The Sofia Opera and Ballet gave the start to its new season with the dazzling premiere of two one-act ballets by Igor Stravinsky – Firebird and Petrushka – staged by renowned choreographer Andris Liepa who restores the original choreography by Mikhail Fokine from his Russian Seasons in Paris in 1910-1911.

The scenography and costumes are based on the original sketches by Alexandre Benois – a theatre artist who worked for the Mariinsky Theatre in Moscow. In 1907, together with Sergei Diaghilev, he headed the Russian Seasons organization in Paris. Under the baton of Maestro Grigor Palikarov, the orchestra and ballet brought to life the magical world of music. (The first premiere of Firebird on 25 June, 1910 at the Grand Opera in Paris was a resounding success and brought world fame to young composer Igor Stravinsky. Firebird was followed by Petrushka and the Rite of Spring.)

Here is Academician Plamen Kartalov, Director of the Sofia Opera and Ballet on the opening and the premiere and other upcoming events:

“We are affording audiences an opportunity to be part of the new season of the Sofia Opera and Ballet with the first premiere of Petrushka and Firebird by Igor Stravinsky, a composer whose works we have not staged in recent years. By restoring the balance – alongside The Ring of the Nibelung, Tristan and Isolde and the upcoming Parsifal by Richard Wagner - we are offering the orchestra and the ballet a new challenge, with the brilliant music of Igor Stravinsky. The choreography is by Andris Liepa who made his debut on this very stage 30 years ago as ballet dancer in Nutcracker; he is now back with a new style as choreographer. He is a prominent figure in modern ballet. We have one more ballet premiere – Anna Karenina by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. Our opera schedule features Verdi’s La Forza del Destino and for the first time in Bulgaria – Richard Wagner’s Parsifal. It will be our sixth opera. These ballets by Stravinsky, with choreography and directed by Andris Liepa, otherwise feature an all-Bulgarian cast of ballet dancers and opera singers. The programme for the summer season is no less intriguing. Our repertoire includes many works from previous seasons – ballets, operas as well as works for children.”

Russian choreographer, stage director and Bolshoi Theatre soloist for many years Andris Liepa:

“I dedicate this project to the renowned Russian men of culture like Diaghilev, Stravinsky, Fokine, Benois, Nijinsky and all those who took part in the opera back then. It is exciting that with this theatre, with this opera we are reaching the world standard of music culture. The musicians and the conductor we are working with on this remarkable purely symphony music are just amazing. Stravinsky’s music is a classical bestseller. 20th century music would be practically impossible without Stravinsky. I am delighted that leaders in world music like Wagner and Stravinsky are now being staged by the Sofia Opera.”

The audio file features the following works:

- Firebird, Lullaby by Igor Stravinsky, performed by the Bulgarian National Radio Symphony Orchestra, conductor Rossen Gergov;

- Firebird, Infernal dance of all Kashchei's Subjects by Igor Stravinsky, performed by the Bulgarian National Radio Symphony Orchestra, conductor Emil Tabakov;

- Petrushka, Petrushka’s room by Igor Stravinsky, performed by the Bulgarian National Radio Symphony Orchestra, conductor Vassil Kazandjiev.

English version: Milena Daynova