On Holy Thursday, for the first time in Ruse, the Requiem by Gabriel Fauré will be performed, which is, in fact, a funeral liturgy or panikhida. The bass part in this profound spiritual work will be performed by Plamen Beykov, the director of the Ruse Opera. Here’s what he shares on the eve of the Paschal concert:
In recent years, the Ruse Opera has presented remarkable Requiems by Mozart, Verdi, and Dvořák. Now, you are going to perform the bass part in Fauré's Requiem, which will be presented for the first time in Ruse. Have you sung this piece before?
I performed Fauré’s Requiem in my early youth as part of a choral ensemble, and later – as a soloist. The piece has always fascinated me with its unique combination of a sense of the light faith in the Savior’s mercy and the revelation of heartfelt repentance.
In your personal ranking, which of these profound spiritual works takes the lead?
If I had to choose which of the four Requiems (Mozart, Verdi, Dvořák, and Fauré) to put in first place in my personal ranking, I cannot do that. Mozart's Requiem, as an artistic work, carrying the spirit of the Enlightenment, presents the end of human existence as a natural conclusion to the mission of fulfilling one’s earthly days – a divine and natural destiny for which one is responsible. Verdi's romantic Requiem paints the startled soul of the newly deceased before the hellish torment of God’s wrath, desperately praying for salvation. Dvořák’s Requiem, and even more so Fauré’s, carry the belief in a good response to repentance, wrapped in the light of God’s power. For me, each of these works is like part of an inseparable musical monument of hope for the soul’s salvation after physical death.
Fauré’s Requiem has a gentle and comforting character, which is different from the traditional Requiems that emphasize themes such as wrath and fear. Fauré deliberately omits the traditional “Dies Irae” section, which describes the Last Judgment. How do you feel about the focus on hope and peace instead of fear of God?
We should have respect for God – like children before their father. I find the word “fear” inappropriate here because fear exists where there is a sense that we have done something wrong and are guilty. And the feeling of guilt without the saving repentance and sincere prayer for forgiveness leads to hopeless fear. We need to trust in God, and then fears disappear.
It is precisely on Holy Thursday, the day of the Last Supper with His disciples in the final days of Jesus Christ, that this funeral liturgy or panikhida, which is, in fact, the Requiem, will sound. What are the messages that this sacred work carries, in your opinion?
Choosing Thursday of Holy Week to perform a penitent piece of musical art is an established tradition in the life of the Ruse Opera. On Friday, the Funeral of Christ is celebrated, and our preceding program comes to show just one thing – Jesus, the Son of God, is also the Son of Man.
Interview by Diana Dimitrova
Tickets at the Opera box office and HERE.
