After the huge success in Ankara and Istanbul last autumn, Giacomo Puccini's “Tosca” returns to the stage of the Sofia Opera.

In the performance directed by Plamen Kartaloff on 7 February, Radostina Nikolaeva will sing as Floria Tosca, Kostadin Andreev as Mario Cavaradossi and Veselin Mihaylov for the first time as Baron Scarpia.

Guest conductor will be Sunay Muratov.

Here is what he said a few days before the performance:

"First of all, I would like to express my deep respect to the Bulgarian audience, which is our cordial and objective critic. This helps our professional growth. For myself, I can proudly say that I am a graduate of Bulgarian music education, starting with the primary class of the music school and graduating from the Bulgarian State Conservatory, now Academy. I think this has shaped me as an accomplished professional who continues my artistic path in Bulgaria and abroad."

Sunay Muratov started playing the violin at the age of 6.

"Because of our very early involvement with Her Majesty Music, our dreams were predetermined, not excluding of course normal childhood excitements and desires."

He graduated from the Music School in Pleven and then from the Academy of Music with conducting and composition in Sofia.

"My performances as a conductor began even before graduating from the Academy with various orchestral formations, but I would like to note that I have particularly warm feelings towards my first professional performance after graduation – Mozart's “Die Zauberflöte” at the Burgas Opera."

During his time at the Varna Opera, he received an offer from the Ankara State Opera and in 2000 continued his career in the Turkish capital. There he developed his talent to the full and enriched his operatic and ballet repertoire as well as his symphonic repertoire.

"In my now not short professional career, I have numerous performances and concerts behind me, which include titles from different composers, styles and eras. I cannot identify a favourite composer among them, as each work is specific in itself with a beauty and charge that touches my soulfulness."

Operas by Verdi, Puccini, Mascagni, Mozart, Donizetti, symphonies by Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninoff, Brahms, Shostakovich, Prokofiev, cantata-oratorio works by Bruckner, Mahler, Stravinsky, Mozart, as well as operettas “Die Fledermaus”, “Die Csárdásfürstin”, “La vie parisienne” fill the long list of works conducted by Sunay Muratov. He does not forget Bulgarian composers either – he conducted pieces by Alexandar Tanev, Veselin Stoyanov, Pancho Vladigerov and others.

"I think that the strong influence of Bulgarian musicians who have created and contributed to the development of Turkish music culture should be noted. Classical music is held in high esteem and respect in Turkey."

Maestro Sunay Muratov is one of the established and highly respected orchestral conductors in the Republic of Turkey. He is currently the conductor of the Ankara State Opera and Ballet and a lecturer at the State Conservatory of Hacettepe University.

"I would like to share my wonderful impressions of the Sofia Opera collective, with whom we have realised several very successful performances of “Tosca”. In my interpretation of the work, I try to be as close as possible to Puccini's dramaturgy and musical language, in which everything is portrayed with genius precision, i.e. it is enough to be faithful to the end to the author.

I am pleased to invite Sofia residents and guests to attend our spectacle to enjoy the wonderful voices and acting of the soloists, the magnificent performance of the orchestra and chorus, and the brilliant, inspiring and highly impressive direction of Acad. Kartaloff."

We look forward to seeing you tomorrow, 7 February at 19 h at the Sofia Opera to share together the opera “Tosca” by Giacomo Puccini.