20 may 2024 "Rigoletto" - The Sad Story Of Temptation, Sin&Self-Sacrifice

The eternal story of meanness, seduction, false hopes, insidious urges, curse, and ominous denouement, woven into the classic reading of one of the most beloved and influential Verdi operas by Giuseppe Verdi - "Rigoletto", will come to life on the stage of the State Opera - Burgas on May 22, Wednesday, at 7 p.m. Under the baton of Dimitar Kosev, who a few days ago also conducted the glamorous operetta gala "Love, champagne and... more" in Burgas, the musical-stage story about the hunchbacked jester Rigoletto, the only joy in his simple life - his beautiful daughter Gilda, will be presented. for the unscrupulous Herzog, a unifying image of meanness, as well as for all the characters in the tragic tale of betrayed trust.

The characters of one of Verdi's most famous operas, to which the composer himself did not hide his biases, will give the audience diverse experiences - from admiration for the power of pure love, destroyed by soullessness, to the tragic hopelessness of trampled naive impulses. Those present in the Opera Hall will be warmed and emotionally shaken by the sad story. It is no coincidence that the great Italian composer stated that if he had to save only one of his operas, he would choose Rigoletto. The in-depth directorial reading of Associate Professor Dr. Alexander Tekeliev, reading the codes of the human psyche, proves the power and message of these words. The direction relies on the complex interrelationships between the actors and a psychological approach in the construction of the images. At the performance on May 22, under the baton of Dimitar Kosev, chief conductor of the State Opera - Ruse, an honored and welcome guest, and on the Burgas stage, the magnificent cast of soloists, the orchestra and the choir of the Burgas Opera will not only perform the score in a masterful manner, characterized by its beautiful melody and psychological saturation. And they will tell - with fascinating artistry, the eternal story of hell and heaven in a human soul, of destructive impulses, of retribution, of the cards of Fate, which are arranged according to our choices, of meanness, betrayal, purgatory, redemption. The creators-sculptors of the art of the highest sample - with sense, taste, and embodiment, relevant to the artistic suggestions woven into the musical fabric, and the stage solutions, sustained completely in the classical style, will create a pure sample of aesthetic delight for the spectators. All the components of strong performance are combined - the whole palette of feelings and relationships woven into human beings, exists, lives, continues to excite - with the skillful in-depth interpretation of existential themes, in Verdi's masterpiece "Rigoletto". The artist of the classic production is Ivan Popov, and the assistant director is Petar Tikholov. The opera is performed in the original - in Italian, with subtitles in Bulgarian by Srebrina Slavova, which makes it possible to follow the dramatic plot and dialogues in detail.

The soloist line-up is also remarkable: each of them - with exceptional individual qualities and at the same time - achieved a remarkable cohesion on the stage; the orchestra with concertmaster Hristo Belchev, with a monolithic sound of the complex score - both technically and in the construction of dynamic nuances; the male choir with conductor Alexander Chepanov - with an excellent balanced sound, both on stage and as a background to the dramatic action - behind the curtain.

On May 22, the controversial image of the jester Rigoletto will be recreated by the remarkable baritone Marjan Jovanoski, soloist of the National Opera of North Macedonia and the State Opera - Burgas, who on May 17 was irresistible in another crowning role of his - Tonio in the masterpiece by Leoncavallo. Firefighters". In the role of Gilda on Wednesday, the charismatic soprano Ilina Mihailova /guest/, soloist of the State Opera - Varna and the National Music Theater "Stefan Makedonski", who performed brilliantly at the operetta gala under the baton of maestro Kosev a few days ago on the Burgas stage. She will be reincarnated again - with professionalism, a flair for character building, and vocal prowess, as the naïve girl living in her little dream world, cut off from reality. Encountering a skilled seducer, in the person of the Duke, she falls into his demonic trap, which heralds her certain doom. In the will of the Duke of Mantua, the self-satisfied unscrupulous seducer and bon vivant, enters the tenor Valery Georgiev, soloist of the State Opera - Varna and State Opera - Burgas, who a few days ago also had a memorable performance at the operetta gala in Burgas. The Duke's iconic Aria "La donna e mobile" in his rousing performance is sure to be rapturously received by the audience. Bass Delyan Slavov will be respectable - both vocally and as a stage presence, in the role of the hired killer Sparafuchile, for whom the value of human life is nothing compared to a few silver coins. Bright, colorful, beautiful, dizzying, charming, and captivating the senses will be the lovely mezzo-soprano Ioana Cadijska in the role of Madalena, Sparafucile's sister, who, besides frivolity, he hides goodness and compassion in his heart

Impressive and fully integrated with the overall sound of the show on stage on Wednesday will be: bass Kostadin Mechkov – as Count Monterone, who utters a curse striking those responsible for his father's pain; mezzo-soprano Kalina Popova – affecting and feminine as Giovanna, Gilda's intimate maid; the soprano Stefka Hristozova and the bass Petar Tiholov – aristocratic in the images of Countess and Count Ceprano; baritone Yordan Hristozov as the courtier Marulo, who lives in the intriguing world of high society; the tenor Lubomir Todorov – in the role of Matteo Borsa, also part of the noble retinue; soprano Stefka Hristozova – as Page.

Verdi's music contains a dramatic charge, tells stories, weaves feelings into the musical text, reveals images, and carries messages beyond time.

The emotionally charged story of Rigoletto will be told on Wednesday on the stage of the Opera by a magnificent creative and artistic cast - through the means of syncretic operatic art, in a way that not only provides aesthetic pleasure but also excites and raises multidirectional questions. The production achieves a comprehensive impression, exploring characters and presenting dramatic twists of fate, the performance - at a high artistic level. Fascinating is the unifying emotion in Verdi's opera, joining tangibly the separate components of the performance, in which each of the participants is equal - as invested professional energy and desire. Strong experiences and emotions are guaranteed on Saturday evening, May 22 at 7 p.m. in the hall of the Burgas Opera House.

A performance of "Rigoletto" with the same cast is coming up - on May 28 at 7 p.m. in the hall of the Drama and Puppet Theater - Vratsa.