Author: Ivan Varbanov
Editor-in-Chief of
The News BG Reporter

The team of the Sofia Opera and Ballet created a spiritual portal, through which it took over its loyal audience – the music lovers and the addicts of operatic art, and the opera guild in general.

With heroism, stoicism, obstinacy, strong will, the stubbornness to resist all limitations and trials, with unreserved faith, warmth and boundless love for the created by singers, musicians, ballet dancers and master art ateliers.

The company didn’t stop, it didn’t give in and didn’t prefer to withdraw distantly in silent absence because of the threats of the new pandemic wrath.

It didn’t become frightened, but on the contrary – it sent the message that life cannot and doesn’t have to stop.

We must go ahead and to create with elan a kaleidoscope of unique moments and achievements, with which to be proud tomorrow!

We must not stop wanting to achieve our dreams!

We must continue to live, create and come into being!

To be even more persistent in our confidence that we can and we shall pass through the new trials.

The endless creation of cultural musters in the music and stage art – on the background of the separation, the passions, the purgatory through which must pass our nation, turned out to be the lighthouse of the right direction in a moment of storm, agitations, element and turbulences, having seized all levels of our life.

Deep respect and bow before every one of the colleagues from the Sofia Opera and Ballet, that you didn’t stop working, that you didn’t become frightened, that you deafened the voice of the ego and the echo of the scare which logically and naturally has impregnated everything and everybody.

Applause for following your talent, duty and mission – to be a standard of the performing art, to create beauty, hope and faith, to generate Light in the darkness and obscurity.

And gratitude for the example how to pass beyond the spiral of the danger, in which we must not get lost.

The open stages gave sense and new life, they were exponent of the so needed contact with the audience, towards which was streaming the impulse of the artistic creative work and the cry: “LET IT BE!”.

And when now everyone is speculating and looking for the recipe – how to go through the tornado of narrow escapes of the new realia, you, colleagues, managed to construct the magical bridge of music, spirituality and perfection, on which everybody to pass with faith and hope beyond the fears.

Guardian of this spiritual portal and motor of the whole striving in the last months was Plamen Kartaloff, who doesn’t stand barriers, limitations, contestation – even by time and the power of fate, knowing that the universe of art doesn’t have bounds in its forms and appearances. And this is why he found them successfully.

But without the adherence and support of his army of culture even the most genial military commander would be doomed to failure.

This is why our bow, in which we build in our respect and reverence, is for the whole team, for all of you.

Four your courage, boldness and devotion.

In a time of unseen bacteriologic war, public protests and fights, by lack of financial and economic support for the high art.

You succeeded and rose above all this!

Thank you for being here!

And that exactly you with dignity and honour are writing the newest history of the Sofia Opera and Ballet!