"I invited Anna Tomowa-Sintow because there is no more philosophical interpreter of opera than her. She wanted to convey the experience she had with Karajan," said Acad. Kartaloff at a meeting with the media today, where he presented his approach to "Lohengrin".

This is the eighth spectacle of a Wagner work at the Sofia Opera since 2010. All productions are by Plamen Kartaloff. The realization of each of them takes about a year, explained the director and Director of the company. There are 38 performers in the entire Wagner opera world at the Opera.

"It is very easy to invite guests from the world stage to perform the roles in these operas, but I want to make our artists world-class. This is the Wagner Mission of the Sofia Opera and Ballet," said Acad. Kartaloff.

The preparation of the soloists in "Lohengrin" with Anna Tomowa-Sintow lasted six months.

"She worked with the team online from Munich and Salzburg, where she lives. The classes were sometimes seven hours a day," noted Plamen Kartaloff.

The premiere of "Lohengrin" will take place during the Wagner Festival, which will be held at the Sofia Opera and Ballet from 13 to 23 June. The programme will also include all parts of "Der Ring des Nibelungen" saga, which has become emblematic for our national opera theatre.

Before Plamen Kartaloff's version, there were two other readings of "Lohengrin" – the first was directed by Dragan Kardjiev in 1934, the second staged by Mihail Hadjimishev in 1968.

Tenors Kostadin Andreev and Simon O'Neill will perform the role of Lohengrin, in the image of Ortrud will be sopranos Mariana Zvetkova and Gabriela Georgieva, for whom this will be their debut in a work by Wagner. The role of Ortrud is most often performed by mezzo-sopranos, Gergana Rusekova was preparing for this role. But according to specialists, the role is not infrequently performed by sopranos.

"Anna Tomowa-Sintow is the guarantor of my choice", commented Acad. Kartaloff.

The other roles are played by Tsvetana Bandalovska and Radostina Nikolaeva as Elsa, Stefan Vladimirov and Biser Georgiev as King Heinrich der Vogler, Ventseslav Anastasov (debut in Wagner's role) and Thomas Weinhappel as Friedrich von Telramund, Atanas Mladenov as the Royal Herald.

The director revealed that the new "Lohengrin" begins with the end of "Parsifal" – Lohengrin, the Knight of the Holy Grail, is the son of the Knight of the Round Table Parsifal. Plamen Kartaloff will arrange two choruses – the Sofia Opera and the Bulgarian National Radio Male Chorus – on ancient Greek stands in an ancient theatre. And the action with the main characters will extend into the arena. There will also be a huge tree on stage, which is part of the action, the director explained.

The conductor of the performance will be Constantin Trinks on 13 June and Evan-Alexis Christ on 23 June. Violeta Dimitrova will conduct the chorus, Hans Kudlich is the set designer in collaboration with Sven Jonke and Gudrun Geiblinger, Mario Dice is costume designer, Michael Sollinger will create the laser effects and Zack Blane will provide the lighting.

All spectacles begin at 18 h and will be performed in the Mail Hall of the Opera House.