01 august 2022 "Madame Butterfly Opens Begliktash's 'Sanctuary Opera.'

An upcoming highlight in the program of the State Opera - Burgas, in partnership with the Municipality of Primorsko, is the three-day festival "Opera of the Sanctuary", which is being held for the third time. On August 6, 13, and 20, among the natural scenery of the Thracian holy place of Begliktash, the operas "Madame Butterfly" by Giacomo Puccini /August 6/, "Ball with masks" by Giuseppe Verdi /August 13/ and "Carmen" by Georges Bizet /August 20/. The productions were adapted by the director, Associate Professor Dr. Alexander Tekeliev, for the specifics of the natural conditions in the Bulgarian Stonehenge - the ancient Thracian settlement "Begliktash" near Primorsko. The original and impressive choice of the scene is no accident – ​​the famous monolithic stone complex contains historical references. The productions are a unique chance to meet the mystical symbolism of the sacred place, combined with the artistic suggestions of the operas.

Under the baton of maestro Sunai Muratov /guest/ and maestro Ivan Kozhuharov, the exciting non-standard meetings with the heroes of Puccini, Verdi and Bizet will be created on the open stage of Begliktash from 8.30 pm during the three festival evenings.

The representations of the Thracian sanctuary provide a unique chance to encounter the mystical symbolism of the sacred place, combined with the artistic implications of the operas. The Sanctuary Opera Festival is proof that classical music carries the aura of impermanence and eternity, as aesthetics and messages, as a culture of thought and a way of perceiving the world, and interest and adoration for its imperishable messages should be maintained, and in combination with similar natural phenomenon, it is even more impactful.

In the picturesque space under the stars, in the cultural-historical space of the ancient Thracian sanctuary, charged with mysticism and magnetism, on the first festival evening /August 6, 8:30 p.m./ the emblematic opera in three acts by Giacomo Puccini "Madame Butterfly" will be presented, according to directed by Assoc. Dr. Alexander Tekeliev.

The soloists, the orchestra, and the chorus of the Burgas Opera, under the baton of maestro Sunai Muratov, will tell the tragic story of a woman in love and the devastatingly strong feelings of a devoted female heart through the means of musical and stage art. The scenography of "Madame Butterfly", made in the minimalistic Eastern style, is by Boris Stoinov, the designer of the exquisite costumes is Tsvetanka Petkova-Stoinova, the conductor of the choir is Nevena Mihailova, the assistant director is Petar Tiholov, the concertmaster is Hristo Belchev.

In the role of Cho-Cho-San /Madame Butterfly/ comes to the wonderful dramatic soprano Yoana Zhelezcheva, who builds the tragic image not only brilliantly in vocal-artistic terms, but also with psychological penetration. In the image of her beloved Pinkerton, whom she trusts with all the dedication of her feminine essence, but pays a high price for his sincerity, is the brilliant young tenor with numerous international appearances, Mikhail Mihailov /guest/. The distinguished baritone Alexander Krunev plays the role of the American consul in Nagasaki Sharpless. Mezzo-soprano Joanna Kadiyska will make her debut as Madame Butterfly Suzuki's maid. Kate Pinkerton, wife of US Navy Lt. Pinkerton, will be Kalina Popova, mezzo-soprano. In the other roles, the audience will see Yani Nikolov - Goro, Lyubomir Todorov - Prince Yamadori, Kostadin Mechkov - Uncle Bonzo, Ivan Grozev - as Imperial Commissioner and Notary, Nevena Mihailova - Cho-Cho-San's mother. The orchestra and choirs of the State Opera - Burgas also participate in the beautiful production - in terms of vision, music, and messages.

The action of the opera "Madame Butterfly" takes place at the beginning of the 19th and 20th centuries in Nagasaki. This story is about a young geisha, Cho-Cho-san, who is named "Butterfly" because of her beauty and grace. The Geisha is in love with US Navy Lieutenant Pinkerton. The sense of destiny in her feelings and her inner urge are so strong that she defies the traditions of her people and marries them. The heart in love does not allow its love-accelerated rhythm diverges from the calculation and inconsistency of her chosen one...

The story of Madame Butterfly is the tragedy of the collision of two worlds: Western and Eastern, masculine and feminine, extroverted and introverted. And the paradox is that a civilized person actually turns out to be a barbarian, such as an attitude, refusal of responsibility, the inconstancy of feelings and desires, failure to keep a man's promise, denial of the sanctity of words that condemn two souls to each other. But for the young Japanese woman, the precepts of ancient traditions, which seem "savage" and archaic enough for the Western mind, the concepts of "sacred union", "loyalty", "devotion", and "love" have a weight greater than even the price of life itself. Cho-Cho-san is a beautiful woman bearing the typical characteristics of the Eastern soul. But despite its apparent fragility, the "Butterfly" showed unexpected resilience, cont