Newspaper “Zemya”, issue 198, 17.10.2017, page 18

The famous love story is like an ancient tragedy 

With “Carmen” the company will be guest-performer next year in Japan.

On 3 November the Sofia Opera and Ballet will present the premiere of the opera “Carmen” by Georges Bizet. The next spectacles are on 4, 5, 6, 9, 11 and 12 November.

This is one of the favourite spectacles of the connoisseurs of the operatic art, which is expected with great interest. In Maestro Plamen Kartaloff’s new production is represented the plot of the famous love story as an ancient tragedy. In “Carmen” there is everything – strong passions, a lot of love, but also proverbial jealousy and hatred, which lead to death.

This will be a theatre of the movement, theatre of the masks and impressive stage decisions, which the Sofia Opera and Ballet will present next year in its upcoming Japan tour in succession.

Performers of the roles are:

Carmen – Ahlima Mhamdi, Gergana Rusekova, Nadia Krasteva and Sanja Anastasia,

Don José – Daniel Damyanov, Kostadin Andreev and Martin Iliev,

Escamillo – Biser Georgiev and Veselin Mihaylov,

Le Dancaïre – Ilia Iliev,

Le Remendado – Krasimir Dinev and Hrisimir Damyanov,

Zuniga – Dimitar Stanchev and Svetozar Rangelov,

Moralès – Atanas Mladenov,

Micaëla – Irina Zhekova and Tsvetana Bandalovska.

The conductor Keitaro Harada will conduct the premiere of the opera “Carmen” on 3 November. He is highly appreciated for his professionalism, artistic abilities and passion for musical excellence. In 2018, he will lead the Japan tour of the production of “Carmen” by Bizet.

On 3 March 1875, the Paris audience saw and heard one of the opera masterpieces for all times – “Carmen”. It saw and heard it, but it couldn’t understand it! The premiere was a real flop for the author. Bizet couldn’t stand it and only three months afterwards he died of a heart attack, hardly at the age of 37.