The opera “Simon Boccanegra” by Verdi – a story about love and power, is always topical. This is why the production at the Sofia Opera is not bound with some special age, said at a press conference today the Romanian stage director Arabela Tănase, Artistic Director of the Opera of Craiova.
She defined the set design as a “spiral of time” and added that this conception follow the direction, as well as the costume design.
“Simon Boccanegra” is one of Verdi’s most magnificent operas, but it is being rarely staged, because it is very difficult – in dramaturgical, as well as in vocal aspect. A complex story, in which interferes also the higher politics, commented Arabela Tănase.
The stage director is delighted with the professionalism, the talent and the rich voices of our artists – soloists, chorus and orchestra, and she hopes to make together with them a spectacle, which would touch the spectators.
To Tănase’s opinion about the complexity of the work and the necessity of very good performers, joined the conductor Erich Wächter. Fortunately, here we have a very strong cast, noted the German Maestro.
In the international team are artists from Bulgaria, Romania, Serbia, Mexico. At the conductor’s stand will be also Zhorzh Dimitrov. Designer is Răsvan Drăgănescu. Among the soloists – recognized names and quite young singers, are Veselin Mihaylov, Nikola Miajlovic, Kiril Manolov, Lilia Kehayova, Radostina Nikolaeva, Tsvetana Bandalovska, Martin Tsonev, Nikolay Voynov, Svetozar Rangelov, Daniel Damyanov, Daniel Ostretsov, Emil Pavlov, Rafael Alvarez.
The premiere will be on 17 November. The next performances will be on 18, 20, 21 and 22 November. Tickets are available at the Ticket Box of the Sofia Opera and Ballet, at the ticket offices of EasyPay in Bulgaria, in internet on operasofia.bg and in the network of eventim.bg.
In “Simon Boccanegra” the action takes place in Italy in the 14th century. The main characters are two men, who later became death enemies because of the love between the courageous corsair and future Doge of Genoa – Simon Boccanegra, and Maria, the daughter of the nobleman Jacopo Fiesco, who was against their love affair. Their difficult relationship, in which there are also political contradictions, sharpen even more by the appearance of the illegitimate child of Simon and Maria – Amelia. A quarter of a century later, she is the only woman, able to solve the conflict between her father and grandfather.
Sofia, 8 November /Penka Momchilova, Bulgarian Telegraph Agency/