The “international phenomenon” that is The Sofia Opera’s “Die Walküre” was met with awe in Zagreb, local magazines announced. The second part of Wagner’s “Der Ring des Nibelungen” was performed in the Croatian capital on the 15th of September: a gesture of diplomacy as earlier this month the Croatian national opera’s musical “Lennon” was performed in Sofia.
The Zagreb audience was enchanted, as the “Vecherniy List” newspaper wrote and “awarded “Die Walküre” with long applause and a standing ovation”. “Die Walküre”, dubbed “spectacular” and an “international phenomenon” was performed at the Croatian national theater in Zagreb under Plamen Kartaloff’s directorship and with a predominantly Bulgarian ensemble.
“The audience’s reaction last night, the long applause and the standing ovation clearly showed how enchanted the viewers were by the Sofia Opera’s performance, “Vecherniy List” wrote. “Special merit to the exceptional lead singers among which Olafur Sigrdarson stood out in the role of Wotan. The impressive scenography and Plamen Kartaloff’s logical and precisely executed directorship further underlined the monumentality of Wagner’s score.”
“Die Walküre” is dubbed “the Sofia Opera and Ballet’s flagship performance”. Tickets for the visiting performance were completely sold out ten days before the performance date.
“During the last fifteen years, the Sofia Opera and Ballet built a unique world-famous Wagner cycle and it all began in 2010 with director Plamen Kartaloff’s visionary project, “Vecherniy List” summarized. “His goal was to create a complete production of “Der Ring des Nibelungen” performed by Bulgarian lead singers but he has accomplished so much more than that because the Sofia Opera won the audience’s hearts on prestigious stages with its performances of “Die Walküre”. In the end, each and every one of the Sofia Opera’s visits proves that this production is a true cultural phenomenon which brings audiences throughout entire Europe closer to Wagner’s score.”