The Spiritual Power of Opera: A Tale of the Saint and Art

The Summer Opera Program "Opera in the Square" transforms the square in front of the Alexander Nevsky Temple-Monument into a magical space for artistic experience. Under the artistic direction of Academician Plamen Kartalov, the cultural event unites musical mastery and historical heritage.

The historical context transports us to the end of the 9th and beginning of the 10th century – a period marked by the complex transition between pagan tradition and the newly adopted Christianity in Bulgarian lands. In this dynamic historical moment, a young man – Saint Ivan of Rila – chooses the spiritual path, rejecting material goods and worldly life.

His biography is filled with deep meaning: healing, preaching, and inspiration. The saint retreats to the inaccessible Rila forests, becoming a symbol of virtue, whose memory continues for more than a millennium.

The literary recreation of his life finds expression in the poem "The Rila Hermit", created by writer Tihomir Pavlov in 1937. The musical accompaniment is the work of Father Kiril Popov, and the contemporary stage interpretation is due to Academician Kartalov.

In the context of the modern world, the opera is more than an artistic work – it is a message that reminds of fundamental human values. Through the musical piece, viewers touch upon deep moral messages that contrast with today's relativity.

Kartalov skillfully presents the work as a reminder that not every barricade is a symbol of truth, and revolutions possess the ability to destroy their own ideals. The reference to Victor Hugo further emphasizes the universality of the message.

The opera becomes a bridge between the past and the present, where the name of Saint Ivan of Rila stands as a shield of spirituality and national memory.