“La forza del destino” to be unique
Last night’s premiere of Verdi’s work at the Sofia Opera is the next pearl in the crown on the company’s playbill – it’s a pity that it will be played only five times.
“La traviata”, “Rigoletto”, “Il trovatore”… they say that at that time with these three operas Verdi became famous. And when he was invited by the Emperor’s theatre in St. Petersburg to write a new opera specially for them, in order that you have “another diamond in your sparkling crown”, the maestro created “La forza del destino”.
Exactly 154 years later (after the premiere in November 1862) the diamond started sparkling with a new glitter. “Polished” additionally by the conductor Francesco Rosa, the director Pier Francesco Maestrini and the designers Juan Guillermo Nova and Luca Dall‘Alpi, and presented in its entire bright uniqueness by the singers Gabriela Georgieva, Kiril Manolov, Kostadin Andreev, Riccardo Zanellato, by the chorus, the ballet and the orchestra of the Sofia Opera, Verdi’s work last night made a bright return on the stage of the national theatre.
Kiril Manolov as Don Carlos di Vargas (at the right) and the wounded Don Alvaro (Kostadin Andreev) are performing one of the most moving duets in "La forza del destino" Photos: SOFIA OPERA
Produced for the first time on the Sofia stage in 1934, “La forza del destino” since years wasn’t performed here. Now the music masterpiece conquered the hall with its beautiful music and stage version, transferred one to one from Teatro Filarmonico di Verona, Italy. Even if with sets, slightly refashioned and adjusted according to the sizes of the Sofia Opera’s stage, nothing was lost of the idea for the impressive ethereal, multilayer vision. With the help of colours and lights, the artists and the audience were as if “entering” in real military operations, in temple spaces or street revelries. In front of our eyes was created a reality of love, murder and revenge, of confession and prayer, of peace and war…
Above all these was ruling the music of Verdi’s genius – that conquering overture, which the director deliberately has moved between Act I and Act II (a quite interesting decision, not empty of logic!); those moving arias and duets of Leonora (Gabriela Georgieva), Don Alvaro (Kostadin Andreev), Don Carlos di Vargas (Kiril Manolov) and Padre Guardiano (Riccardo Zanellato), those powerful choruses… Obviously also for the uniqueness is required a “power of fate”. This evening it pointed at the Sofia Opera.
Gabriela Georgieva is impressing in the role of Leonora
Hours in succession after the spectacle social networks and media were commenting the presence of the newly chosen President Radev and his wife Desislava at the premiere. It’s a pity. Not the couple (which by the way was behaving quite modestly), but the artists and the music were important and unique. They were the heroes of the evening. And a part of the work of the President, whoever he is, is to appreciate and applause. The General and the Lady by his side did it in the most ordinary way, as spectators (I was sitting in a distance of two meters from them in the first balcony and I was observing). Who said that such a reasonable presence is an unique event?!
After the next four spectacles, the production will leave for Israel. Whether it will come back to Sofia? It’s a pity, but for the time being not. This is also a part of the power of fate to create uniquenesses…
Violeta Tsvetkova, AFISH.BG
http://www.afish.bg/music/item/2135-silata-na-sadbata-da-badesh-nepovtorim.html