The Sofia Opera develops new traditions and gathers entire generations on stage
Acad. Plamen Kartaloff, director of the Sofia Opera and Ballet, sees art, and especially opera, as a sort of living bridge between cultures, values and nations. According to him, this cultural exchange is a form of diplomacy which oftentimes turns out to be more efficient and influential than traditional diplomatic efforts.
“Art, and especially the art of opera, is a living bridge through which cultures, events and values pass. The entire shared presence of the genre of opera helps diplomacy and gives it the opportunity to reach new horizons which no other people can reach. Besides, opera encourages communication and mutual understanding. Shared values: they are the most important”, acad. Kartaloff commented for “Denyat ON AIR”.
The reason for the interview is the Zagreb Opera’s visit in Sofia. For the first time, the Croatian troupe will appear on the Bulgarian stage and the Bulgarian audience will acquaint itself with a contemporary piece inspired by the life of John Lennon and written by Ivo Josipovic: composer and former president of Croatia.
“For the last fifteen years, we have consistently and purposefully developed our Wagner traditions in Bulgaria. We made a big shift in our repertoire politics and thus let the world know that Bulgarians can be a part of the grand Wagner cosmos where our singers, our orchestra and choir set new milestones on the way to acknowledging our opera culture”, the academician added for Bulgaria ON AIR.
Developing a taste for opera begins from the youngest age and is a process measured not just in years but sometimes in centuries, acad. Kartaloff believes. This is why the Sofia Opera actively works with children and young adults, making opera fans from the new generations.
For Kartaloff, every production is not just music and theater but also a message. The most important thing is the pieces to be performed in an understandable and relatable way, without the excessive modernism which alienates the audience. Combining classics and contemporariness is the path which the Sofia Opera treads: a path which combines the Bulgarian identity with the universal language of art.
The Sofia Opera will return the gesture with its visit to Zagreb on the 15th of September with “Die Walküre”.