State Puppet Theatre – Stara Zagora

Reviews and comments
... something wrong in the working environment of the Opera

Rositsa Rancheva


"There’s something wrong with the working environment at the Opera house"
said for “Starozagorski novini” Mrs. Ivanka Sotirova – deputy mayor of Stara Zagora Municipality


On March 12 “Starozagorski novini” published the Ministry of Culture’s 2011 Overall Assessment of the theatres in Bulgaria . Criteria include indicators like art value, ticket sale income, ticket average price, audience size, festivals, awards, new productions, educational and managerial activities, social policy etc. The maximum score is 150 points. A winner with 138 points is “Ivan Vazov” National Theatre, followed by State Puppet Theatre – Stara Zagora with 136 points. Having 93 points, “Geo Milev” Drama Theatre comes out with good results following the theatres in Lovech, Ruse, Sliven and Gabrovo. The theatres in Yambol and Blagoevgrad stay behind.

Theatres with excellent standards of judgment are “Ivan Vazov”, “199”, the theatres in Plovdiv and Burgas, “Satirichen”, “Sfumato”. The last place in the opera theatres ranking is taken by State Opera - Stara Zagora with 84 points. On the top of the chart is State Opera - Sofia with 132 points, followed by the operas in Burgas -123 points, in Varna -122 points, “Arabesque” Music and Ballet Theatre – 119 points; the Opera in Ruse has118 points; in Veliko Tarnovo – 91 points, in Plovdiv - 88 points.

The Opera’s low results are the reason we interview Municipality’s deputy mayor – Mrs Ivanka Sotirova
-   Mrs. Sotirova, what is your comment on the results of the cultural institutions in Stara Zagora according to the Ministry of culture?
-   No one is surprised that State Puppet Theatre – Stara Zagora is on the top of the chart since theatre is constant in its efforts and never ending search of artistic results. Its team is pretty good and the top place is a true recognition and satisfaction.
Theatre’s management keeps searching for new adventures like International Festival for Adults “Pierrot” and International Art Laboratory, to make the best of actors’ potential, theatre’s area and location. People living abroad are able to compare our theatre with the European ones and in many respects, they find it much better. Besides, Theatre caries out attractive activities aimed at involving both children and adults. They have a ticket lottery. They allow children to work with puppets, to draw their impressions from performances played, having at the same time useful occupation for parents.
Puppet Theatre – Stara Zagora has a pretty detailed information and visualization on its web page. I can’t say the same thing about the Opera and the Drama Theatre in the city. We’d like to have more attractive information about our cultural institutes on Municipality’s web site. After two years of “ignorance” the Opera finally could be found on Internet...
-   What do you think about “Geo Milev” Drama Theatre?
-    According to the Ministry of Culture “Geo Milev” Drama Theatre is not in its best shape but having in mind that it started, two or three years ago from nothing, we are glad with what’s been done. And that’s not only our opinion. A month ago, “Geo Milev” Drama Theatre presented “Volpone” is Sofia and had a real success. Theatre is about to begin now his real development. A lot of young people joined its team. Its products are interesting and gripping with small exceptions, addressed to all kind of audience. We could recommend more educational performances which are truly useful and needed. We’d like to involve youths not only like attendees but also like participants. Some events are already planned like the “Festival of The Antique Drama and Theatre”, a workshop on the ancient stage “Antichen forum”, different events on the ancient street and the Lapidarium at the Historical Museum. These are all new activities for attracting new spectators.

-    What would you say about the last place of the Stara Zagora Opera in the Ministry’s chart?
-    The problem with the local Opera is really disturbing. We could probably explain the lower result with the fact that the Opera got back its renovated building in 2010 and started active work in 2011. Unfortunately the so far presented products did not manage to satisfy our audience. Even the half of the target spectators did not attend the premiere of “Bohemi” on March 13th. It’s necessary to have guest performances of prominent Bulgarian and foreign soloists. The programs of the opera festivals in Ruse and Burgas are full of world known performers. Obviously we need another approach. There’s something wrong with the working environment at the Opera house. Artists and Art council are not working as a team. The final product’s good quality relies on joined efforts, artistic approaches and brave decisions. Otherwise everyone is working for himself; there are conflicts and no understanding. The Ministry of Culture is not responsible to solve the local Opera’s problems and is not going to. The requirements over the hall and lobbies’ usability are about to increase. What Municipality could do is to impose strict regulations on the Opera in order to justify the serious amount of grants received – more than 240 000 BGN support for building maintenance and 90 000 BGN support for activity. Municipality’s management is still engaged to find the right way of refunding the costs.
Municipality could not interfere with Opera’s Art Council neither its management since Opera’s director is appointed by the minister of culture. Still, the truth is we’re not indifferent to the biggest cultural institution in the region. The requirements towards all cultural institutes will increase and we should be ready to fulfill them.

 
 
"Cinderella" in Puppet Theatre – Stara Zagora

Alex Boeva

The first premiere of State Puppet Theatre – Stara Zagora for 2012 is the well-known “Cinderella”. The first night opening is scheduled for March 23 (Friday) at 18 p.m. Due to performance’s magnitude and fairy it will be shown on theatre’s large stage. The manager - Mr. Darin Petkov explained that last year “Cinderella” was honored with a special award for best puppet dramaturgy. The play was created and directed by Elza Laleva. The dramaturgy was implemented in Stara Zagora for a first in Bulgaria. Scene-painter is Svila Velichkova and composer is Konstantin Tsekov – soloist of FCB. It became a standard practice to invite guest light directors like Ivailo Markov (the best in Bulgaria). “That means that we are trying to put in use all possible methods to offer the best and the most spectacular art to our little spectators."
Performance is based completely on the popular story of Charles Perrault. Of course the dramaturgy is modern and re-created through unusual stage design and wonderful puppets.
Cinderella is portrayed by Vanya Kamyanska who has been nominated for “SIVINA” award for her role as “The Little wood-nymph” in a play of the same name. Last year the same award for best young actor was taken by Kaloyan Georgiev who also works in State Puppet Theatre – Stara Zagora.
The other performers are Gergana Vasileva, Elitsa Stoyanova, Bilyana Rainova, Delyan Kyosev, Yancho Ivanov and Kaloyan Georgiev.
Right after “Cinderella” theatre starts work on Bulgaria’s favorite folk tale "He who does not work neither shall he eat!". Director is Yaroslav Petkov having two young graduates of NATFA as stage designers.
The next adventure planned is the International Art Laboratory at the end of May after Dario Fo’s "We won’t pay!". Dario Fo is one of the greatest street theatre dramaturges in Italy. Workshop will be directed by Ishtvan Nagi – the master of Commedia dell’Arte and the new title shall be listed in theatre’s repertoire.
 
"The Other" is the new performance for adults of the Theatre

Ivan IVANOV

State puppet Theatre – Stara Zagora started the year with a new performance for adults. This time, it’s a work of the new member of the troupe – Yancho Ivanov - actor and director.

The provoking show called "The Other" is a non verbal play, build with the techniques of lights and shadows.

"I’ve been hoping to do this play for a long time. But it would never happen without the support of Mr. Darin Petkov – manager of State Puppet Theatre – Stara Zagora. He gave me the chance to experiment and to create something different besides the commercial shows", said Yancho Ivanov right after the first night opening on Sunday. He confessed that actors’ parts were really difficult to play since it’s truly heavy to present a whole storyline within an hour without words. The professional scenery was made by two of the actresses – Elitsa Stoyanova and Desislava Ilcheva. Other performers taking part at the show are Delyan Kyosev, Kaloyan Georgiev and Stanislav Matev.

Meanwhile, Darin Petkov – manager of the puppeteers announced that the new play of Hristo Byichev which was written specially for the gassing problems in Stara Zagora will be put on stage probably by a director from Macedonia. The Theatre has ordered the texts to the author of "The Colonel bird" and the new performance is expected to be scheduled in the begging of the summer.

"Mr. Boychev has already finished with writing and at the end of the month we’ll meet in Skopje with one of the young talented directors in our west neighbor country", said Darin Petkov. The nontraditional play will be called "Dioxide (Gas, socks and wrap)".

"It’s a satire and grotesque of the gassing saga in our town", said Mr. Petkov. He refused to reveal more information on the new play. The new production will be for adults, with a happy end and a lot of humor just in the style of Hristo Boychev whose texts are already studied by the students in the New York University. "We do not make claims to solve one of the hottest problems in the region! We just want to have fun", said the puppeteers' manager.
 
"Who are you man" - The question asked in play "The Other"

Rositsa RANCHEVA

"Who are you man?!" The question asked in the new performance for adults of State Puppet Theatre – Stara Zagora called “The Other”.

The first night opening took place on January 23rd 2011 with real success. Project has been implemented by the young actor and director Yancho Ivanov. The idea, the staging and part of the financing are his doing. Music is compilation made by Plamen Petkov. Casts: Elitsa Stoyanova, Desislava Ilcheva, Delyan Kyosev, Stanislav Matev and Kaloyan Georgiev.

We’ve been watching dozens of puppeteers on the theatre’s stage thanks to the International festival “PIERROT” and the International art laboratory, and we all agree that the puppeteers from Stara Zagora are really the top level.

"The Other" is a non verbal performance with duration 1 hour. A single word is not said but what’s happening on the stage touches your soul. It makes you ask yourself: "Who are you man? Is that you or just a shadow of you? Are you a person? Do you have your personal opinion? How do you live? Do you chase your dreams? Do you have the senses to feel sun, flowers and stars? Have you met love..."

"The Other" is a story about the life of Mr. X, life in two plans – reality and dream. Reality is known by the regular working man. Sleeping, dressing, coffee, sandwich, public transport, the killing statistical work with numbers... and then again lift, public transport, eating, sleeping etc.

But out there, inside the man, dreams are living. They appear only in the sleep and make the black and white world so colored. They ring hopes and wishes for dancing, music, love and human affection.

The storyline is shown within two views – on the stage like in "the life", and the shadows behind the screen. Behind the screen of complex, self denial, inactivity and fear there are so genuine desires and pure human joy.

It is worth to mention the scenery made by the actresses – Elitsa and Desislava. It’s extremely inventive where one and the same piece of textile becomes a door, a wardrobe, a jacket. The other one is transformed into a bed, a newspaper, a bag, a room, a skirt etc. Effects from Commedia dell’Arte, pantomime, shadows, music and artistic lighting have been used. The synchronization between the two performing couples is really amazing...

"The Other" is a different view of everything shown so far. It’s a successful experiment both for actors and spectators who can easily find themselves in its messages and answers.

 
 
The play "The Other" offers you a dance of shadows and light

Donka YOTOVA

The experiment made by the young actors in State Puppet Theatre – Stara Zagora and called “The Other” can be classified as a really high level of art because of its philosophy, because of the speechlessness as a mean of expression of things which otherwise would be just trite phrases, because of actors’ creativity in the game of light and dark, and last but not least, because of the acting, internal glamour and ability of creating worlds.

Performance asks questions about “Who am I?” “The other – my shadow, is he happier than I am?” “Why things are more difficult for me than they are for my frivolous shadow?”

Yancho Ivanov – director and author of the project puts a whole range of questions for discussion.

It’s hard to raise funds for modern, untraditional and noncommercial causes these days. Project has been supported by the National Culture fund, the Art-office project, the Altera magazine, State Puppet Theatre – Stara Zagora and the magic happened.

Performance starts with magnificent vanguard music with very cute melody. There’s also Latino and evergreen thanks to Plamen Petkov who is an artist with really good taste for musical setting.

Stage design is pretty imaginative which the theatre’s manager – Mr. Darin Petkov attributed to the young actresses – Elitsa Stoyanova and Desislava Ilcheva.

Actors play with shadows like real virtuosos despite the techniques’ risks. All of them – Delyan Kyosev, Kaloyan Georgiev, Stanislav Matev and both of the girls have amazing plastics and facial expressions needed in this genre.
 
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