site.btaSofia Opera and Ballet Director: Opera Can Be Spiritual and Emotional Catalyst

Sofia Opera and Ballet Director Plamen Kartaloff said he was happy with the collaboration established between the opera theatres, artists and musicians of Bulgaria and Türkiye. The Sofia Opera will perform Puccini's Tosca in Ankara on November 8 and Istanbul on November 11.

Kartaloff told BTA this was the first time the Sofia Opera and Ballet would be performing an opera in Türkiye. The visit is taking place during the celebration of the centenary of the Republic of Türkiye.

Bulgarian-born Sunay Muratov will conduct Tosca. He has Bulgarian and Turkish citizenship and has been a conductor at the Turkish State Opera and Ballet for 20 years.

"Amid all of the ongoing crises, which affect the cultural processes of every country, opera has the power to be a spiritual and emotional catalyst of the social environment. The healing power of music and art is needed more than ever. Music is motivated by the higher purpose of serving and showing that it can stand up to hardship and unite people and nations across borders," Kartaloff said.

He told a story about the impact of opera on the founder of the Republic of Türkiye, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, at the time when he was military attaché in Sofia. Delighted by a Sofia Opera performance (...) Mustafa Kemal said: "A nation that can create such art and elevate its culture to such a level cannot be defeated by an army, with weapons or by force! That is why I will not sleep until we are back in Istanbul, where we will break ground for a Turkish National Opera!" Atatürk was true to his word.

Kartaloff said: "In this sense, Atatürk was a visionary who appreciated the role of art in the rise of a country. Even today, the fruits of his efforts and his dream for the success of opera in his country are still there. That is why now, on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the Republic of Türkiye, we are so happy with the collaboration between our opera houses! I sincerely believe that we will continue this creative collaboration in many more significant joint projects and that opera lovers in both countries will find many friends."

The event will take place under the patronage of Bulgarian President Rumen Radev's wife Desislava Radeva and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's wife Emine Erdoğan.

Kartaloff gave credit to Bulgarian Ambassador Angel Cholakov for the idea and organization of the event, which is supported by the Bulgarian Culture Ministry and the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism, as well as by the opera theatres of Ankara and Istanbul.

The Sofia Opera and Ballet will perform Tosca at the Ankara State Opera and Ballet on November 8 and at Atatürk Cultural Centre in Istanbul on November 11.