The demanding Stara Zagora audience chose their favorite tenor in the Competition “The Voice of Kamen”
On 25 August 2024 on the stage in the open in front of the Stara Zagora Municipality was held the third round of the Second International Competition for Young Opera Singers – Tenors “The Voice of Kamen”.
The focus was the personal message of the artists, in which the participants are assessed by the audience. The first two professional rounds before an international jury, held with no access for audience, were held from 21 to 24 August. The Gala Concert and the Award Ceremony will be held on 27 August 2024 at 21.00 on the stage of the Antique Forum “Augusta Trayana”. There will be announced the award of the Stara Zagora audience “The Artist and the City’.
Thus, 10 young tenors, participants in the International Competition “The voice of Kamen”, with their out-of-the-competition performances competed for the admiration of the audience.
Everyone of the visitors at the musical forum received a list of the names of the singers and the accompanying pianists at the grand piano and the performances, and was able to vote for the one they liked the best. This vote will determine who will win the audience award “The Artist and the City”.
Before announcing the names of the participants and their numbers, I want to express appreciation for the wonderful work, attitude and taste of the organizers of the event – The Stara Zagora State Opera, Foundation “Kamen Chanev” with the co-operation of “The Trustees of the Stara Zagora Opera”.
For the first time, since the square exists, such a refined concert was held /I hope not the last time/. In front of the stage were arranged 200 comfortable chairs. For the first time a grand piano “climbed up” on the stage. The participants in the concert /with one or two exceptions/ were formally dressed. The sound and the lighting were at a professional level. The presenter – Mrs Miglena Stoycheva, journalist at BNT2 and author of the program “Behind the Scenes”, dedicated to the Stara Zagora Opera, also contributed to the pleasant creative atmosphere. I should not skip the several charming young ladies who kindly offered the lists, and after that gathered them in pretty little baskets.
Probably it will be very difficult for the international jury headed by the opera singer and conductor Jose Cura to choose the best of the good. Because all who participated in the concert /with one exception/ were at a very high level. Besides voiceful, the young artists were very beautiful too – slim, elegant, charismatic. This makes a very good impression since it is known that most of the tenors are short and plump.
The concert was opened by Donghyun Kim from the Republic of Korea with an aria of Rodolfo from the opera “La boheme” by Piccini, to the accompaniment of Miroslav Georgiev. Chipriyan Pahoneya from Romania performed “I cannot Forget” – a ballad from the opera operetta “Let Me Sing” by Gherase Dendrino. Accompaniment by Vyara Shupelieva. Konstantinos Almiantis from Greece performed the Executioner of Federico from the opera “L’Arlesiana” by Cilea. Accompaniment by Denitsa Petrova. An aria of Su Chong from the operetta “The Country of Smiles” by Lehar “This is my heart…” was performed by the Ukrainian Andrii Voziian. Accompaniment by Vyara Shuparlieva.
My preferences are Tautvydas Slizauskas from Lithuania, who brilliantly performed the canzonetta by Paulo Tosti “Ideal”. Accompaniment by Denitsa Petrova.
With the popular canzonetta by Eduardo di Capua „О, sole mio” Adam Walasek from Poland gathered the applauses of the audience. Accompaniment Miroslav Georgiev.
Adrian Dimitru from Rumania performed an aria of Chiprian Porumbescu “The Poor Knight” from the operetta “Let Me Sing” by Gherase Dendrino. Accompaniment by Denitsa Petrova.
Much more different, but also very beautiful and exciting was the performance of Evgeniy Baev from Russia. With his own guitar accompaniment he sang two bard songs: “Piroga” by Anatoliy Kireev and “Fly Away” by Elena Brolova.
The beauty of the Chinese song by Cheng Yong “The Love of the Sea” was sung by Chi Sima from China. Accompaniment by Vyara Shuparlieva.
The concert was closed by Oleg Lanovyi from the Ukraine with “La donnа e mobilie” –the popular aria of the Count from “Rigoletto” by Giuseppe Verdi. Accompaniment by Vyara Shuparlieva.
At the final the audience warmly applauded the art of the young opera tenors, who came from all over the world, to bow to the eternal art of Kamen Chanev. He was a favorite of the Stara Zagora music-lovers too. Some days before the Covid “stole” him, he sang his last performance – “Otello” on the stage of the Stara Zagora Opera.
Rositsa Rancheva