‎Rigoletto is the first opera premiere in the centenary year of the ‎Stara Zagora Opera

published on 3/27/25 5:05 AM

The orchestra rehearsing Rigoletto

Photo: operasz.bg

The oldest opera theatre in Bulgaria outside the capital Sofia - the Stara Zagora Opera, which is celebrating a remarkable centennial anniversary this creative season, ‎presents a new production of Verdi's masterpiece ‎Rigoletto on March 28 and 29.

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The production team is headed by the world-renowned opera singer and conductor José Cura, the director is Ognyan Draganov, the Romanian artist Catalin Ionescu-Arbore is the author of the scenography and costumes, and the choirmaster is Mladen Stanev.

Boris Taskov (The Duke), Elia Fabian (Rigoletto)

In the two premiere nights, the main roles will be played by Kiril Manolov and the Italian Elia Fabian as Rigoletto, Emilia Ivanova and Simona Kodeva as Gilda, Matteo Falcier and Boris Taskov as the Duke, Daniela Dyakova and Teresa Brakalova as Madalena, and Alexander Marulev as Sparafucile.

The Duke from Rigoletto is not in the repertoire of the famous tenor José Cura, but for the conductor this score is a welcome challenge. When the director of the Stara Zagora Opera, Ognyan Draganov, offered the world star to participate in the new production of Rigoletto as a director, José Cura chose to conduct.

Director Ognyan Draganov with Matero Falcier (The Duke)

Director Ognyan Draganov and artist Catalin Ionescu-Arbore - a proven creative tandem, are once again looking for a different look at Verdi's well-known drama. The set design is clean and simple, the solutions are modern - both in terms of the sets and costumes, but the expressive means are classical.

Behind the curtains: unique handmade accessories - hats, masks, crowns

"This is the fifth time I'm working here, at the Stara Zagora State Opera," says Catalin Ionescu-Arbore. "And this time I can use all the technical possibilities of the stage, which is great for me to unleash my imagination. I play with colors to show the struggle between life and death, what is good, what is evil," says the artist.