Bellini's Norma Returns to Burgas Stage After 6 Years

After a six-year hiatus, Vincenzo Bellini's classic – the opera "Norma" – will once again grace the Burgas stage. The performance is expected to come to life before an audience on November 12th, in the halls of the State Opera – Burgas, according to the cultural institution.

According to the information provided by the opera, the last performances of "Norma" in the city were at the Thracian sanctuary Begliktash in 2019 and 2021, as part of the festival "Opera at the Sanctuary". The current season marks the triumphant return of the opera to the repertoire, promising new musical experiences for music lovers.

Prof. Dr. Peter Reichel from Germany will stand behind the conductor's podium, whose expertise in musical art and conducting experience promise an unforgettable performance. Soprano Mareena Balinova, whose presence already provokes great interest, will embody the main role of the Druid priestess. In the performance we will also see mezzo-soprano Daniela Dyakova in the role of Adalgisa, tenor Valery Georgiev as Pollione, bass Kostadin Mechkov in the role of Oroveso, as well as Kalina Popova as Clotilde and Milen Dinolov as Flavio. The director of the production is Darina Glavanakova-Bakardzhieva, and the visual design is entrusted to the artist Ivan Savov. Alexander Chepanov will lead the choir, Galina Kalcheva will be in charge of the choreography, and Hristo Belchev will be the concertmaster. Lina Peeva and Petar Tiholov will assist the director. For the convenience of the audience, the performance will have subtitles in Bulgarian.

Prof. Dr. Peter Reichel, besides being a conductor, is also known as a lecturer at the University of Vienna, standing out for his scientific activity in the field of digital technologies and their application in musical art. He has extensive experience as a conductor of opera performances both in Bulgaria and abroad.

Mareena Balinova, the performer of the main role, is a dramatic coloratura soprano, well known to the Bulgarian and international audience. She graduated from the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna and has participated in performances on stages in Austria, Germany, Italy, France, Spain, and the USA.