For the second year Metropolitan Cyprian will conduct “Stabat Mater” on the stage of the opera in Stara Zagora

On the eve of Holy Week, for the second time His Eminence Metropolitan Kyprian of Stara Zagora will conduct “Stabat Mater” by Gioacchino Rossini on April 25 on the stage of the Stara Zagora State Opera. This is clear from the program of upcoming events published on the official website of the cultural institution. The soloists will be Emilia Terzieva (soprano), Petya Petrova (mezzo-soprano), Ivaylo Yovchev (tenor), Ivaylo Dzhurov (bass), the choir and the orchestra of the State Opera – Stara Zagora.
For the second year in a row, they will present the story of suffering, sadness and faith that love and beauty always find a way to our hearts, the opera says.
The Roman Catholic hymn “Stabat Mater” was created on the text of a medieval Latin poem, singing the sufferings of the Mother of Christ at the cross of the Savior. Through the numerous musical works written on the church text, the “Stabat Mater” gained wide popularity.
While traveling in Spain in 1831, Gioachino Rossini received a commission from the Councilor of State, Fernandez Varela, for music to the Stabat Mater. The following year, part of the work was ready, but health problems prevented Rossini from completing it. That’s why he also asked his friend Giovanni Tadolini to compose the remaining parts, presenting Varela the finished work. It premiered on Holy Saturday in 1833 at the Church of San Felipe el Real in Madrid. After that, this version was never performed.
The collaboration between Metropolitan Kyprian and the composition of the State Opera – Stara Zagora dates back to 2017, when the pre-Easter concert of the Stara Zagora Opera was conducted by Metropolitan Kyprian. After that, the bishop made several more appearances together with the State Opera – Stara Zagora.
Before becoming the bishop of Stara Zagora, Metropolitan Cyprian had experience as a conductor of the choir “St. Sophronius epic. Vrachanski” of the Vrachan Diocese. He is a laureate of the Festival of Russian Church Song (Sofia, 2002), of the International Competition “Singing Soul” (Bialystok, Poland, 2003), the winner of the grand prize of the International Festival of Orthodox Music “Dostoyno Esti” – 2004, 2005, 2008, 2009 and 2011 in Pomorie.
In the lobby of the opera before the performance, there will be an Easter bazaar at the “St. St. Cosmas and Damian” Day Center, the organizers announced.