The Sofia Opera opens the “Opera at the Square” festival on the 11th, 12th and 13th of July with the “The Hermit of Rila” musical poem; script by Tihomir Pavlov, score by Father Kiril Popov, orchestration by Georgi Strezov. Plamen Kartaloff is the director of this production and the performances are dedicated to the 1160^th anniversary of the Bulgarian nation’s christening. Conductors: Zhorzh Dimitrov (11^th of July) and Stara Zagora bishop Cyprian (12^th and 13^th of July).

Starring: Dobrin Dosev as the Hermit of Rila, Atanas Mladenov as the young Rila Hermit, Angel Hristov as Tsar Petar, Dimitar Stanchev as the voice in the skies, Nikolay Petrov as Father Avksentiy, Biser Georgiev as the Rila Hermit’s brother, Alexander Vasilev and Simeon Bonin as Luca, the Rila Hermit’s nephew, Stefan Vladimirov as the people’s prayer voice, Ivan Alexandrov as one of the Tsar’s warriors, Velislav Ninov as the Tsar’s messenger; Angel Antonov, Alexandar Georgiev, Nikolay Pavlov, Rosen Nenchev as brigands; Georgi Dzhanov, Krasimir Dinev, Nikolay Voinov as pilgrims; Kiril Konstantinov and Yuliana Todorova as the people’s voices; Evgenii Dimitrov, lead singer in “Hvalite Gospoda s neves”; Nikolay Milev, lead singer in “S nami Bog”.

With the participation of the Sofia Opera orchestra and choir (choir conductor: Violeta Dimitrova) and a Children’s vocal-theatrical formation with director Dimitar Kostantsaliev.

Performance scenography: Nela Stoyanova; artist: Kristian Stoyanov; costumes: Marta Mironska; 3d mapping and digital scenography: Vladimir Grancharov (Elektrick.me); artistic lighting: Andrew Haidinyak; vocal preparation: Igor Bogdanov; assistant-directors: Yuliya Krasteva and Vera Beleva.

We expect our large audience’s attendance throughout the summer season.