An unforgettable evening of music awaits the residents of Ruse and visitors to the city! On June 26 at 9:00 p.m., the square in front of the Opera House will be transformed into an open-air stage, where the three tenors Boris Lukov, Mihail Mihaylov, and Petar Kostov will perform the most beloved opera arias and popular Italian songs. Conducted by Dimitar Kosev and accompanied by the Ruse State Opera Orchestra, the concert promises to be a true celebration for lovers of beautiful music.
Shortly before the exciting gala evening, we also had a brief conversation with Mihail Mihaylov. In this quick interview, he shares his thoughts on stage partnerships, the audience, and the great tenors who have left their mark on the history of opera.
When three tenors share the stage, is there more competition, or do they draw more inspiration from one another?
It depends on the tenors! That’s the funny answer. I don’t know if there’s a serious one, but I can say that Peter, Boris, and I have been successfully performing together for four seasons now in the Ruse Opera troupe, and it’s always easy and enjoyable to work together. In the “Mars and Venus” project, we’ve sung a few pieces together that were clearly well-received by both the management and the audience, since we’re now on the verge of a concert that’s entirely “Martian.” Otherwise, I’ve participated in concerts with 5, 6, and 8 tenors, but the number 3, as we know, symbolizes cooperation and creativity, human wholeness, and balance. So - let’s go with 3!
Among all the arias and canzonets you perform, is there a piece that moves you every time as if you were singing it for the first time?
I wouldn’t say there’s any one specific piece. The audience is different every night. It is the audience that channels the performers’ energy and determines which pieces will be the emotional highlights of the concert. The audience is the lady, and the performers are the gentleman.
The concert is an open-air event in the square in front of the Opera House - how does it feel different for an artist to sing under the stars in front of such a large audience?
Arturo Toscanini is credited with saying that when asked what he thought of outdoor performances, he replied that the outdoors is a great place for picnics. For a hundred years now, however, outdoor performances and concerts have been commonplace around the world, and it is precisely the concerts by the pioneers of the “Three Tenors” format - Pavarotti, Domingo, and Carreras - that remain the most-watched classical performances to this day. The experience for the performer is different from that in an opera house. It has its challenges, but there’s also the satisfaction of reaching a wider audience. Art is for everyone.
If you could invite a legendary tenor from the past to perform on stage for one night, who would you choose and why?
I had the opportunity to visit Luciano Pavarotti’s house-museum in Modena a few years ago. I happened to be there at a time when I spent nearly two hours there, all by myself. On my way out, as I was buying a few souvenirs and wiping away tears, the curator looked at me and said, “You must be a tenor…” I nodded in agreement. Pavarotti is the last star of opera - a visionary and a revolutionary in the genre. A voice that embraces you and lifts you up.
