Hailing Malta-Bulgaria Music relations Lino Bianco and Andriana Yordanova The music rapport between Malta and Bulgaria go back to the 1970s following the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. Various published literature and official documents relate to this theme (Borg, 2000; Fenech, 2000; Micallef Judge, 1975; Miceli, 2001; Yordanova, 2015a). The main research to date was undertaken at the National Academy of Music Prof. Pancho Vladigerov, Sofia (Yordanova, 2016). Background and 30th December, a group of Bulgarian musicians including three leading opera singers of the Since 1975, leading Bulgarian time namely soprano Blagovesta opera singers who performed in Karnobatlova-Dobreva, soprano the Maltese islands included Boris Lyudmila Cheshmedzhieva and Christoff, Raina Kabaivanska and baritone Nikola Vasilev together Ghena Dimitrova (Yordanova with the Folklore Ensemble of Sofia 2015b). Prior to this date there University St. Kliment Ohridski are no available records regarding were invited in Malta to present Bulgarian classical singers a week of Bulgarian Culture. The performing in Malta. event was supported by the Ministry Over the years, particularly in the of Labour, Culture and Welfare of late 1980s, Maltese-Bulgarian music Malta, the Minister being Agatha relationships started to blossom. The Barbara. peak was between 1982 and 1987 during the term when H.E. Agatha Christoff-Kabaivanska- Barbara was President of Malta. and Dimitrova Many concerts by visiting Bulgarian artists, masterclasses in opera The music rapport between Malta singing, and a week of Bulgarian and Bulgaria commenced in the culture were among the initiatives. mid 1970s through the performance At the end of 1980, between 24th of Bulgarian bass Christoff, the 101 Boris Christoff during an interview on Radio Malta with Emy Scicluna (Courtesy: Emy Scicluna, Personal archive). brother-in-law of the Italian Italian Ambassador at the time H.E. baritone Tito Gobbi. Christoff Massa Bernucci. The programme was a prominent voice teacher of the bass consisted of works by and a legend of the Bulgarian and Franz Schubert, Leonardo Leo, European opera scene. He is widely Sergey Rachmaninov, Piotr Ilich considered as one of the top basses Tchaikovsky among others. in the history of opera. He is much remembered for his roles in operas: The next Bulgarian opera star Philip II in Don Carlo, Padre visiting Malta and performing one of Guardiano in La Forza del Destino, her significant roles was the soprano Boris in Boris Godunov, Seneca Kabaivanska who was at the peak in L’incoronazione di Poppea and of her career. She was invited by the a number of others. Christoff had Aurora Theatre in Gozo to perform set up at his residence in Rome the the role of Manon in Puccini’s Academy for Bulgarian Culture, Manon Lescaut (Miceli, 2001; now known as L’Accademia Yordanova, 2016). Kabaivanska is d’Arte e Cultura Bulgara Boris one of the best interpreters of Verdi Christoff, for future generations and Puccini. Unforgettable are her of Bulgarian singers to study with roles of Tosca, Madama Butterfly, some of the best Italian vocal Leonora in Trovatore, Nedda in I coaches including himself and Pagliacci etc. At the age of 82 she is improve their knowledge of the still very active and fully dedicated Italian language. Unfortunately his to the pedagogy of the young connection with Malta consisted generation. only of one performance in 1975 when he was invited to give a In 2000 the Maltese audiences song recital at the Manoel Theatre. had a chance to hear and see This event was supported by the a live performance of another 102 Blagovesta Karnobatlova- Dobreva with former Prime Minister Edward Fenech Adami and Lino Attard (Courtesy: Lino Attard, Personal archive). unforgettable Bulgarian voice – the opera singer, she was a professor dramatic soprano Dimitrova. She and a former Dean of the Vocal performed one of her top roles – Faculty at the National Academy Laura in Ponchieli’s La Gioconda. of Music Prof. Pancho Vladigerov. The performance was a triumph. Her visits were as a performer, She shared the stage with another lecturer and teacher to voice Bulgarian, a tenor – the soloist of students. Soprano Tanya Parlato Sofia State Opera – Rumen Doikov Trigona, a former student of the (Borg, 2000). Dimitrova was one Maltese operatic soprano Antoinette of the greatest interpreters of the Miggiani, attended her master dramatic and demanding repertoire classes. like Turandot in Turandot, Abigaille After a significant interest from local in Nabucco, Lady Macbeth in singers, an Opera Studio for young Macbeth, Tosca in Tosca, Amelia opera singers, a private Maltese in Un ballo in Maschera, Norma in initiative, was set up in 1989. Once Norma and many others (Manolova, again Karnobatlova-Dobreva was 2016). brought over from Sofia as the main Karnobatlova-Dobreva protagonist in the field of pedagogy in classical signing in Malta and the setting up of (Yordanova 2015c). This music Opera Studio education was at first supported by the Government of Malta but later After this cultural programme relied on the support of Maltese which was well received by the benefactors notably baritone Lino audience and the public in general, Attard and Emy Scicluna, main Karnobatlova-Dobreva was invited founders of the studio. The Opera to Malta on many other occasions. Studio remained active for some In addition to being an established 103 Karnobatlova-Dobreva with Maltese friends; Dr Abraham Borg, later Malta’s Ambassador to Israel, is second from right (Courtesy: Lino Attard, Personal archive). four years. It presented many education and culture has been to concerts with different themes in help bring together and acknowledge Italian, French, Russian, as well as the existing Bulgarian diaspora in opera productions which included Malta. These celebrations comprised Mozart’s Così fan tutte and Rossini’s a number of events including a vocal Cambiale di Matrimonio. recital. Given that the official event in Bulgaria is held as per Gregorian Official celebrations of calendar, that is 24 May, the event Cyril and Methodius in in Malta is celebrated during the weekend closest to the 11 May, the Malta day marking the saints as per the The celebration of the feast of Julian calendar. Cyril and Methodius, the apostles Tenor Boiko Zvetanov, one of of culture and education, started to Christoff’s last and best loved be hosted by the President of Malta students, was invited for the 2016 H.E. Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca event. Considered the musical at the official Presidential Palace of ‘heir’ of Christoff, he was for San Anton as from 2016, the year decades the leading tenor in which marked the 45th anniversary Zurich Opera House. He is loved since the establishment of Malta- for his outstanding technique Bulgaria diplomatic relations and top register. Among his (Bianco, 2016). Furthermore, the best interpretations are Calaf in aim of celebrating these apostles of Turandot by Puccini, Guglielmo in 104 Guglielmo Tell by Rossini, Manrico on a number of occasions in Malta in Trovatore by Verdi and many (Yordanova, 2016). Schembri other leading tenor roles. This recital and Dalli, both students at the included Andriana Yordanova, a Johann Strauss School of Music, soprano from Varna who made are respectively studying under Malta her second home. Since 2001 the direction of soprano Miriam she has dedicated herself to the Cauchi and soprano Yordanova. Maltese opera scene as a performer Both Cauchi, a former student and as a vocal pedagogue, an area of Karnobatlova-Dobreva, and of expertise which she majored in Yordanova, a former student of during her studies at the National Ilka Popova, are graduates of the Academy Prof.Pantcho Vladigerov. same National Academy and are the The piano accompaniment was living continuation of the Maltese- by John Galea, the Head of the Bulgarian music relationship and Music Department at the University inspiration for young singers. Both of Malta. Galea had extensively teachers are working in the field of corroborated in the past with voice pedagogy and are introducing Karnobatlova-Dobreva and still them to the music traditions not works closely with recording only of the known West European studios, colleagues and singers in countries, but also to Maltese and Bulgaria. The programme of the Bulgarian voice treasures. evening consisted of Italian and The 2017 programme included French popular pieces. New for the Neapolitan songs O, sole mio the audience where Bulgarian and and Mamma son tanto felice, arias Maltese pieces from Lud Gydia ‘Recondita armonia’ from Tosca byParashkev Hadzhiev, songs by by Puccini, ‘Kuda, kuda’ from Dobri Hristov, Carmelo Pace and Eugene Onegin by Tchaikovsky, John Galea (Bianco,2016). ‘Quando me’n vo’ from La Boheme In the spirit of the continuation by Puccini and pieces by Parashkev of this Malta-Bulgaria music Hadzhiev, Georgi Zlatev-Tcherkin, legacy, the vocal recital for this Alex Vella-Gregory and Joseph year included Ivaylo Mihaylov, a Vella. soloist tenor in Plovdiv State Opera, soprano Maria-Eleonora Schembri Final Comment and mezzo soprano Christine Dalli. This year’s vocal recital Mihaylov, a former graduate of celebrating the patrons of the National Academy of Music Bulgarian education Cyril and Prof. Pancho Vladigerov, was, and Methodius is a manifestation of currently is, under the mentorship the symbiotic development over of the prominent Bulgarian tenor the past decades in the sphere of Kaludy Kaludov who performed 105 Karnobatlova-Dobreva with Maltese students (Courtesy: Lino Attard, Personal archive). music culture between the two Christoff at the Manoel,The countries. Furthermore, it is a Sunday Times, 11 May 1975. commemoration, and an attempt to 6. Miceli, A., 2001. L-Istorja Ta` recall the contribution of various L-Opra f`Malta (1866-2000), Malta, Kullana Kulturali, Vol.27. Maltese to make this happen. Two such personalities include Scicluna 7. Yordanova, A., 2015a, Opera in Malta and Maltese- and Attard.