Last night at Teatro Comunale “Pavarotti-Frenni” in Modena, the premiere of the operas “Cavalleria Rusticana” by Pietro Mascagni and “Pagliacci” by Ruggiero Leoncavallo took place.
After a more than ten-year absence from the Modena theater repertoire, the most beloved diptych of opera verism returned in a new production presented by the Sofia Opera in an international coproduction with opera theaters in Modena, Piacenza and Rimini. Director: Plamen Kartaloff; conductor: Aldo Sisillo; scenography: Giacomo Andriko; costumes: Nella Stoyanova; assistant-director: Vera Beleva. With the participation of Emilia-Romagna’s “Arturo Toscanini” orchestra and the Modena opera choir.
An international lead singer ensemble performs in this coproduction. Starring in the two single-act operas: Teresa Romano, Valentina Boi, Fabion Veloz, Ernesto Peti, Angelo Vilari, Amadi Laga, Eleonora Philiponi, Francesco Kukuca, Daniela Scilacci, Marina Shahdinarova, Giuseppe Infantino and Hae Kang.
“I always follow the principle according to which the score’s musical language must also be visible on stage as well as imagine the dramaturgy’s vision with all its reflections. These protagonists are powerful and are trapped in their own chosen freedom of personal happiness. Overcoming their forbidden feelings, the protagonists are ready to make any sacrifice. I let the viewers think, feel and even take part in these two timeless dramas by composers Mascagni and Leoncavallo and their theatrical characters which have such a powerful and emotional impact”, director Plamen Kartaloff shares.
Here's what Franco Silvestri, president of ARIACS, opera agent and producer shared, hours after the premiere:
“The production of “Cavalleria Rusticana” and “Pagliacci” whose premiere took place last night at the Modena opera theater achieved a big success. The production conducted by Aldo Sisillo and directed by maestro Plamen Kartaloff was welcomed by the audience which filled the hall with shouts of appraisal aimed at both the performers and at maestro Kartaloff and his team, after he appeared on stage at the end of the performance.
The director’s vision believably presents Calabria and Sicily as described by the composers and deeply captures the spirit of the two verist works. In “Pagliacci”, the used theatrical method was especially apparent during the final scene where after the double murder committed by the protagonist during the comedic part, just one witness remains in the improvised audience at the square where the story unfolds: the evil Tonio who, in a Mephistophelean way, has come up with the entire plan of unleashing Canio’s cruel wrath.
Another peculiarity of the production: finally, the brightness which presents the warmth of Southern Italy in such a good way, has come to Italian theaters, compared to the many other productions we’ve seen in the past which were incredibly dark and dim. This play with light also underlined the contrast and the dualism of light and dark, the latter presented by the bloody story unfolding in both works. The director managed to strike the exact balance between the score and scenic lines by receiving enthusiastic feedback from all performers and the choir, the important hero of this diptych, which contributed to the overall believability of the story from an interpretative point of view.
This was a big success welcomed with an over ten-minute long applause and many “Bravo!” shouts praising the artists, the conductor, the director and his team.”
The great Raina Kabaivanska was also present in the hall. After the performance ended, she excitedly expressed her joy. Her students Giuseppe Infantino and Hae Kang are a part of the production; the Bulgarian audience knows them from their roles in “La Boheme” by Puccini and “Adriana Lecouvreur” by Cilea.
The next performances will take place on the 22nd and the 23rd of March.
The international coproduction of “Cavalleria Rusticana” and “Pagliacci” will be presented in Sofia during the 2025/2026 season.
