overwhelming passion in the song with Brünnhilde. This is the soprano Bayasgalan Dashnyam, who has a striking projection of sound. Her heights, timbred and attacked in full voice, act as strikes of a sword. The two bass-baritones (Wotan and Alberich) we admired two years ago in “Das Rheingold”. Martin Tsonev sings with softness, unusual for the role of Wotan. He manages to be imperious, always with a focused and powerful look, as well as tempting and eloquent at the times when the multifaceted part requires it. Biser Georgiev, an outstanding Alberich, has a remarkable range, a valuable colour with dark male timbre and exceptional acting talent, allowing him to sing in positions contrary to any breathing rules. The smart young tenor Krassimir Dinev, forced to sing upside down with his rough brother pulling him, made Mime a personal creation that won the sympathy of the audience. He has a voice entirely accurate and distinctive, far from turning his character into a caricature. And finally – the soprano Antonia Ivanova, airy and leaping up and down above the stage, the deep voice of Angel Hristov’s Fafner, and the considerable sonority of Diana Genova in the brief but intense role of Erda.
Laudable were the efforts of the orchestra – justly called up on stage to share the thundering applause. It is continuously growing and has already achieved a beautiful specificity of its own. An excellent performance of the entire group of brass instruments, but also strong and in good harmony were the woodwind instruments. Praise goes to conductor Pavel Baleff who follows his individual and shared narrative thread away from the noisy accents, rather with chamber features, giving priority to and highlighting individual instruments – all in one homogenous sound amalgam.
The performance takes full advantage of the imaginative and also daring design and the bright, completely abstract costumes of Nikolay Panayotov, as well as the hyper didactic direction of Plamen Kartaloff. It is a courageous decision to stage the Tetralogy “explained to the people”, starting with a description of the preceding events: Sieglinde gives birth in the woods amidst a fierce storm; the newborn, stolen by the Nibelung dwarf, then turns into Siegfried, literally seen as he grows up in a fast rhythm, crossing the forestage in a wild flight. The mother, often called upon, materializes as a shadow – a ghost, which transforms itself, finally, into the beloved wife. A little naive? May be. It is, however, a valid alternative to many psycho-Freudian overtones. Wonderful result in every respect.

=================

PLAMEN KARTALOFF – UN MAGO DELL’OPERA

12.05.2012 – Sofia

I cantanti lirici bulgari da più di mezzo secolo diffondono il nome della Bulgaria nei teatri del mondo. L’Europa ricorda Boris Christov – il suo talento di cantante eccezionale che ha spiccato il volo per la gloria eterna dall’Italia.

Negli ultimi anni, come tutte le istituzioni di cultura, anche l’Opera Nazionale di Sofia ha vissuto tempi difficili, senza un adeguato sostegno finanziario dallo Stato.

Lui è un uomo felice – negli ultimi anni, l’Opera Nazionale è sbocciata grazie alle produzioni del regista e direttore prof. Plamen Kartaloff. Questo dal dicembre del 2007.

Diplomato all’Accademia di Musica di Sofia, specializzato nella regia d’opera in Germania, ha una biografia creativa estremamente ricca. Un lungo elenco di spettacoli operistici sui palcoscenici più famosi in Germania, Svizzera, Grecia, Serbia, Croazia, Romania, Egitto, Stati Uniti d’America, Australia… segna l’ascesa di Plamen Kartaloff. Sono le opere più significative: Aida, Ballo in mascera, Turandot, Lakme, Carmen, Madama Butterfly, Don Carlos, Rigoletto, Principe Igor, Cavalleria rusticana, Pagliacci, Nabucco, Il barbiere di Siviglia, Attila.

La sua attività innovativa ha offerto l’opportunità al pubblico di Sofia di beneficiare di un festival estivo intitolato “Opera sulla piazza” con spettacoli brillanti quali Aida, Nabucco, Principe Igor.

Anche nell’antica capitale Tarnovo, sulla collina storica di Tzarevetz, il maestro Kartaloff ha presentato due opere liriche di compositori bulgari ambientate sullo stesso luogo dove l’azione storica si sviluppa. Non abbiamo l’Arena di Verona, ma lassù non è stato meno impressionante.

Con lei l’Opera Nazionale, è rinata – sono state le mie prime parole quando ho incontrato per la prima volta il famoso regista dopo uno spettacolo lo scorso anno.

Il maestro ha risposto con suo ampio sorriso: Si può dire così…

Non sono necessarie molte parole – tutto è davanti al pubblico, davanti alla gente della Bulgaria. La sua figura emana energia illimitata e ottimismo e attira irresistibilmente le giovani generazioni di cantanti, registi e artisti bulgari, anche quelli che già hanno una carriera all’estero. Il Maestro Kartaloff si preoccupa del futuro del nostro teatro nazionale d’opera, invita i giovani a partecipare all’ideazione degli spettacoli.

Nel 2010 il prof. Kartaloff ha iniziato il suo capolavoro – per la prima volta non solo per la Bulgaria, ma per i Balcani – presentare al pubblico, in un arco di quattro anni, i quattro drammi musicali di Richard Wagner “L’anello dei Nibelunghi”.

Due opere, “L’oro del Reno”- 2010 – e “La Valchiria” – 2011, sono già state presentate al pubblico di Sofia. Il mago Plamen Kartaloff trasforma il dramma musicale di Richard Wagner in favole moderne sui valori della vita – con una sceneggiatura sorprendente e cantanti bulgari che cantano sulla scena mondiale con eccellente pronuncia in tedesco.

Un’esperienza indimenticabile per tutti: partecipanti e pubblico – questo non è solo risultato della professionalità, ma anche dalle sua completa dedizione alla creatività.

Il 22 maggio, la terza prima – “Sigfrido” – è stata una festa per il pubblico a Sofia.

L’ultima parte – “Il crepuscolo degli Dei” – sarà presentata nel 2013 per celebrare i 200 anni del genio Richard Wagner (Lipsia, 22 maggio 1813 – Venezia, 13 febbraio 1883).

Completata l’opera, il maestro Plamen Kartaloff si è già messo al lavoro per la prossima.

http://www.bulgaria-italia.com/bg/news/news/03566.asp

video 1
video 2
video 3
video 4
video 5

VIDEO-BNT