Most opera directors are fans of neither Puccini nor Verdi but acad. Plamen Kartaloff is one of the few exceptions, commented conductor Daniel Oren during a press conference at the Sofia Opera and Ballet.
Oren, Italian soprano Anna Pirozzi, bearer of the “Puccini” award and tenor Jorge de Leon are visiting the Sofia Opera where they will perform in “Turandot” by Puccini: the new opera season will be opened with showings of this opera.
“We work quite well together with maestro Kartaloff. He is one of the few men who are truly devoted to the art of opera and love music”, Daniel Oren noted.
“All these big names arrive here so they can become a part of the heart of the Sofia Opera”, director acad. Plamen Kartaloff said. He announced that “Romeo and Juliet”, “Falstaff” and “Matilda” will be shown shortly after “Turandot”.
I’ve waited a long time for these artists to come. I’ve worked twice with maestro Oren in Italy and I’ve always dreamed for him to conduct at our theater, Plamen Kartaloff commented. I also known all these great singers from our work together. With God on my side, I believe they will become an essential part of the Sofia Oper”, he added.
Maestro Daniel Oren said “Turandot” is a wonderful and fantastic opera. Everybody loves to hate princess Turandot and await her demise. We always say she is an ice queen and a bad person who makes no compromises. It’s all true. I believe Puccini, a genius, portrayed Turandot as the symbol of a woman seeking love but at the same time knowing she will never obtain it. What’s more human than that? Turandot is, first and foremost, a woman in Puccini’s eyes. I think it’s no coincidence the opera is called “Turandot”. Puccini tells the tale of this woman’s dramatic life; she will never know true love, Oren explained.
Oren also noted this isn’t his first visit to Bulgaria.
“Years ago, when I was a conductor in Rome and Napoli, I came here in search of musicians”, he said.
Soprano Anna Pirozzi said this is her first time in Sofia but also that she knows many Bulgarian singers. I’ve learned a lot from Gena Dimitrova and Raina Kabaivanska, she noted. According to her, Plamen Kartaloff “loves hearing the full palette of a singer’s voice”. She added that she really liked Kartaloff’s directorship. The opera doesn’t conclude with a happy ending and a wedding but with Turandot’s grief over having lost Liu, Pirozzi explained.
I really love Gena Dimitrova, it will be a great honor but also a responsibility to perform here on the same stage and wearing the same costumes she has. I won’t even try to imitate her, I will sing with my own voice, she stated.
Tenor Jorge de Leon said Plamen Kartaloff is exceptionally skilled at following the score. “Our colleagues and the ensemble here are fantastic, they all really love music. Both the orchestra and choir pour their heart out into their work”, he explained.
“I’m very glad the opera season will open with “Turandot”. The work on these performances is on a completely different level. We’ve been rehearsing for over two weeks, going over the entire score note by note, tact by tact. You discover something new every time you work on an opera. I’ve been performing in “Turandot” for twenty years and still admire this opera”, Svetozar Rangelov (Timur) commented.
As BTA wrote, the Sofia Opera will solemnly open its new season on the 27th and 29th of September will gala performances of “Turandot” by Giacomo Puccini dedicated to the year of the great Italian maestro. For the first time, world-famous conductor Daniel Oren will be visiting along with Anna Pirozzi as princess Turandot and Jorge de Leon as Prince Kalaf.
Vanya Sukharova
https://www.bta.bg/bg/news/lik/748805-rezhisyorite-ne-obichat-nito-puchini-nito-verdi-no-akad-kartalov-e-ot-malkoto