If you are following this blog you may recall that, in my second post, I stopped for lunch in Primorski Park and later purchased a ticket for "Carmen Dance" at the Opera House. Fortunately I showed a friend the ticket and is was explained to me that, during the summer, performances take place in the open air theatre as it is too hot to hold them indoors. The open air theatre is situated just behind the plaza which I had not realised at the time.
I walked down from my apartment, which I ultimately regretted as it was so hot, entering the park at the gate on the junction with Bul. Knyaz Boris I and strolled down to the plaza. Dinner down on the sea front where it was explained to me that these few days are the hottest in the Bulgarian calendar. Extreme heat now, very cold winter is the local saying. I shall, no doubt, find out if this is true. The park itself looks very pretty at this time of day too, but the gates to the theatre were open the audience was massing so in we went.
This is a very beautiful setting to hold any performance. There is a full orchestra pit at the front of the stage and the whole theatre is surrounded by greenery. The performance of "Carmen Dance", an opera-ballet by George Bizet was a co-production of the Siberian State Ballet and State Opera Varna Ballet. I hope that the photographs capture something of the atmosphere of both the production and of the theatre. The opera singers up on the terrace wore costumes which mimicked those of the principal ballet dancers as they performed so there were costume changes all round.
The opera-ballet is set in Spain though there have been modern interpretations. There is a production on in London where the setting is a garage, I believe. Apparently the tale gave rise to the movie 'A Postman always Rings Twice'. However the original setting, with 'Matadors' and 'flamenco dancers' was brought home to me when this scene unfolded. The processions which I had seen on Good Friday in La Laguna, Tenerife are also performed in Segovia on mainland Spain and, probably, other areas too. I just found it interesting that I had seen the inspiration for the story.
The performance started at 21:00 hours by which time it had grown dark, though not much cooler and was played to a packed house of all ages which was good to see. After a 20 minute interval act two finished with a final curtain call at around 23:00 hours. For the princely sum of 20 leva (about £7.00) a magnificent evenings entertainment. Leaving the theatre the cafes are still open and the night clubs on the beach are opening but I was off to bed.
View my 'Evening at the Summer Theatre' photo album here
I hope that it all builds up to a sense of the place, enjoy.
(I have added about 20 photographs to the "Varna photo" album,)
This is a very beautiful setting to hold any performance. There is a full orchestra pit at the front of the stage and the whole theatre is surrounded by greenery. The performance of "Carmen Dance", an opera-ballet by George Bizet was a co-production of the Siberian State Ballet and State Opera Varna Ballet. I hope that the photographs capture something of the atmosphere of both the production and of the theatre. The opera singers up on the terrace wore costumes which mimicked those of the principal ballet dancers as they performed so there were costume changes all round.
The opera-ballet is set in Spain though there have been modern interpretations. There is a production on in London where the setting is a garage, I believe. Apparently the tale gave rise to the movie 'A Postman always Rings Twice'. However the original setting, with 'Matadors' and 'flamenco dancers' was brought home to me when this scene unfolded. The processions which I had seen on Good Friday in La Laguna, Tenerife are also performed in Segovia on mainland Spain and, probably, other areas too. I just found it interesting that I had seen the inspiration for the story.
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