Sofia, 14.10. 2025 (BTA)
An end to elitism in the art of opera: opera is the most democratic artform. It creates a beautiful bridge between the score and ordinary people, acad. Plamen Kartaloff, director of the Sofia Opera and Ballet, said during the launch of the first two tomes of the three-tome edition of “Opera and Nature” which took place this night, at the Bulgarian academy of sciences.
The books presents a selection of opera performances set in unusual natural and historical places: from ancient theaters and keeps to caves, lakes and architectural preserves.
The first tome includes performances set during the 1972 – 2024 period on “Tsarevets” hill, at “Alexander Batenberg” square, at the “Georgi Sava Rakovski” Military academy park and at the square in front of the “St. Alexander Nevsky” cathedral.
The second tome includes productions set among the Belogradchik Rocks, the Magura Cave, Pancharevo Lake, the Roman square at the “Boyana” cinema center as well as at the “Baba Vida” keep and at “Tsari Mali Grad”. During the book’s presentation, video fragments from some of the most iconic performances were shown.
In a congratulatory address to acad. Kartaloff, president Rumen Radev noted that “The book’s first two tomes are a unique piece of evidence for a life, dedicated to art”. “With its scale and depth, “Opera and Nature” is not only a chronicle of decades of creative work but also a philosophy on the place of opera in the contemporary world”, the president said.
Acad. Lyudmil Staikov defined the presentation as “an event, part of our country’s cultural life” and underlined that books are “an inseparable part of a grand feat in Bulgarian culture”. “You will not only feel the atmosphere but will also hear the score itself while you’re reading”, he added.
Acad. Plamen Kartaloff noted that he has been working for over forty-three years on the “Opera and Nature” concept. “The voice of nature sings in unison with the music: a synthesis between the human creative spirit and the mountains, rivers, valleys and keeps. All this builds the basis for “Opera and Nature”.
He underlined that the project includes two director’s methods: original performances created especially for the place they are performed at and adapted productions brought to life again in a natural environment.
“Opera and Nature” compiler: Yuliya Krasteva.