site.btaStage Fright and the Magic of Classical Music: Opera Prima Krassimira Stoyanova on Fear, Youth, and Inspiration

Opera prima Krassimira Stoyanova told BTA’s Martin Penev on Saturday that stage fright is the adrenaline that is both a boon and a curse, and that she never seems to be able to shake off. 

Stoyanova, who is among the participants in the 64th edition of the March Music Days international festival, which will wrap up on Sunday evening, said any performer who alleges to always be calm before a performance is probably saying this as an attempt to conquer stage freight.

“We are all afraid”, Stoyanova said. She added every artist feels pride and insecurity performing before so many people, in an attempt to meet both their own expectations and those of the public.

"Going on stage even with no one in the room makes you feel anxious. This is a rather natural psychological process,” Stoyanova said.

She explained she is always ranking March Music Days first in the events she takes part in. “There are many important events that I rank first,” Stoyanova added.

Stoyanova mentioned she has always had a fondness for Ruse. "I feel a special connection to it. My ties to Ruse are rooted in my youth," she stated.

She said how classical music is packaged for the young generation is crucial in helping them learn to appreciate it.

Stoyanova said that once a young person begins exploring classical music on their own terms, they realise just how fascinating it can be. “But if it’s forced upon them as a duty, they don’t appreciate being compelled,” she added. Her opinion is what truly matters is awakening young people’s curiosity. If classical music becomes an organic part of their daily lives, they will grow to love it.

“Young people today are completely different,” Stoyanova said. “They are very intelligent, and in many ways, they are smarter than us, because they have access to a vast amount of information. Their minds open up easily, and they are exceptional beings. I see how open my students are, how capable they are, how quickly they react. I have great admiration for them.”

She observed that young people today face considerable external pressures, saying, "That's precisely what the negative influences target—to corrupt these innocent minds."

Stoyanova explained that young people are exposed to both positive and negative influences, such as drugs and clubs with vapes, comparing it to finding gold in a nugget covered in dirt. “They can see the gold, but it’s buried under all that dirt,” Stoyanova said. “It's challenging for them, and they often struggle to overcome the negativity to find the positive aspects. That's why we need to assist them and find the right approach. They need to know we care about them, but they can't feel it when they're overwhelmed by negativity.”

“Good must prevail,” Stoyanova added. She believes social networks should guide young people towards the positive, rather than weigh them down “like an anchor.”

March Music Days is one of the longest-standing and renowned festivals in Bulgaria. Founded in 1961 and organized annually by Ruse Municipality, the forum turns the city on the Danube into a meeting place for elite artists from the global music scene.

BTA is among the main media partners of the festival.