Opera in nine paintings by Parashkev Hadjiev

Libretto - Bancho Banov

First performance - 26 March 1973, Rousse National Opera within the International Festival "March Music Days"

Conductor - Romeo Raychev, director - Stefan Trifonov, artist - Assen Stoychev, choreography - Margarita Arnaudova, choirmaster - Tomina Sidova

Participants - Penka Dilova (Ermiara), Stefka Evstatieva (Sevina), Stefan Dimitrov (Vladimir Rasate), Anastas Anastasov (Simeon).

Last performance - 22 October 1978, State Opera-Ruse

Participants - Stefan Dimitrov, Anastas Anastasov, Ana Angelova, Maria Ventseslavova, Ivan Dobrev, Ivan Dimov, Dobromir Dobrev, Ivan Damyanov

Main characters:

Boris Michael - former Bulgarian prince, monk, bass

Vladimir Rasate - son of Boris, Bulgarian prince, baritone

Simeon - son of Boris, monk, baritone

Ermiara - wife of Vladimir, mezzo-soprano

Sevina - Simeon's favourite, soprano

Dometa - father of Sevin, boyar, bass

Toktu - priest of Tangra, tenor

Ysbul - boil, speaking role

Messenger - speaking role

Executioner - speaking role

Priests, priestesses, warriors, boyars, monks, nuns, high clerics, German knights, people, slaves, slave women, friends of the Sevin

Part One

First scene

The cell of Boris-Michael in the monastery

Heavy tidings were brought by the two approaching boyars of the retired Bulgarian prince Boris-Michael. He shares them with his son Simeon. Put on the throne by Boris four years earlier, his eldest son Vladimir had changed his father's policy - conversion to Christianity as a means to establish peace in the Balkan lands, to build unity among Bulgarians and Slavs, and to create a unified, strong and viable Bulgarian state. All this was not new to the Black Arian Simeon, who, returning after a long period of study in Constantinople, devoted himself to literary work. He sternly warned his father that if he did not take immediate and decisive action, Bulgaria was doomed to perdition, like the many tribes that lived on the peninsula and left behind only nameless mounds. Boris-Michael was convinced that before resorting to the power of the sword, he should seek a way to bring his son Vladimir to his senses for good.

Second scene

Pagan Capitol

The priest Toktu, offering the usual sacrifice in the Old Bulgarian rites - the slaughter of a dog, calls Tangra and on his behalf tries to instill in Prince Vladimir, who called himself in the old Yuvigi Khan Rasate, that his greatest enemies are his father and brother. Vladimir-Rasate angrily rejects Toktu's accusations, as he believes that the priest is intent on encroaching on his unified authority and demonstratively leaves the chapter house.

Ermiara, Vladimir's wife, returns and swears before Tangra and before the memory of her father, who was killed at the time on Boris' orders as an opponent of conversion, that she will avenge herself by all means. She will open Vladimir's eyes so that he will understand the danger that threatens him and deal cruelly with Boris and Simeon. Hermiara knows how to do this.

Third scene

At Domet's.

Sevina, surrounded by friends, dreams of her beloved, but her song is interrupted by the nobleman Dometa. Worried and frightened by Simeon's increased visits to his home, Dometa asks his daughter to interrupt these meetings because he has heard the rumour that a plot is being hatched against the rightful Bulgarian prince, in which the Black Prince is also involved. But for Sevina, her love for Simeon is everything in her life.

Here comes Simeon, who, by his father's will, has donned the monastic habit as a writer and scribe. He, too, has fallen sincerely and deeply in love with the beautiful maiden. He soothes her worries and bad premonitions and asks her to trust him. Indeed, the day is coming when his brother Vladimir will have to pay for his sins before God and the people. But Simeon is confident of the righteousness of the work he has begun. Only by the light of the spirit, by the light of the word, can the Bulgarian and Slavonic tribes - who have hitherto written only in scribbles and strokes - live and go forward through the ages.

A messenger has come from the palace. Hermiara ordered Sevina to come to her at once.

Fourth scene

In the chambers of Hermiara

Restless, Hermiara looks forward to her meeting with Sevina. She knows about the relationship between the two youngsters and has cunningly planned to take advantage of it.

Sevina does not hide her boundless love for Simeon and easily succumbs to the ruse, also thrown by Hermiar, that Vladimir has already uncovered the plot to dethrone him and has decided that very night to remove Boris and Simeon by setting fire to their monastery. Only Sevina has one last chance to save her beloved by going to the Khan and begging mercy for her brother's treason.

Left alone, Ermiara thanked Tangra. She is convinced that Sevina, in her desire to protect her beloved, will unwittingly betray him.

Fifth scene

Feast in the palace

Vladimir Rasate welcomes his guests, the envoys of the German King Arnulf, and raises a toast to their joint actions against the Moravian Slavs and the Romans.

After Sevina's unexpected appearance and her request to speak to him privately, Vladimir rudely sends the revelers away. Captivated by the beauty of the maiden, he pays no heed to her words, but overwhelmed by an irrepressible desire offers her to stay with him that night at the palace. Sevina, horrified, tears herself away from his embrace. Vladimir succeeds in bending her to his will, threatening her that if she does not yield to him, Simeon will be beheaded tomorrow morning.

Part Two

Sixth scene

The cell of Simeon

In the early morning Simeon works on a new manuscript and takes stock of what he has done and what he has to do. It is not the thirst for power that drives him to the throne, but the deep inner conviction that for Bulgaria there is no other path than the one started by Boris, and that only he, Simeon, is able to lead his people to the light of the future.

Sevina comes in, shaken, and tells us what happened the night before. She has fled the palace to warn her lover that the plot has been discovered. Simeon thwarts her attempt to kill herself after the disgrace she has experienced, but at the same time, unable to overcome it, asks the entered Boris-Michael to bless Sevina, who must go to a monastery. The maiden, overwhelmed by this new unexpected blow, kneels before the old monk. With barely restrained anger, Simeon reminds his father that every day lost pushes Bulgaria towards the abyss. Action must be taken immediately.

Seventh picture

Room in the palace

Vladimir-Rasate still can't shake the excitement of his night with Sevina. Gradually, however, he glimpses that the maiden knew of Simeon's treachery and that is why she came to the palace and sacrificed her innocence.

The conversation with Boris-Michael, who has come to shake hands with his son for the last time, leads Vladimir to a real tantrum. He summons the guards to put the traitors in chains. But Simeon appears unexpectedly with a group of armed fighters disguised as monks. Vladimir realizes it's all over. With a sneer, Simeon informs his brother that he is a prisoner, but will have the opportunity, according to the old Bulgarian custom, to defend his right to be ruler with sword in hand. In the ensuing duel between the two brothers, Vladimir is defeated. The combatants praise Boris, who again takes the princely power into his own hands.

Eighth picture

Chapel in the monastery

Boris's prayers are interrupted by Hermiara, who has come to plead for mercy for Vladimir-Rasate's life. Simeon, who has overheard the conversation, tries to divert his father from a lenient sentence.

Alone, in deep reflection, Boris comes to the insight that for the sake of his work, for the sake of the national good and the state, neither the gods, whoever they may be, nor the suffering and sacrifices, however heavy they may be, can deter him.

From the ensuing conversation with the chained Vladimir, Boris becomes convinced that he must remove his son from his path in the harshest way. He summons the executioners to blind Vladimir.

Ninth picture

In front of the Preslav Cathedral

Before the jubilant people who came to the convened national council, Prince Boris-Michael announced that for the sake of the future days the Bulgarian-Slavic letter was being introduced into the state and church books, that the unworthy Prince Vladimir was being dethroned, and that Simeon was becoming the Prince of the Bulgarian-Slavic state.

Like a madwoman Hermiara tries to stab Simeon with a knife, but at that moment a nun breaks away from the monks' ranks and takes the blow with her breasts. It is Sevina, who, happy to have saved her beloved, dies in his arms.

The people glorify the new Bulgarian prince.