Vyara Stoyanova
Wagner Festival ended with enthusiastic audience and foreign critics
Sofia's "Lohengrin" is a triumph of music and stagecraft rarely seen even on the world's biggest stages, writes German publication Online Merker about the Sofia Opera and Ballet's production. The spectacle was the pointe at the institution's Wagner Festival, a must-see event for true opera lovers, the critic points out.
"Lohengrin" by director Plamen Kartaloff premiered on 13 June and the performance on 23 June was at the finale of the festival. Three main elements are actively used on stage – the sacred tree, which changes as the stage situations are constructed, two amphitheatrical pitches for the choruses of the warring Brabant and Saxon people, and the arena for the unfolding action.
"Plamen Kartaloff's production is a profound symbiosis between music and visual art," writes Dirk Schauß, Online Merker's envoy to the country. – Every movement and detail on stage seems to stem directly from Wagner's score, making the overall impression extremely emotionally intense and authentic."
The critic also noted the performance of New Zealander Simon O'Neill in the title role, who "transcended the demands of the role" to create a "deeply human Lohengrin". Of Radostina Nikolaeva, who embodied the character of Elsa, the critic said:
"She can already be counted among an outstanding cast on an international level. It is always amazing how high a quality the singers maintain in this opera house".
Simon O'Neill and Radostina Nikolaeva in a scene from the spectacle. Photo: Sofia Opera and Ballet
High praise also goes to Gabriela Georgieva, whom Schauß describes as a sensational and exemplary Ortrud.
"This singer deserves the greatest attention – adds the specialist. – Voices of such quality have become rare. Sofia is fortunate to offer an artistic home."
Gabriela Georgieva and Thomas Weinhappel in a scene from the spectacle. Photo: Sofia Opera and Ballet
The perfect sound of the Sofia Opera and Ballet Orchestra must be commented on in view of the heavy workload during the entire Wagner Festival, points out Schauß – between 13 and 23 June, the Sofia Opera and Ballet not only performed “Lohengrin” twice, but also performed the “Der Ring des Nibelungen” tetralogy again.
The production was also received with great enthusiasm by the audience, who repeatedly burst into spontaneous applause. Schauß demonstrates the same enthusiasm in his text:
"The days of the Richard Wagner Festival were filled with beauty and exciting musical performances. The great theatre director Plamen Kartaloff has created something truly miraculous here and the wonder of the experience is boundless. Any opera lover who has had enough of the aberrations of the so-called "director's theatre" will find in Sofia an oasis of guaranteed happiness that is hard to find elsewhere. Opera magic with respect for the guidelines of the score is what distinguishes the Sofia Opera and Ballet and gives it a special place in the opera world. The beautiful city also offers a very positive atmosphere and cultural history."
For the spectacle in Sofia have arrived Wagnerians from Portugal, USA, Germany, Austria, Brazil, Belgium, France, Malaysia, Japan, Argentina, Croatia, North Macedonia, Italy, Romania, UK, Czech Republic, Scotland. In addition to Schauß, the audience included other journalists from foreign media, including Iris Steiner, editor-in-chief of the Orpheus magazine. Wagner connoisseur and music critic Klaus Billand, as well as the Vienna Opera's world-renowned bass Kammersänger Falk Struckmann.
The artists from “Lohengrin” were applauded by the enthusiastic audience for a long time. Photo: Sofia Opera and Ballet
The stage design of the spectacle, based on an idea by director Plamen Kartaloff, was created by Hans Kudlich and artists Nella and Kristian Stoyanov, the costumes were designed by Italian designer Mario Dice, and the lighting design was by Zach Blane.
In the production on 23 June took part also the Austrian baritone Thomas Weinhappel as Friedrich von Telramund, Count of Brabant, Bjarni Thor Kristinsson as Heinrich Der Vogler and Atanas Mladenov as the Royal Herald. The choral parts were entrusted to the Sofia Opera Chorus and the Male Chorus of the Bulgarian National Radio.
Director Plamen Kartaloff, conductor Evan-Alexis Christ and the soloists in the spectacle at the finale of the Wagner Festival. Photo: Sofia Opera and Ballet