02 august 2023 Samson And Delilah Is The First Title From The Sanctuay Opera
An upcoming exciting large-scale event in the program of the State Opera - Burgas, in partnership with the Municipality of Primorsko, is the "Opera of the Sanctuary" festival, which will be held for the fourth time.
The premiere on the stage of Burgas of the rarely performed opera title "Samson and Delilah" - due to its high complexity - both as a score and as requirements for the performers, was during the opening of the BMP "Emil Chakarov" in 2017 and was received extremely warmly - both from the audience and from the specialists in the field of musicology. The original scenography, with a minimalist style and compensating lavish costumes, by Catalin Arbore, Romania, the profound directorial skills of Assoc. Dr. Alexander Tekeliev, the skillful baton of Maestro Ivan Kozhuharov, the stage conductor, and the first-class artistic cast made the premiere a true cultural event.
After a four-year absence from the Opera's program and the glamorous stage return - during the opening of this year's edition of the Burgas Music Festival "Emil Chakerov" - on the stage of the Summer Theater in Burgas, the international audience in Begliktash on August 5, Saturday, at 8:30 p.m. will have the rare opportunity to relive the dramatic story of the Jew endowed with divine power - Samson, and the beautiful Philistine woman who uses her feminine charm to tempt, deceive, betray and destroy him - Delilah. The plot, based on biblical stories from the Old Testament, contains not only an intriguing storyline but also deep moral dilemmas, presented in a delightful way through the means of music-stage art and the magnificent score of Camille Saint-Saëns.
The production, directed by Associate Professor Dr. Alexander Tekeliev, contains originally presented analogies with common human themes, references to modern times, and symbolism, in symbolic combination with the lavish costumes and props, refined to the smallest detail. The emphasis on red and black, the contrast between the fiery beginning and death, as well as the thin line between them - on the border of life and non-being, the fragility of the human being, powerless before the command and decisions of the gods - all this is conveyed skillfully, through implicit symbolic codes.
Under the precise baton of maestro Ivan Kozhuharov, well-established and beloved opera singers enter the main roles on August 5: the distinguished mezzo-soprano Daniela Dyakova will take on the role of Delilah, who is unmistakable in every stage appearance - with dignity, taste, control of the voice and rich, impactful timbral nuances. The highlight of the opera title is one of the most beautiful melodies - Delilah's Aria - "Mon cœur s'ouvre a ta voix" from Act II, which will sound in the mystical place with even more impressive power.
The image of Samson will be recreated by the soloist of the Sofia Opera and Ballet Kostadin Andreev, who in the past 2022 was twice a guest soloist at performances of the Burgas Opera - in "Turandot" by Giacomo Puccini, on the stage of the Summer Theater, under the baton of the maestro Grigor Palikarov, and in "Carmen" by Georges Bizet - on the scene of the Thracian sanctuary of Begliktash. The famous singer, who sang many times with Gena Dimitrova, was wildly applauded in the difficult title from Saint-Saëns, which gives the opportunity to develop both vocal and artistic potential, and during the performance of "Samson and Delilah" on June 6 in the Summer Theater of Burgas.
The role of the High Priest of Dagon /the god of the Philistines who conquered the Jewish people/ will be played by the famous baritone Alexander Krunev, who recently solemnly celebrated his 60th anniversary on the stage of the Burgas Opera House. Krunev gives dignity and characteristic harshness to the image, inspiring respect and awe.
The rest of the soloists also have a bright presence, skilfully enter the dramatic context, and are as authentic as possible on stage. In the image of Abimelech, satrap of Gaza, the bass player Delyan Slavov enters. In the role of the Old Jew will be Diman Panchev, bass, Envoy of the Philistines - tenor Lyubomir Todorov, First Philistine - Milen Dinolov, tenor, Second Philistine - bass Ivan Grozev.
Each of the soloists is in amazing musical, artistic, and psychological synchrony with the other characters of the tragic story, which, regardless of the fact that it is from distant historical times, sounds relevant for every stage of human civilization. Because, at our core, humans are unchangeable…
Impressive – both in terms of musical complexity, plot visualization, and opulence – are the massive choral and ballet scenes, especially the emblematic "bacchanalia" - a real feast for the senses. recreated through the masterful choreography of Galina Kalcheva. The conductor of the choir is Alexander Chepanov, who continues the tradition of the high artistic level maintained by Nevena Mihailova, winner of the Award of the Mayor of Burgas Municipality Dimitar Nikolov, traditionally presented on May 24 to prominent figures of culture. Concertmaster of the orchestra of the State Opera - Burgas - Hristo Belchev, assistant directors - Lina Peeva and Petar Tiholov.
The choir is distinguished by wonderfully constructed dynamics and phrasing - especially in the polyphonic transitions, characterized by their high complexity. The orchestra performs the extremely difficult passages in Camille Saint-Saëns's complex score in a brilliantly moving way - with the syllabity and depth typical of French music. The ballet is a real emotional-visual highlight of the show.
On the open stage of Begliktash, on August 5, Saturday, at 8:30 p.m., a strong - as an emotional charge, a performance, professionally presented - will be created according to all the canons of musical-stage art. Under the baton of one of the most prominent conductors in the contemporary cultural space - Ivan Kozhuharov, the outstanding soloists, orchestra, choir, and ballet of the State Opera - Burgas will tell in an exciting way the biblical legend about the destructive power of passion, about ancestral commandments and Divine enlightenment. The nuances in the musical text will be conveyed by the magnificent performers - with thought, feeling, depth, with the corresponding emotional attitude: lyricism, awe, longing, tearing doubts - between the call of the heart and the duty to family and homeland, painful realization, dramatic return, the apotheosis of inner strength, also expressed through God's patronage...
The organization of the large-scale cultural event "Opera of the Sanctuary" is expected to be remarkably good again - such as preparing the ground for the specifics of an opera performance in natural conditions, such as transporting the guests to the event and ensuring optimal comfort for the audience in the heart of the mountain. In the organization and realization of a forum of a similar scale, one should also mention the traditionally high level of the technical services, which during the festival take care of ensuring the overall vision of the performances, taking into account the difficult terrain and the specifics of the open stage. In the non-standard and difficult conditions for the realization of such a large-scale opera performance, the work done by the people who are responsible for the technical equipment, lighting, and sound is perfect. The logistics on the part of the Municipality of Primorsko are also at an extremely high level, tailored to the needs of the visitors, in order to provide them with optimal comfort during the performances and to make the experience under the stars of Strandzha unforgettable. The productions of the State Opera - Burgas in the "Sanctuary Opera" festival, which has become a good tradition, provide a unique chance to meet the symbolism of the sacred place, combined with the aesthetics and artistic solutions of the opera titles.
Among the natural decor of the Thracian holy place of Begliktash, Verdi's operas "Nabucco" /August 12/ and "Troubadour" /August 26/ will be presented, and on August 5, 2023 - one of the most beloved operas in the world - "Carmen" by the French composer Georges Bizet, which closed last year's Opera of the Sanctuary 2022 festival.
Tickets for "Samson and Delilah" - at the box office of the Opera House, the "Chasovnika" box office - also work on Saturdays and Sundays/, on the spot - at the parking lot in Begliktash, before the performance, at the Tourist Information Center in the town of Primorsko, as well as in the networks of Grabo - https://grabo.bg/burgas/opera-krai-primorsko-0udd3 and Eventim - https://www.eventim.bg/bg/bileti/drzhavna-opera-burgas-trakiyskoto-svetilishche-beglik- tash-primorsko-528357/event.html
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