18, 21, 23, 25 July

For the first time in Bulgaria the original version of the opera BORIS GODUNOV will be staged by the Varna Opera. Modest Mussorgsky completed his work in 1869. The revised version was staged in 1874 and later the opera had new modifications and versions - one by N. Rimsky-Korsakov (1896) and another - by Dm. Shostakovich (1959). As usual the productions of Boris Godunov all over the world have been based on the late opera versions. This premiere is dedicated to the Year of Russian Culture in Bulgaria, featuring eminent Bulgarian and Russian artists. The world famous Bulgarian bass Yulian Konstantinov and Vyacheslav Pochapsky, Honorary Artist of Russia and soloist of Bolshoy Theater will star in Boris Godunov.

VYACHESLAV POCHAPSKY (b. 1953) graduated at the Gnesini Music Academy in 1984 and the same year he was appointed as soloist of the Bolshoi Theater. He has played in the leading opera theaters all over the world. He took part in the production of Yolanta by Tchaikovsky, directed by Sir Peter Ustinov. V. Pochapsky has sung under the baton of M. Rostropovich, E. Svetlanov, Vl. Fedoseev and others. His repertoire includes about 40 main roles in operas by Borodin, Verdi, Donizetti, Glinka, Mozart, Mussorgsky, Puccini, Rakhmaninov, Rimsky-Korsakov, Tchaikovsky. In 1997 the title Honorary Artist was conferred on him.

YULIAN KONSTANTINOV (b. 1966) won the first prize at Boris Hristov International Contest for Young Opera Singers, Sofia (1996). His repertoire features more than 30 main bass parts. He has sung under the baton of the most outstanding conductors of our time: Claudio Abbado, Zubin Mehta, Ricardo Mutti and others. He has been a guest performer on the stage of Scala di Milano, Covent Garden, Vienna Staatsoper, Teatro Colonne, Deutsche oper, Paris, Metropolitan Opera, etc. and has participated in prestigious music festivals in Salzburg, Bregenz, Edinburgh, etc.

The VARNA OPERA staged Boris Godunov for the first time on 4 April 1976 conducted by Nedyalko Nedyalkov and directed by Emil Boshnakov. The role of Boris was played by Stefan Tsiganchev. Two years later - on 21 April 1978 the second production of Boris Godunov took place on the Varna stage conducted by Borislav Ivanov, directed again by Emil Boshnakov and the soloist of the Varna Opera Ranko Dyulgerov performed the part of Boris.