For the first time: 'Medea' on the stage of Sofia Opera and Ballet in February

The Sofia Opera presents the opera Medea by Luigi Cherubini for the first time on February 23, 24 and 25.

The role of Medea will be performed by Gabriela Georgieva, Lilia Kehayova, Diana Lamar, and the character of Jason will be performed by Daniel Ostretsov, Daniel Damyanov.

"It was 10 years ago in Italy that I was first introduced to opera, and for days I listened to the great Maria Callas perform. In 2021, in an interview I was asked what role I dreamed of and then I said -Medea! I did not believe that so soon my dream would come true !", told Lilia Kehayova.

"I am very happy that for the first time in Bulgaria I will play such a strong and beautiful role. It is a challenge to sing such a difficult and dramatic story in such a structure.

We have an outstanding team and I am sure the show will be wonderful," says Diana Lamar.

The conductor is Francesco Rosa, the director is Marco Gandini and the choreographer is Lyudmila Ilieva. The scenography is by Andrea Tochio and the costumes are by Mario Dice.

The director Marco Gandini is one of the most popular names in the world at the moment. He was assistant director to iconic Italian director Franco Zeffirelli and British director Graham Vick. He has worked in the major Italian opera houses (including the Scala di Milano, the Rome Opera, the Teatro San Carlo in Naples, the Teatro di Mayo in Florence, the Arena di Verona, the Teatro La Fenice in Venice and the Teatro Massimo in Palermo, Teatro Comunale in Bologna) and international opera companies (Metropolitan Opera in New York, Washington and Los Angeles Operas, Royal Opera in London, Royal Theatre in Madrid, Teatro Liceu in Barcelona, Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg, Kremlin Theatre in Moscow).

He told BNT that for years he has known and admired the opera skills of Bulgarian performers. He has worked personally with Gena Dimitrova, Nikolai Gyaurov, Raina Kabaivanska, Darina Takova and many others. That is why it is a real pleasure for him to stage "Medea" at the Sofia Opera and Ballet.

"I have always imagined that Bulgaria is a country that has a culture and history in vocality. And this is what I feel most strongly now in my work with the artists in Medea. I have directed great singers in many places around the world but I don't feel their presence, but here I see voices, presence and an understanding of drama," Marco Gandini said at a press conference for the show.

For conductor Maestro Francesco Rosa, it will be his debut with this opera.

"And that's why I've studied this performance very carefully. I fell in love with the dramatic power it suggests .

This is an opera that is much appreciated by a number of German composers such as Brahms, Beethoven and Tchaikovsky. An opera in which every phrase is filled with extraordinary drama," says Maestro Rosa.

The role of Creonte is played by Peter Naydenov (guest) and Stefan Vladimirov. Stanislava Momekova and Diana Vassileva in the role of Glauce, and Violeta Radomirska and Gergana Rusekova in the role of Neris.

"Medea" is based on the libretto by François-Benoît Hoffmann (a pseudonym of Nicolas Étienne Framéry), based on Euripides' tragedy of Medea and the play of the same name by Pierre Corneille. It is set in the ancient city of Corinth.

The opera premiered on 13 March 1797 in Paris. Its premiere in Italy, at La Scala in Milan was in 1909 after the entire libretto had been translated into Italian. The first performer of the role of Medea was Julie-Angelique Cio, and Jason was Pierre Gaveau.

"Medea aroused the admiration of a whole generation of German composers - Beethoven, Weber, Schumann, Brahms and Wagner - but has long remained forgotten.

It was revived by a production in Italy starring Maria Callas. In 1969, Pier Paolo Pasolini made a film of it.