06 august 2022 "Madame Butterfly" Opened The "Sanctuary Opera" In Begliktash
The first event of the festival - "Madame Butterfly" by Giacomo Puccini OPERA ON THE SANCTUARY'22 - MADAM BUTTERFLY / OPERA ON THE SANCTUARY'22 - MADAMA BUTTERFLY, told in the heart of the mystical Strandja a sad story from the East - about strong feelings, long waiting, disappointment, withered hopes, brokenness, pain, and death.
The festival is being held for the third time by the State Opera Burgas and the Municipality of Primorsko, as the organization and technical support of such a place in nature, using the natural decor of the Thracian sanctuary Begliktash, requires extremely well fitting of all elements.
More than 300 people in the international audience followed with bated breath the drama of Cho-Cho-San, whose soul experiences a tragic metamorphosis - from the tender rapture of shared love with the American lieutenant of the naval forces Pinkerton to the tearing inner choice that leads her to conscious self-sacrifice.
Impressive to the point of achieving a real emotional exchange with the audience was the magnificent dramatic soprano Joana Zhelezcheva in the role of Madame Butterfly. The vibrations of her singing seemed to meld with the frequency of the "voice of the mountain" of the natural phenomenon Strandzha - containing a mythical power.
A wonderful vocal and artistic partnership with Ioana Zhelezcheva was achieved by the brilliant tenor Mihail Mihaylov /guest/ Mihail Mihaylov, in the role of Pinkerton. His voice soared above the stone megaliths and touched the emotional world of those present with its gentle timbres.
Stable and inspiring inner strength and respect was the baritone Alexander Krunev in the image of the American ambassador in Nagasaki, Japan - Sharpless.
The wonderful young mezzo-soprano Ioana Kadiyska made a brilliant debut in the role of Suzuki, Madame Butterfly's trusted maid - gentle, with the cultivated restraint typical of Japanese culture, beneath whose surface lies an agitated sea of emotions.
Wonderful and fitting into the overall picture of the eastern fairy tale were also: the mezzo-soprano Kalina Popova - like Kate Pinkerton /Kalina Popova also takes care of the makeup and wigs/, the tenor Yani Nikolov - also with a successful debut in the role of Goro, the tenor Lyubomir Todorov - as Pronts Yamadori, Kostadin Mechkov Kostadin Mechkov, bass - in the role of Uncle Bonzo, bass Ivan Grozev Ivan Grozev - in the roles of Notary and Imperial Commissioner, Nevena Mihaylova - Cho-Cho-San's mother / Nevena Mihaylova is also a conductor of the choir of the Burgas Opera/.
Admirations were deserved and long - both during the performance and after the successful performance, both for the magnificent soloists, as well as for the wonderful artists from the choir and the balanced-sounding musicians from the orchestra - under the extremely precise master baton of maestro Sunai Muratov /guest/.
The production of Assoc. Dr. Alexander Tekeliev Alexander Tekeliev was adapted by the director himself - according to the specifics of the stone terrain, successfully complemented by a specially built stage near the sanctuary.
Sincere recognition goes to the specialists of the technical team Georgi Vangelov, who ensured the overall vision and performance of the show on the unusually difficult terrain. Admirations to everyone who made sure that the large-scale project took place in an optimal way - the assistant directors - Lina Peeva and Petar Tiholov, the pianist Mira Iskarova, the stage workers, the sound directors, lighting, wardrobe, organizers, those responsible for: props/prompter - Dora Furtunova, for subtitles - Srebrina Slavova; all employees who have put in work, desire, energy and love for work - the entire musical-stage product is the work of a professional team!
Certainly, such co-experienced moments recharge for a long time and bring a feeling of achieved spiritual synchronicity - namely, this is the meaning of art...
The exciting event was attended by the regional governor Prof. Maria Neikova, the mayor of Primorsko Municipality Dimitar Germanov, representatives of cultural institutes, and officials.
The next performance of the festival is OPERA ON THE SANCTUARY'22 - BAL WITH MASKS / OPERA ON THE SANCTUARY'22 - UN BALLO IN MASCHERA - on August 13, Saturday, at 8:30 p.m. - again on the stage that has become a cult for opera art You're running away. Maestro Sunai Muratov stands behind the conductor's desk again.
Photos: State Opera - Burgas