The audience needs close contact with the art of opera and deserves our full-time dedication in our sanctuary, in our temple of opera. This is what prof. Plamen Kartaloff said during today’s press conference which took place at Club “Opera” at the Sofia Opera and Ballet regarding the opening of the season with five premiere performances of “McBeth”.
“From Wagner, we go straight to the other great titan that is Giuseppe Verdi: a parallel of two worlds in the musical work of world opera classics which truly deserves to be produced. We perform Richard Wagner’s canon very accurately; we have performed nine of his operas at the Bayreuth festival, with only the tenth one remaining. “McBeth”, on the other hand, is a title which hasn’t been set on the Sofia Opera stage for a long time”, prof. Kartaloff said.
In director Vera Petrova’s words, “McBeth” is one of the most beautiful operas with one of the most passionate librettos with an exceptional sound palette.
She noted the incredible symbiosis between Shakespeare’s dark sarcasm present in the supernatural characters of the Gatekeeper and the Old Man and Verdi’s moving, passionate and beautiful music language. This symbiosis turns the story presentation into a challenge for any team. Our great desire was to absolutely and completely adhere to Verdi’s remarks this time while at the same time presenting an interpretation which will not break the story of “McBeth”, the director added.
“We were looking for a quite interesting stage decor which would be a symbiosis between the real and the metaphysical in this story. This is how the heavy architectural portcullis-blades were born: they are a reminder of the respective historical era without illustrating it in a literal way. At the same time, we juxtapose this décor to the quite uneven natural terrains which illustrate the witches’ world as well as the space where supernatural powers dwell”, Maria Koleva, the production artist, explained.
Riolina Topalova, the choreographer of “McBeth”, added that to her any project she works on together with director Vera Petrova is a challenge because the latter goes into great detail and emotion in every title’s dramaturgy. Topalova stated that the hardest thing the director demands is achieving a “dynamic spirituality, not only while building the character but as an emotional state as well”.
“I know the history of the Sofia Opera and Ballet quite well. It is a very long and wonderful history, an example for all opera theaters in Bulgaria, and not only that”, conductor Alessandro D’Agostini said. In his words, “McBeth” should be set in today’s times because this isn’t a “museum opera” but a piece connected to the theme of power and the man in the face of power which is incredibly relevant in our present.
The opera “McBeth” is one of the most special titles for me. I saw this work by Verdi when I was just three years old. My parents: Maria Ventseslavova and Anastas Anastasov were lead singers at the Rousse Opera and they performed the roles of McBeth and Lady McBeth; and so, ever since that era, many melodies remained in my head as a child which then expanded during my research of this opera and during all the productions of it I’ve taken part thus far in Bulgaria and abroad”, Ventseslav Anastasov, who will perform the role of McBeth, shared.
“To me, this opera and the role of Lady McBeth will be a debut. Until now, I’ve never imagined I would get to experience this role, mostly because it’s multifaceted, intense and expressive in its essence”, Radostina Nikolaeva, who will perform as Lady McBeth, said.
“The role of Lady McBeth is incredibly interesting and challenging. It’s a role of extreme contrasts: dynamically, vocally and in an acting sense. It’s the story of a very ambitious woman who is very much in love with her husband at the same time. She does the impossible to support him, turning her back on femininity and everything a woman holds dear so that she may stand next to him, firm as a rock; she realizes he’s a man who aims to acquire power but doesn’t possess the strength to achieve this on his own”, the opera prima Gabriela Georgieva, who will also perform the role of Lady McBeth, said.
Alessandra di Giorgio will perform as Lady McBeth during the premiere performance of “McBeth”. She said it’s going to be her first time in Sofia and that she’s exceptionally thankful and happy about this fact. “I’ve performed the role of Lady McBeth several times. This is a role which defined my entire career path: it began with me performing this exact role as a mezzo-soprano. Today, I’m a dramatic soprano”, Alessandra di Giorgio added.
/AU/