site.btaAnno 893 Opera to Be Staged Saturay at Tsarevets Fortress as Part of Stage of the Ages Festival

The opera Anno 893 by Parashkev Hadjiev will bring Bulgarian history to life at Tsarevets fortress on Saturay, July 29. The performance is part of the Eighth Summer Opera Season of Stage of the Ages festival and is dedicated to the 1130th anniversary of the People's Council of Preslav, the historical culmination of the Christianization of Bulgaria, the organisers of the event said.

Parashkev Hadjiev together with the librettist Bancho Banov have managed to create an opera combining both historical themes and intimate lyrical moments related to the human soul, the organisers pointed out.

With new postmodern means of expression in the creation of the scenography and costumes, by Denis Ivanov, and direction, by Plamen Beykov, the performance does not seek visual historical authenticity, but a synthesized emotional presence with direct suggestions and provocation for the audience's imagination and fantasy, the organisers said. Parashkev Hadjiev's music will be recreated by the orchestra of the Ruse Opera, conducted by maestro Vladimir Boshnakov, a choir with conductor Steliana Dimitrova-Hernani and the stage choreography of artistic ballet director Vesela Vasileva.

Momchil Milanov will play King Boris I Mihail of Bulgaria (852–889), mezzo-soprano Gloria Pencheva will play the treacherous and vengeful Ermiara, wife of Prince Vladimir Rasate, who will be played by Dobromir Momekov. Teodor Petkov will perform as the  other son of Boris, Simeon, and the role of his beloved Sevina will be played by Daniela Karaivanova, while the role  of her father, the boyar [member of the highest rank of the feudal nobility] Dometa will be played by Stoyan Stoyandjov. Set designer Denis Ivanov will present the unique priest of Tangra, Toktu.

The Stage of the Ages festival is  the first open-air opera festival in Bulgaria, which takes place in Tsarevets Fortress in Veliko Tarnovo, at the site of the medieval palace of the Bulgarian kings. Through the years it has become one of the most significant cultural events in Bulgaria, the festival's website says, It is organized under the auspices of the Ministry of Culture, with the media support of BTA, BNR, Municipal Radio - Veliko Tarnovo and the daily newspapers Borba and Yantra Dnes.