While I was listening to the overture of “Parsifal”, I was thinking how proud we have to feel ourselves, that in our country in the last years at the Sofia Opera grew an orchestra with a real Wagner sounding. After that, the curtain opened for an incredible visual beauty. On the stage appeared the bass Angel Hristov in the role of Gurnemanz. I could say that when the spectacle begins with Angel Hristov, it will be very good. This is in the frames of joke, and seriously, the beautiful metal voice of Hristov developed wonderfully in the last years, directed by Maestro Kartaloff, as one of the greatest voices and artists of the Sofia Opera.
The same I can say about the young baritone Atanas Mladenov in the role of Amfortas. He also developed a strong character. My admiration is also for Petar Buchkov – Titurel, for Radostina Nikolaeva as Kundry.
All soloists, the male chorus and the orchestra, under the baton of the young German conductor Constantin Trinks, were impressive.
What I would say about the production? I think that Maestro Plamen Kartaloff, who I appreciate undoubtedly as our greatest opera director, has created one of his strongest works. I would call “Parsifal” one of his three most beautiful works, together with “Tosca” and “Don Carlo”, from his different artistic periods.
What incredible beauty – a class! Poetry in every detail on the stage. I am sitting in the hall and I am thinking: “My God, how beautiful it is! What ideas! All of them make it so, that to us with ease in the heart of each spectator reaches the great message: “Salvation through compassion!”
I think that the production, which created Academician Kartaloff, together with the set designers – Numen + Ivanka Jonke, the costume designer – Stanka Vauda and the artistic lighting by Andrej Hajdinjak, is worthy for the biggest theatres of the world.
There is one thing, which makes me sad. The fact that upcoming are only several spectacles of “Parsifal”. Because I think, that everyone has to see Wagner’s last work, which is performed for the first time at the Sofia Opera.
Besides all musicians and artists, directors of Bulgarian opera theatres, music lovers, who are here this evening, the production must be seen by everyone.
Dear listeners,
Even if you are afraid of the six hours Wagner, come at least for the first two!
Irena, you know that I often ask myself why I continue to live in Bulgaria. After this evening, it is as if I find one of the answers. It turns out that also here one can dream and create with an enormous swing on a world level.
A conversation of Rositsa Kavaldzhieva with Irena Gadeleva in the broadcast “Allegro vivace”, 04.07, 2017 г.