Saturday morning, on the 17th of May at the Sofia Opera club “Opera”, a matinee concert took place, dedicated to the upcoming premiere of the opera “Tannhäuser” by Richard Wagner on the 26th of June. Production by Plamen Kartaloff; conductor: Konstantin Trinks.
Conductor Velizar Genchev took part in the discussion with the audience: an exceptional expert on Richard Wagner’s score. Velizar Genchev works stylistically and musically with the singers starring in “Tannhäuser” and in “Der Ring des Nibelungen”: the operas which will be performed at the Wagner festival from the 26th of June to the 5th of July. Genchev will also conduct the performances of “Tannhäuser” throughout the new season.
During the matinee, viewers got acquainted with the history of setting “Tannhäuser” at the Sofia Opera. They saw a specially prepared video footage containing archive photos, programs and costume sketches dating back to the opera’s previous three productions in 1931, 1938 and 1983. They also learned interesting and curious facts about the piece’s creation and its story and important moments from the life of composer Richard Wagner.
Famous fragments from “Tannhäuser” were performed by the exceptional singers Gabriela Georgieva, Atanas Mladenov and Eleonora Dzhodzhoska-Mladenova under the piano accompaniment of Agnes Dankova. Their performances were met with exalted applause.
The matinee ended with a curious video about the restoration of Venus’ Cave in the Linderhof castle in Bavaria, Germany. The cave was initially built by king Ludwig II.
Viewers were also able to purchase tickets for the upcoming premiere of “Tannhäuser” as well as for the four operas from “Der Ring des Nibelungen” cycle.
Meeting moderator: Bronislava Ignatova.
