OPERA IN THE SUMMER THEATER

Published on Saturday, 25 June 2016 11:00

 

24.06.-25.08.2016

Summer Theater - Varna

Friday, 21.00 – 23.30

24.06.  Turandot

A lyrical drama in three acts (five scenes) by Giacomo Puccini

to a libretto Либрето by Giuseppe Adami and Renato Simoni based on the play of the same title by Carlo Gozzi  

dedicated to the 75^th anniversary of the birth of Gena Dimitrova and the 90^th anniversary of the first performance of the opera in La Scala in Milan

 

Director  Kuzman Popov

Scenography Radostin Chomakov

Costumes Tsvetanka Petkova-Stoynova

Choreography Rumyana Malcheva

Choir conductors Stefan Boyadzhiev

Conductor Grigor Palikarov

 

Cast:

Turandot        Dimitrinka Raycheva

Emperor         Stoyan Findzhikov

Timur              Deyan Vachkov

Calaf              Valery Georgiev

Liu                  Ilina Mihaylova

Ping                Ventseslav Anastasov

Pang              Momchil Karaivanov

Pong              Plamen Dolapchiev

Mandarin       Svilen Nikolov

with the participation of Varna’s Children-Youth Opera -  conductor Gancho Ganchev

 

The opera was created after the play of the same title by Carlo Gozzi. The Chinese fairy-tale-like story inspired Giacomo Puccini to create his last work. As he wished, after his death the opera was finished by his student Franco Alfano, using his sketches. The premiere of the Varna production was on 3 August 1994, starring great Gena Dimitrova. The spectacle honors her 75^th anniversary and the 90^th anniversary of the first performance of Puccini’s work in La Scala in Milan.  The role of the Chinese princess will be performed by talented soprano Dimitrinka Raycheva.

 

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Summer Theater - Varna

Tuesday, 21.00 – 23.30  

International Music festival ” Varna Summer” WORLD PREMIERE

28.06. THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO

A musical by Yves Dessca based on the novel by Alexadre Dumas

Director Petko Bonev

Conductor Stanimir Pavlov

Choreography Svetlin Ivelinov, Antoineta Aleksieva

Scenography and Costumes Asya Stoimenova

3D Mapping Polina Gerasimova

Choirmaster Stefan Boyadzhiev

Starring:

Alexandre Dumas                Milen Ivanov

Edmond Dantes                   Boris Lukov

Count of Monte Cristo         Dimitar Markov

 

Under the patronage of the Mayor of Varna Ivan Portnih

 

Yves Dessca is the author of the hits of the 1970s in the repertoire of Severine – Un banc, un arbre, une rue, which won the 1971 Eurovision Song Contest, Vicky Leandros – Apres toi, which won the 1972 Eurovision Song Contest, Michel Sardou – La Maladie d’Amour, Jacques Dutronc – Gentleman cambrioleur. 60 million recordings of his compositions and productions were sold all over the world. He has been awarded many prestigious prizes, including the award given by Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI). During the 1980s he was part of the managing body of the USA TV Channel CBS. As a producer for the Italian Television he promoted the first production of The Three Tenors Pavarotti – Domingo – Carreras during the FIFA World Cup in Italy in 1990.

This spectacle equally features the singing and dancing arts, combined with modern technological and scenographic solutions by 3D Mapping. Chateau d’If is alive with the dynamic captivating plot created by Alexandre Dumas.

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Summer Theater - Varna

Saturday, 21.00 – 23.30   

International Music festival ” Varna Summer” PREMIERE

02.07. LA BOHEME

an opera in four acts by Giacomo Puccini

to a libretto by Luigi Illica and Guiseppe Giacosa

 

Director  Maria Elena Mexia  

Conductor Stefano Seghedoni

Scenography Carmen Kostanyon  

Costumes Steve Almerigi  

Choirmaster Stefan Boyadzhiev

Starring:

Mimi                Tsvetelina Vasileva  

Rodolfo          Petar Kostov

Marcello         Svilen Nikolov

Schaunard    Plamen Dimitrov

Musetta          Irina Zhekova

Colline           Evgeniy Stanimirov

 

The staging team specially adapted the new production for the conditions in the Varna Summer Theater.

Maria Elena Mexia, besides being a scenographer and director of productions in Greece, Italy, Spain and Ecuador, is the author of documentary films about the La Scala in Milan and Renata Tebaldi.

Stefano Seghedoni has worked with Mirella Fregni, Placido Domingo, Nikolay Gyaurov,   Nicola Martinucci and others. He has taught at Accademia Verdi – Toscanini in Parma, Accademia Opera Festival in Bologna, Modena Conservatory. Since 2012 he has been permanent guest-conductor with the Varna State opera. With the cast of the Varna Opera he has conducted fragments of La boheme in concert performance.

Tsvetelina Vasileva debuted on the Varna stage in 1994 in the role of Liu in Turandot with Gena Dimitrova.  Her international career started in San Francisco. After that she was invited to perform at the Theater Royal Covent Garden, Toronto, Metropolitan Opera, New York and others. The New York Times especially noted her great and passionate performance of Yaroslavna in the opera Prince Igor.

 

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Summer Theater - Varna

Monday – 21.00 – 23.00

International Music festival ” Varna Summer” PREMIERE

11.07. DON QUIXOTE

a ballet to music by Ludwig Minkus, based on the novel by Miguel de Cervantes

Choreography Sergei Bobrov (honored artist of Russia)

Artist Kristina Fyodorova

Conductor Viliana Valtcheva

The ballet of the Varna State Opera

Guest-performers - soloists of the State Theater for Opera and Ballet – Krasnoyarsk (Russia)

 

Since its first performance in 1869 at the Moscow Bolshoi Theater till now Don Quixote has been among the most popular models of classical dance. In it the dialogue between the Spanish folk dance art and the classical ballet movements reaches a spectacular climax. The premiere is a natural introduction to the upcoming International Ballet Competition 2016 from 15 to 30 July, which will gather the best of the ballet world in Varna. Choreographer Sergei Bobrov invited leading soloists of State Theater for Opera and Ballet – Krasnoyarsk and the Varna State Opera.   

 

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Summer Theater - Varna

Tuesday, 21.00 – 22.30

12.07. BALLET GALA

Director Sergei Bobrov

CastElena Andriyenko soloist of the Bolshoi Theater till 2015, soloists from the Theater for Opera and Ballet – Krasnoyarsk (Russia) and the Varna State Opera

Elena Andriyenko finished the Kiev Choreography School. She continued her education in Moscow taught by Sofia Golovkina. In 1991 she joined the troupe of the Bolshoi Theater. Her diverse repertoire contains lyrical, romantic, comic and grotesque roles. Critics noted that her uniqueness is the original strength of her character combined with elegant femininity. Elena Andriyenko was the first performer of Swan-Princess in the premiere spectacle of Swan Lake, whose choreographer was Vladimir Vasiliev is the only winner of the Grand Prix of the International Ballet Competition - Varna.   

 

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Summer Theater - Varna

Thursday, 21.00 – 23.45  

International Music festival ” Varna Summer” PREMIERE

11.08. BORIS GODUNOV

a musical drama in four acts and a prologue by Modest Mussorgsky  

to a libretto by Modest Mussorgsky , based on the tragedy of the same name by Pushkin and historical texts by Nikolay Karamzin

Conductor Yordan Kamdzhalov

Director and Scenography Plamen Kartalov

Costumes Marta Mironska, Stanka Vauda

Choirmaster Stefan Boyadzhiev

 

Cast:

Boris Godunov                                 Carlo Colombara                           

Fyodor                                                Yanko Stanev

Kseniya                                            Irina Zhekova

Kseniya’s nurse                                 Silviya Angelova                        

Prince Shuysky                                            Valery Georgiev

Shchelkalov                                                  Svilen Nikolov

Pimen                                               Evgeniy Stanimirov

Old Man (Pimen’s double)             Angel Hristov

Innkeeper                                          Boyka Vasileva

The Pretender                                              Arseniy Arsov

Varlaam                                             Geo Chobanov

Misail                                                  Hristo Ganevski

The Yurodiviy                                               Plamen Dolapchiev

Nikitich                                               Lyudmil Petrov

Mityukha                                            Petar Genov

Patriarch Job                                   Plamen Georgiev

 

Dedicated to the 80^th anniversary of Nikola Gyuzelev  

Under the patronage of the Mayor of Varna Ivan Portnih

 

Carlo Colombara chose to debut in the token role of the bass repertoire in Varna. Born in Bologna in 1984, he won the competition “Riccardo Stracciari” in Bologna. In 1989 at the young age of 25, he debuted in La Scala – the Prince of Bouillon in Adriana Lecouvreur. There followed roles with Riccardo Muti, Lorin Maazel and other famous conductors in the State Palace of Kremlin, Vienna State Opera, Metropolitan in New York, Bolshoi Theater in Moscow, Grand Opera in Paris, Covent Garden in London, Arena di Verona. In 1997 he played Timur in the spectacular production of Turandot in the Forbidden City in Beijing, conducted by Zubin Mehta. So far he has performed the role of Boris Godunov only in concert performances and in recordings, conducted by Vladimir Gyaurov and with Mariyana Pencheva.  

 

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Summer Theater - Varna

Saturday, 21.00 – 23.45

International Music festival ” Varna Summer” PREMIERE

13.08. LA FORZA DEL DESTINO

an opera in four acts (eight scenes) by Giuseppe Verdi

to a libretto by Francesco Piave

Director Dejan Proshev  

Conductor  Marco Boemi

Scenography Zivojin Trajanovic

Costumes Kina Petrova

Choreography Gergana Georgieva-Karaivanova

Choirmaster Stefan Boyadzhiev

 

Starring:

Leonora di Vargas               Daria Masiero

Padre Guardiano                 Carlo Colombara

Don Carlo di Vargas                        Ventseslav Anastassov

Don Alvaro                            Kaludi Kaludov

 

The spectacle is a co-production with the Macedonian Theater for Opera and Ballet. During his career of more than 20 years Marco Boemi has worked with Rayna Kabaivanska, Renato Bruson, Katia Ricciarelli, Elena Obraztsova and others. He has had CDs for Decca, Universal, Philips and TDK. Among his performances are concerts with Luciano Pavarotti and Celine Dion, with Anna Netrebko in Kazan, Turandot in Bogota, Pagliacci in Helsinki, and Il trovatore in Treviso, La traviata in Verona, Don Pasquale in Helsinki, Don Quixote and the Berlioz Gala in Sao Paulo, Aida in Seoul and The Queen of Spades at the Chaliapin Festival.

Daria Masiero and Carlo Colombara successfully performed the duet of Padre Guardiano and Leonora in a concert program during the IMF “Varna Summer” 2015.

 

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Summer Theater - Varna

Wendsday, 21.00 – 23.00

17.08. JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT

a musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice

Director Svetozar Donev

Conductor Stratsimir Pavlov

Artist IvanTokadzhiev

Choreography Svetlin Ivelinov

Choir conductor  Stefan Boyadzhiev

Second unit director Srebrina Sokolova

Photographer Rossen Donev

 

Starring:

Joseph           Bogomil Spirov

Storyteller      Ina Petrova

 

 

Andrew Lloyd Webber is one of the most famous composers of the end of 20^th century due to his successful productions which have been played for decades in New York and London. Many of the songs, such as I Don't Know How to Love Him from Jesus Christ Superstar, Don't Cry For Me, Argentina from Evita, Memory from Cats and The Music of the Night from The Phantom of the Opera are popular hits, living their own scenic lives.

 Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is one of his earliest works.  Director Prof.  Svetozar Donev  emphasizes in his message that young people should fight for their dreams and benevolently forgive the mistakes of their fellow people because this is the best way to be happy.

According to choreographer Svetlin Ivelinov, the story of Joseph corresponds to all epochs. This is why, just like people today, the artists dance rock, tango, country and street dance. There are stylized elements in the dances, taking us to Ancient Egypt and the biblical epoch. The permanent charm of the work lies in this perpetual search for the parallel between the biblical and the contemporary conceptions of the world via the same characters.

 

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Summer Theater - Varna

Saturday, 21.00 – 23.30

20.08. BULGARIANS OF OLDEN DAYS

an operetta by Asen Karastoyanov

Libretto Kosta Raynov

Director Nikolay Aprilov

Conductor  Stefan Boyadzhiev

Scenography Atanas Velyanov

Costumes Dilyana Parvanova

Choreography Gergana Georgieva-Karaivanova, RadoslavIvanov

Choir conductor  Stefan Boyadzhiev

Computer Design and Effects Venelin Milanov, Anton Zlatinov

Starring:

Grandfather Liben Stefan Ryadkov

Hadzhi Gencho Plamen Georgiev

 

with the special participation of Folk Ensemble “Odesos” of MIA – Varna

Director Nikolay Aprilov:”Due to its diversity of expressive means, uniting music and theater in a wonderful way, Bulgarians of Olden Days is the most popular and enthusiastically received Bulgarian operetta.  This is because of the characters, their spirits and their aspirations to freedom. It is not only the physical freedom, but the spiritual freedom as well because this is the eternal conflict between Gradfather Liben and Hadzhi Gencho. Moreover, it is because of the splendid music – so Bulgarian in sound, the embroideries and the costumes, because of everything which is in our DNA.”  

 

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Summer Theater - Varna

Monday, 21.00 – 23.45  

International Music festival ” Varna Summer” PREMIERE

22.08. NORMA

a lyrical tragedy in two acts (four scenes) by Vincenzo Bellini

to a libretto by Felice Romani

Conductor Viliana Valtcheva

Director and Scenography  Kuzman Popov

Costumes Asya Stoimenova   

Choir conductor Stefan Boyadzhiev

 

Performers:

Norma            Daria Masiero

Adalgisa        Daniela Dyakova

Oroveso         Evgeniy Stanimirov

Pollione         Boris Lukov

Clotilde          Boyka Vassileva

Flavio,            Plamen Dolapchiev

Under the patronage of Irena Sokolova, Deputy Chairperson of the Culture and Media Committee of the 43th National Assembly

Soprano Daria Masiero fell in love with the opera when she was only six years old after she heard Tosca. She graduated with honors from the Conservatory in Alexandria. Later she took courses at the La Scala Academy in Milan. She also performed in Turin, Genoa, Palermo, Nice, Dublin, Barcelona, Melbourne, Seoul, Beijing, Tokyo, Bogota, Sydney, Prague … Besides Norma, she likes singing in Puccini’s operas - La Boheme, Gianni Schicchi, Turandot, Tosca, Madama Butterfly, in Verdi’s operas – Otello, Nabucco, La Traviata, Don Carlos, Il Trovatore, Aida, Macbeth, Un ballo in maschera,  Boito’s - Mefistofele,  Pergolesi and Rossini’s - Stabat Mater, Mozart’s - Don Giovanni, The Marriage of Figaro, Requiem, Gluck’s - Orpheus and Eurydice, Leoncavallo’s – Pagliacci, Cilea’s – Arlesiana, Adriana Lecouvreur, Tchaikovsky’s - Eugene Onegin.

 

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Summer Theater - Varna

Thursday, 21.00 – 23.00

25.08. OPERA GALA – ANNIVERSARY OF BORISLAV IVANOV

Conductors: Borislav Ivanov, Selman Ada,Viliana Valtcheva, Stefan Boyadzhiev  

Starring: Dimitrinka Raycheva, Irina Zhekova, Boyka Vassileva, Elena Chavdarova, Boris Lukov, Kamen Chanev, Kaludi Kaludov, Valery Georgiev, Orlin Goranov, Ventseslav Anastasov, Mauro Augustin, Alexander Krunev, Svilen Nikolov, Evgeniy Stanimirov

Director Kuzman Popov

Orchestra, Choir and Ballet of the State Opera Varna

 

Borislav Ivanov graduated from the State Music Academy in Choir Conducting in the class of Prof. Georgi Dimitrov, and Orchestra Conducting in the class of Prof. Vladi Simeonov. He took courses in Berlin at Komishe Oper from Kurt Masur and at the Berlin Philharmonic from Herbert von Karajan.  During his specialization he was invited to be chief conductor and later chief musical director of the German Symphony Orchestra in Berlin. In the course of 40 years he conducted over 700 concerts in the famous hall of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra.

The beginning of his professional career in Bulgaria is related to the Varna Opera. In the period 1975 – 1979 he was director, chief conductor of the Opera and director of the International Music Festival “Varna summer”. As director of the Plovdiv Opera during the 1980s, he created the Verdi Festival on the stage of the Roman Theater.  

In the period 2004 – 2007 he was director of the Sofia Opera and Ballet. He was chief musical director of the Opera in Ankara and deputy general musical director and first conductor of the Opera in Kassel, Germany. Since 2009 he has been artistic director of the Varna State Opera.

He realized the first staged version in Bulgaria of Carmina Burana by Carl Orff. For his lifetime contribution to the art of music he has received numerous awards in Bulgaria, as well as a golden order from the Italian Government for merits to the Italian opera music and Cross of Merit to the culture of Germany – first degree.