On the 18^th of April, 1988, Plamen Kartaloff set “Don Carlos”: one of Verdi’s most beloved operas, in a take consisting of five acts with a prologue and seven scenes. Kartaloff worked together with conductor Ivan Marinov, scenographer Lubomir Yordanov and costume designer Daniela Yordanova. Kartaloff was invited to set the performance by Svetozar Donev, the then director of the Sofia Opera.

“The directorship is intriguing and contemporary”, Donev commented, years ago. “Up until then the production was traditional. Maestro Kartaloff’s innovative art is expressed in him making the old protagonists mise-en-scenes and choir into recognizable, relevant figures and the result is surprising: the opera has enjoyed success for so many years, both in Bulgaria and abroad.”

The Fontainebleau scene was performed for the first time in Bulgaria which sheds light on relationships unfolding further in the opera’s story.

The director’s and scenographer’s concept are effective and clear and the costumes: magnificent. The stage is, in fact, a huge cross: a cross which separates the protagonists; husbands, friends, courtiers, the throne and the church, the king and the people. A cross which bursts into flames in order to bring retribution but also in order to cleanse.

Starring in the then premiere ensemble: Stefan Elenkov, Nikolay Gyaurov and Nicola Ghiuselev, Stefka Evstatieva and Valerie Popova, Stefka Mineva, Kaloudi Kaloudov and Konstantin Yankov, Nikola Smochevski and Nikola Vasilev, Nikolay Stoilov and Dimitar Stanchev. Throughout the years, all great Bulgarian opera singers have performed in this production as well as legendary singers who have made history at the Sofia Opera such as Gena Dimitrova, Anna Tomova-Sintova, Boiko Tsvetanov, Maria Belcheva, Tsvetelina Vasileva, Vladimir Stoyanov, Yuliyan Konstantinov, Ivanka Ninova, Mariana Pencheva, Orlin Anastasov, Petar Danailov, Kostadin Andreev, Alexandrina Pendachanska, Kamen Chanev. Many more Bulgarian singers have debuted on the Sofia Opera stage in this performance throughout all these years (in the version without the prologue).

Stefka Evstatieva spoke with great love of this production: she herself has performed the role of Elizabeth in French, in the opera’s integral version. She remembers the creative atmosphere and the wonderful partnerships even though she had worked with these people before, at the youth opera. For Kaloudov, this was one of the leading roles in his repertoire for years.

On the 2^nd and 5^th of April, the audience will again have the opportunity to applaud Alexander Vinogradov as Philipp II and Arthur Espiritu as Don Carlos.

The performance on the 5^th of April is dedicated to the 90^th anniversary of Nicola Ghiuselev’s birth. Starring audience favorites Radostina Nikolaeva as Elizabeth, Violeta Radomirska as Eboli, Atanas Mladenov as Rodrigo and Svetozar Rangelov as the Grand inquisitor.

The Slovak conductor Oliver von Dohnányi will take on the musical leadership.

“Don Carlos” was first performed on the 11^th of March, 1867, at the Paris Grand Opera, to an exceptional success.

In Bulgaria, “Don Carlos” was set for the first time by the Sofia Opera in 1936, under the conductorship of Asen Naydenov in a production by Dragan Kardzhiev.