06 february 2024 Tour With Madame Butterfly" In Razgrad And Shumen
One of the most exciting titles in the repertoire of the State Opera - Burgas is the emblematic opera in three acts by Giacomo Puccini "Madame Butterfly", directed by Associate Professor Dr. Alexander Tekeliev. On February 7 and 13, a meeting with the refined world of the East and the beautiful music of Puccini will take place in Razgrad and Shumen. Under the baton of the great Bulgarian conductor with an enviable international career - Ivan Kozhuharov, those present will have the privilege of following with bated breath the drama of Cho-Cho-san, whose soul experiences a tragic metamorphosis - from the tender rapture of shared love with the lieutenant of the American Navy Pinkerton, to the wrenching inner choice that leads her to conscious self-sacrifice. She trusts Pinkerton with all the devotion of her feminine nature, but pays a high price for her sincerity.
On the stage of the Municipal Cultural Center in the city of Razgrad, where in November the Burgas Opera toured with great success with the ballet masterpiece "Swan Lake", on February 7 the role of Cho-Cho-san will be played by the soprano Nona Krastnikova, who was transformed into the image of the famous Japanese woman with a tragic fate during the memorable performance dedicated to the World Opera Day - October 25, 2023, in the hall of the Burgas Opera House, was presented by the soprano Nona Krastnikova - with psychologism and depth, her affecting timbre with flowery shades are especially suited to the emotionality and richness of Cho-Cho-san's nature.
The soprano Ioana Zhelezcheva will take on the role of Madame Butterfly on the stage in her hometown of Shumen on February 13 – this fact is sufficient attestation for the understandable interest in the upcoming event on the part of the people of Shumen. Zhelezcheva was irresistible in the complex role, requiring brilliant vocal technique and conditioning, as well as a specific acting approach, on the open stage of the Thracian sanctuary of Begliktap in the summer of 2022 during the Sanctuary Opera festival.
Through the means of musical and stage art, together with the other wonderful soloists, orchestra and choir, the two opera primas - Nona Krasnikova and Ioana Zhelezcheva, will tell on February 7 and 13, respectively in Razgrad and Shumen, the tragic story of a woman in love and a devastating the strong feelings of a devoted woman's heart. A sad story from the East will be presented - about strong feelings, long waiting, disappointment, withered hopes, brokenness, pain and death.
The young soloist of the State Opera - Burgas Andreya Mirchev made his debut in the role of Pinkerton, who was supposed to make his debut in the heavy part in October in Burgas, but due to illness, he was replaced at the last moment by Georgi Dinev /guest/. We wish him brilliant success - after his strong debuts in the past year 2023 - as Alfred Germont in "La Traviata" by Verdi and Count Almaviva - in "The Barber of Seville" by Rossini, and loud applause!
The role of the American consul in Nagasaki Sharpless is played by the young baritone with an enviable artistic biography - Valery Turmanov. The soloist of the State Opera - Ruse - the mezzo-soprano with a beautiful and rich timbre and a rich creative biography Andreana Nikolova /guest/ entered the role of Madame Butterfly Suzuki's trusted maid. Together with Alexander Baranov, she also participated in another successful project of the Burgas Opera - the concert performance "Love Story", under the baton of maestro Yordan Dafov. Fitting into the overall picture of the Eastern fairy tale will also be: Kalina Popova, mezzo-soprano - as Kate Pinkerton - the wife of US Navy Lieutenant Pinkerton, Yani Nikolov, tenor - Goro, a professional Japanese matchmaker, Lubomir Todorov, tenor - Prince Yamadori, Kostadin Mechkov, bass - Uncle Bonzo, Ivan Grozev, bass - as Imperial Commissioner and Notary, Cho-Cho-San's Mother - Blagovesta Beleva, soprano, Stefka Hristozova, soprano - Cho-Cho-San's Cousin. All the artists in the remarkable cast convey the touching story with the cultivated restraint typical of Japanese culture, beneath the surface of which lies an agitated sea of emotions.
The choir with conductor Alexander Chepanov achieved an enviable balance, purity and grace - like a feeling of a leisurely walk in a beautiful Japanese cherry garden. Stability and construction of the dramatic line - in an incomparable Puccini way, conveying the true charge of the musical text - as thought, emotion, generated feelings, as the power of empathy, as construction and dynamics, was also shown by the orchestra with concertmaster Hristo Belchev.
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 Alexander Chepanov, the assistant director is Lina Peeva. Stability and construction of the dramatic line - in an incomparable Puccini way, conveying the true charge of the musical text - as a thought, emotion, generated feelings, as a power of empathy, as construction and dynamics, is also shown by the orchestra. All artists and musicians manage to convey the essence of art - to shake, purify and bring to the surface of our essence the transformed pain of empathy with a tragic human story from the East...
The action of "Madame Butterfly" takes place at the beginning of the 19th and 20th centuries in Nagasaki. The 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 of 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 that 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 attitude, refusal of responsibility, 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", "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" shows unexpected resilience, following its principles until the end of its earthly journey, marked by tragic self-sacrifice.