“We are happy to be able to perform such interesting performances. We are grateful to the municipality of the city and the Ministry of Culture, who have always supported us” says Ognian Draganov, director of the Stara Zagora Opera House, which has not ceased to surprise us with ideas and new projects in recent years. Under his leadership the Stara Zagora opera has been gaining popularity not only in Bulgaria, but abroad. This is also due to world-famous Bulgarian singer Veselina Katsarova, who has been an artistic director since 2016 and has been actively working for the prestige of the opera in her hometown. At the end of September, at the Teatro Lirico di Cagliari – Italy, the premiere of "Attila" by Verdi, co-produced with the Stara Zagora Opera, took place. For this performance alone the team of the Stara Zagora opera has produced about 200 costumes, décor sets and props, which would come to Bulgaria, too.

“I can say that I feel proud of the fact that the Stara Zagora Opera is involved in the implementation of such a large-scale project,” Mr. Draganov says. “Teatro Lirico di Cagliari is one of the best in Italy right now, led by Claudio Orazi. The idea was born about three years ago during a meeting with him and set designer Salvatore Russo. I can say that on September 27, our opera house presented itself with style as part of the set design and costumes. The artists we saw at the premiere are among the most famous at the moment - Susanna Branchini (in the role of Odabella), Mikheil Sheshaberidze (in the role of Forresto), the extremely popular bass, Marco Spotti (in the role of Attila). Director is maestro Enrico Stinchelli, and the one responsible for the set design and costumes is Salvatore Russo. The event was widely covered by the national media in Italy and to our delight the name of the Stara Zagora Opera was heard quite often. Such co-productions provide much greater opportunities for both theaters, and a true visual spectacle for the audience, as well as better stage comfort for the performers.”

On October 25, 2019, World Opera Day will be celebrated for the first time. Launched at the initiative of the professional organization Opera Europa, joined by OPERA America and Ópera Latinoamérica (the two largest organizations across the ocean), the day will be marked in this country as well. The day was also chosen by the Stara Zagora Opera for the official start of the season:

“We start the new season on World Opera Day with Tosca and Svetla Vasileva in the lead role,” Mr. Draganov says. “For the famous singer this will be the first participation in a Bulgarian production. We decided to build a bridge between theater and opera. In the beginning, actress Boyka Velkova will have a stand up show, and then the opera performance will start. Conductor is Ivaylo Krinchev. in the role of Scarpia the audience will see Niko Isakov, while Cavaradossi is played by Romanian tenor Daniel Magdal, who has been working in Germany for years. We are also opening our 70th ballet season on October 15 with Swan Lake. Denys Cherevychko, a world-class ballet dancer and the star of Wiener Staatsballet is in the role of Prince Siegfried. He will be partnered by Bulgarian prima ballerina Anelia Dimitrova. Before that, on October 13, we are visiting Sofia with L'Italiana in Algeri – a co-production with the Skopje Opera House.

The music is extremely interesting and requires great mastery. It is worth hearing because of the singers involved. Director is Austrian Ursula Horner and conductor once again is Ivaylo Krinchev. This would be the last performance before the stage set returns to Skopje.

When it comes to the ‘replica’ of the Italian premiere, you can expect ‘Attila’ on July 14, 2020 at the Beroe Stadium. There will be many famous names among the performers. This will be the fifth edition of the Opera at the Stadium series.”

English; Alexander Markov