Dear friends of Sofia Opera and Ballet,

Dear adherents of Richard Wagner’s work,

We saw off an exciting year, in which we all together experienced Richard Wagner’s 200th Anniversary. The two-century jubilee of the composer was not only symbolic. I am happy, that we with my colleagues from Sofia Opera and Ballet, together with you, had the privilege to take part in the creation of one of the music projects of the greatest importance – the presentation for the first time in Bulgaria and on the Balkans of Wagner’s tetralogy “Der Ring des Nibelungen”. This was also a great challenge for us, because “Das Rheingold”, “Die Walküre”, “Siegfried” and “Götterdämmerung” were created entirely with our own efforts.

Guided by the view that the events, dedicated to such a significant jubilee should not stay limited within only one year, under the baton of the world-known conductor Kadzushi Ono we shall present Wagner’s tetralogy for a second time. The four operas shall be performed from 23 to 29 July 2014 during ONE WEEK IN SOFIA WITH “DER RING DES NIBELUNGEN”. We believe that our joint efforts and enthusiasm will lead to new unique experiences with the work of the German composer, philosopher and writer of genius.

This year we are heading for a new height in Richard Wagner music heritage – “Tristan und Isolde”. We are planning the premiere for 26 February 2015.

With this letter we are informing you that we would like to restore our close contact and that we intend it to be constant in 2014. Our ambition is regularly to organize meetings of the Wagner Society in Bulgaria, at which to talk again and again about the phenomenon Richard Wagner and about everything, connected with him at Sofia Opera and Ballet. I have the pleasure to invite you on the first of these meetings for 2014 on 19 January at 11.00 h in the hall of Sofia Opera and Ballet.

WE ARE EXPECTING YOU!Acad.

Plamen Kartaloff

Director of Sofia Opera and Ballet

President of the Wagner Society in Bulgaria