“Come to the Sofia Opera, the performance is really worth it.”
“All opera and Wagner fans should come see it, it’s incredible.”
“We’ll come see it again.”
These were the viewers’ shared emotions. Some of them had travelled to Sofia for the first part of the Wagner festival to see “Der Ring des Nibelungen” and again returned for the two final performances of “Lohengrin” and “Tannhäuser”.
“The best evening I’ve ever experienced. What a world, what a universe has Kartaloff created with this production.”
“The Sofia Opera Wagner festival has outdone itself this year.”
Many different languages could be heard in the foyers during the two interludes: German, English, Bulgarian, French, Italian. Viewers met again after having seen the first part of the festival together and were eagerly awaiting the next act. Both Bulgarians and foreigners shared their awe of the beautiful production: of the decors and costumes, the precise and inspired director’s work as well as the uncompromising interpretation of the lead singers, orchestra and choir.
“A large part of the audience comes to see the Wagner performances so it can hear a score you can’t enjoy anywhere else in Bulgaria.”
“The score was stunning, from start to finish.
Production team: conductor Marteyn Dendivel, director Plamen Kartaloff, scenographer Hans Kudlich, Mario Dice costume designer, choir conductor Violeta Dimitrova.
Starring: Simon O’Neill as Lohengrin, Alma-Lisa Bandalovska as Elsa, Biser Georgiev as King Heinrich, Gabriela Georgieva as Ortrud, Ventseslav Anastasov as Friedrich, Atanas Mladenov as the King’s Messenger, Nikolay Petrov, Nikolay Voinov, Emil Pavlov, Rossen Nenchev as the Brabant knights, Gergana Petrova, Lyubov Metodieva, Tsvetelina Kotseva and Yuliana Katinova-Petrova as the pages and Kalin Dushkov as Gottfried.
With the participation of the BNR mixed choir men’s ensemble with conductor Lubomira Alexandrova.
The Wagner festival concludes on the 14th of June with “Tannhäuser”.
