Lyubomir Pipkov’s masterpiece “Yana’s Nine Brothers”, the most Bulgarian opera according to connoisseurs, will have its premiere at the Sofia Opera and Ballet on 22 March at 19.00 h. The next spectacles will be on 28, 29 and 30 March, informs the theatre.

After the words of the stage director Plamen Kartaloff, “Yana’s Nine Brothers” is a topic, in which are reflected many reasons and many occasions for us to say that this subject yesterday, as well as today, will always remain resounding like a dark clang of a bell, a clang, reminding of one whole people’s tragedy. In it as if all characters with their actions from the past have remained to live also today.”

In the new production of the Sofia Opera and Ballet in the role of the Mother are Ivanka Ninova and Rumyana Petrova, Yana – Gabriela Georgieva, Lilia Kehayova and Mariana Zvetkova, Georgi Groznika – Petar Buchkov and Svetozar Rangelov, Angel – Kostadin Andreev and Hrisimir Damyanov, the other brothers – Angel Antonov, Emil Pavlov, Kalin Dushkov, Rosen Nenchev, Valentin Vatev, Nikolay Voynov and Stefan Dimitrov.

“In this opera I wanted to see the past of my people from contemporary positions, to reveal the right of a life, full of wisdom, experience and faith in future”, said Lyubomir Pipkov in 1957. “On the background of the Middle Age I opposed two characters – the bright character of the wood-carver Angel against the character of Georgi Groznika. I did my best to direct a reproach to the dark forces of that time, which were cutting the hands of the progressive man in our country. Could we say that this was an escape from the present? It seems to me that with the historical plot I was deciding modern tasks”, commented the composer.

According to his own words, in artistic aspect he was always moved by the problem of development of Bulgarian music style. He always considered that it had to be formed with the help of three enormous factors – the experience from the world classical music, our song and rhythmical treasure and the historical moment, which imports contents into the work.

The French professor Paul Dukas appreciated still at the initial stage the artistic undertaking of his young pupil Lyubomir Pipkov: “You excavate from the earth a style of its own. If this work of art finishes the way it has begun, it will be a masterpiece!”, remind us from the Opera.

Konstantin Iliev, after the fifth production of “Yana’s Nine Brothers” in 1984, continued to call the work the most Bulgarian of all Bulgarian operas, a catechism of our national musical art. According to him only a blood relationship with the mentality, the lifestyle and the art of the people and a boundless filial love for the chapped hands of the Bulgarian can give birth to a work like “Yana’s Nine Brothers”.

Sofia, 8 February /Penka Momchilova, Bulgarian Telegraph Agency/