The opera Tosca was the first work he conducted at the Rome Opera at the age of 22, and it is very important to him. Oren considers the main heroine to be one of the first feminists in opera literature. According to the conductor, "in most of the well-known titles, the heroines always remain passive; in operas, men decide what will happen to women. Tosca is completely different and wonderful! A woman who fights, follows what she believes in, and goes all the way. A woman who is ready to pay the high price for true love..." We eagerly await to see Maria Jose Siri in this iconic role – a renowned interpreter of Verdi and Puccini's most famous heroines, “capable of complete dedication” and with “brilliant high notes” according to international critics. 

“We have a huge repertoire and often cannot show everything,” says Plamen Kartaloff. "Our artists are not under contract, as is the situation with artists abroad. Here, they are on a labour contract and we are obliged to ensure their development with roles that enrich them vocally and stage-wise, giving them the chance to go through a repertoire that is interesting and useful for them. My approach has always been to discover new voices, and it is thanks to Richard Wagner that these singers have broadened their horizons. 

Plamen Kartaloff never complains about the funding provided by the Ministry of Culture on the basis of a delegated budget that depends on revenue: “We do everything we can to cope.” His wish for the new season is: “May all artists be healthy, may we have an audience, and may we, together with spectators, artists, and repertoire development directions, create a truly national theater of international significance.” 

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Photos: operasofia.bg, Facebook.com/Sofia National Opera