12 november 2025 A delightful Performance of "Norma" Was Presented at the Opera

The evening of November 12 was marked by an aura of exclusivity in the hall of the Burgas State Opera with the performance of NORMA by Vincenzo Bellini.
After more than a six-year absence from the Burgas Opera program, the bel canto masterpiece returned triumphantly to the hall of the Burgas Cultural Institute - with a renewed cast and overall appearance of the production.
After a long stage separation, a new encounter with the work always brings a more special emotion - the excitement of being familiar with the classic work combined with the thrill of a new reading, far from the routine.
This is exactly what happened - as an emotional-intellectual exchange, with the brilliant stage realization of "Norma" in the Burgas Opera hall.
The audience, in complete silence during the performance, except for moments of wildly expressed ovations, participated as if in a sacred Druid ritual, subject to the canons of the invisible world that guides our earthly manifestation.
The excitement was palpable, as was what is most essential for the artist - to psychologically captivate and conquer those present, with an authentic experience in the construction of the images.
After the performance, audience members shared their excitement and impressions, some with teary eyes... The meaning of the art was reconfirmed undeniably.
In addition to the impressive emotional impact, "Norma" also achieved undeniable recognition in the presentation of the musical and scenic integrity, both in detail and as an enriching appearance.
The guest conductor, Prof. Dr. Peter Reichl /Germany/ managed to unite in a soft, delicate way the entire performance of Bellini's complex score. The orchestra achieved an exquisite ethereal sound in the lyrical passages, and a bravura scale in the mass choral scenes, carriers of the dramatic storyline and tragic development of the story of a secret vow of forbidden love, redemption, and self-sacrifice.
An incredible balance in the development of the role of the Gallic priestess Norma was achieved by the soprano Marena Balinova /guest/. She was delightful - both in the powerful emotional outbursts, containing the pain of the rupture between the call of the heart and the duty to the ancestral commands, and in the muted nuances, where she brilliantly and with remarkable control managed to convey the quiet pain of the suffering soul, hidden under a strong external appearance.
Admiration also for the delightful mezzo-soprano Daniela Dyakova, in the role of Norma's rival for the heart of Pollione, a Roman general in the lands of Gaul. She virtuously presented the difficult part, both technically and psychologically. Together with Marena Balinova, the two famous singers were a magical tandem, in which dramatically diverse feelings were reflected.
Brilliant, stable in vocal terms, uniting a whirlwind of feelings and a strong artistic presence was the tenor Valery Georgiev - in the image of Pollione, whose heart is torn apart in a tearing way - between the mother of his children and the dream of a new love thrill.
Also having a strong stage presence in the performance were: the bass Kostadin Mechkov - in the dignified role of the High Priest of the Druids Oroveso, and the mezzo-soprano Kalina Popova - in the gentle and at the same time strong-spirited image of Clotilde, who took care of the secrets of the society of Norma's children, who has taken a vow of celibacy before the gods, and the wonderful tenor Milen Dinolov - as Flavio, the Roman warrior close to Pollione.
Admiration for the brilliant performance of the musicians from the Burg Opera Orchestra, the artists from the choir and ballet ensemble, each of whom participated in the sacred performance, transporting us to an ancient world, with different, cruel, but in a unique way, extremely affecting canons, subordinated to the dynamics of universal human values ​​and experiences.
The large-scale choir scenes conquered those present, with the overall impact and cool, restrained beauty characteristic of the ancient era, when the union between the earthly and the divine and the respect for the powers from above was palpable.
The ballerinas were also subordinated to the overall atmosphere inherent in the ancient Druid temple. They were part of the enchanting general vision and mysticism of the scene, in which Norma, with a sprig of mistletoe in her hand - a symbol of divine beauty, performs "Casta Diva" - sounding and performed magically, with the gentle messages of peace, love, and humility.
Thematically selected and completely merging with the messages of the opera work were also the innovations in the appearance of the production - with impressive multimedia effects, recreating the mystical forest in which the rituals of the Druids are performed, the temple of the ancient deities, the pyre in which Norma and Pollione burn - as an emanation of the power of the human spirit, subject to the canons of honor and self-sacrifice in the name of a higher goal.
Before the curtains were raised, at the request of the soloist Marena Balinova, the assistant director Lina Peeva announced that the performance was dedicated to the world opera prima Stefka Evstatieva, who left our earthly world a few days ago.
At the end of the exciting performance, the traditional basket of flowers was presented on behalf of the mayor of Burgas Municipality, Mr. Dimitar Nikolov.

 

Applause after the performance:
https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1BQTgBSBPk/

 

November 12, 2025, 7:00 p.m., Burgas Opera Hall
NORMA
Lyric tragedy in two acts (four scenes) by Vincenzo Bellini
Conductor – PETER REIHL – guest
Director – Darina Glavanakova–Bakardzhieva Darina Glavanakova Bakardzhieva
Choir conductor – Alexander Chepanov
Plastics – Galina Kalcheva
Artist – Ivan Savov
Assistant directors: Lina Peeva and Petar Tiholov
Concertmaster - Hristo Belchev
Ballet rehearser - Marina Zmeeva-Markova
Make-up and wigs - Kalina Popova
Subtitles - Srebrina Slavova 
Wardrobe: Kicka Grozeva, Pepa Ruseva, Nedka Ivanova, Rositsa Atanasova
Soloists:
Norma – MARENA BALINOVA - guest
Adalgiza – Daniela Diakova Daniela Diakova
Pollione – Valeriy Georgiev
Oroveso – Kostadin Mechkov Kostadin Mechkov
Clotilde – Kalina Popova
Flavio – Milen Dinolov Milen Dinolov
Soloists, choir, orchestra, and ballet of the State Opera – Burgas
About the performance:
https://operabourgas.com/…/shestgodishno-otsastvie-norma…

 

About the work:
https://operabourgas.com/bg/repertoire/opera/norma

 

Photos: State Opera – Burgas