State Opera Bourgas
ALEXANDER TEKELIEV / DIRECTOR
Alexander Tekeliev was born on August 13, 1972, in Sofia. He is the son of the famous Bulgarian composer Alexander Tekeliev. He started playing the piano at the age of five. In 1993 he graduated from the National Music School “L. Pipkov ”in Sofia, majoring in piano and classical singing.
In 1998 Alexander Tekeliev graduated from the National Academy of Music “Prof. P. Vladigerov ”- Sofia with a degree“ Master of Opera Singing – Bass”. Two years later, in 2000, he completed his second higher education at the National Academy of Music with a master’s degree in music and stage directing. Meanwhile, from 1999 to 2001, Tekeliev specialized in “Opera Singing” with Prof. Ralph Döhring at the Vienna Academy of Music.
In the period from 1995 to 2005, Alexander Tekeliev participated in over 500 performances and concerts in Germany, Austria, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, France, Denmark, Great Britain, Greece, USA, and Bulgaria.
In 2001, Tekeliev began working as an opera director. In the period from 2001 to 2017 he directed the productions: “Don Juan” (Mozart) – at the State Opera – Burgas and at the State Opera – Plovdiv; “The Secret Marriage” (Chimaroza) – State Opera – Plovdiv; “Madame Butterfly” (Puccini) – at the National Opera – Skopje and Burgas Opera; “Bohemia” (Puccini) – at the Toscana Opera Festival, as well as at the Burgas and Stara Zagora Opera; “Rigoletto” (Verdi) – Toscana Opera Festival, Konzertdirection Schlote – Salzburg and State Opera – Burgas; “Eugene Onegin” (Tchaikovsky) – State Opera – Burgas; “So do all women” (Mozart) – State Opera – Burgas and Stara Zagora Opera; “Tosca” (Puccini) – State Opera – Burgas; “Ball with masks” (Verdi) – State Opera – Burgas; “The Magic Flute” (Mozart) – at the State Opera – Ruse and the Burgas Opera; “Aida” (Verdi) – State Opera – Burgas; Nabucco (Verdi) – State Opera – Burgas; “Manon Lescaut” (Puccini) – State Opera – Burgas, State Opera (now TMPC) – Varna, Ruse Opera and National Opera and Ballet – Sofia; “La Traviata” (Verdi) – State Opera – Burgas and Varna Opera; “Macbeth” (Verdi) – State Opera – Ruse; “The Beautiful Elena” (Offenbach) – State Opera – Burgas and MDT “K. Kisimov – Veliko Tarnovo; “Sluzhbogontsi” (P. Hadjiev) – State Opera – Burgas; “The Four Twins” (G. Kostov) – State Opera – Burgas; “Samson and Delilah” (Saint-Saens) – in Ruse and Burgas state operas.
From 1999 to 2003 Alexander Tekeliev was an assistant manager for the activities in Austria, Italy, and Spain of Euroopera Productions OOD.
From 2003 to 2005 Tekeliev was an artist – soloist at the State Opera – Plovdiv.
In the period 2005 – 2007 Tekeliev was Chief Director at the State Opera – Burgas, and in 2006 – 2007 he held the same position at the Ruse State Opera.
Since 2007 Alexander Tekeliev has been the director of the State Opera – Burgas. Since 2009 he has been an assistant in Acting at the Department of Music and Performing Arts at the National Music Academy “Prof. P. Vladigerov ”- Sofia, and since 2016 – Associate Professor – Doctor in the same department.
In 2013 Alexander Tekeliev was awarded the prize of the Municipality of Burgas “Emil Chakarov” for contribution and special merits in the field of classical music.
As a state institute, the Burgas Philharmonic has existed since 1947. Its first conductors are Dimitar Karadjov, Vasil Lolov, Nevin Mihalev, and Dimitar Karagiozov. A particularly important stage in the development of the orchestra is the period from 1960 to 1976 when its chief conductor was Prof. Ivan Wolpe.
Then, along with its numerical growth, the Burgas Philharmonic Orchestra raised its professional growth and won the name of one of the most prominent Bulgarian orchestras.
The following are the years in which the principal conductors of the Philharmonic are one of the most iconic conductors of Bulgaria: Jordan Dafov, Vasil Stefanov, Ruslan Raychev, Mihail Angelov. The orchestra creates an extremely rich repertoire, incorporating the most extensive works of world classics.
For the first time, almost all the works of Bulgarian composers are performed. In 1987, Ivan Kozhuharov became the chief conductor of the orchestra, and a new generation of young conductors joined the conductor panel, along with the doyen Prof. Vladi Simeonov, Prof. Sasha Popov, Prof. Konstantin Iliev, Dobrin Petkov, and others.
Over the years, guest conductors in Burgas have hosted musicians of the rank of Cyril Kondrashin, Antonello Gotto, Sir David Lloyd Jones, Richard Oistrakh, Ruggiero Ritchie, Emil Tabakov, Emil Chakarov, etc., and as guest soloist, many musicians size: Rudolf Kehrer, Yoho Sato, Lumobir Angelov, Vesko Eshkenazi, Milcho Leviev, Yovcho Krushev and many others. and others The opera part of the Company has been state-owned since 1972, but as early as 1955 the foundations of the amateur opera were laid. On June 25, 1955, for the first time in Burgas, the veil for the magnificent “La Traviata” by Verdi was raised – a work of a group of music, theater and public figures from the city and the directors: Vasil Lolov – conductor; Stefan Gudularov – director, and Konstantin Jedrov – artist.
Up to the year of its nationalization on the stage of Burgas, 36 productions of operas, operettas, and ballets of classical and modern times were performed. The first director of the State Opera in Burgas was Lilyana Zhablenska, and in the following years of her professional development and recognition were enrolled the names of a whole galaxy of talented conductors, directors, choir directors, choreographers, scenographers and artists. On the stage of the Burgas Opera, many famous Bulgarian singers who have gained international fame have started their journey.
The first solo ballet production of the theater was “Rivals” by Hertel and was performed in 1958. The prominent Bulgarian ballet artists Lyuba Kolchakova and Dimo Vrubel undoubtedly made a major contribution to the growth of the young and talented ballet company.
There are numerous performances of the ballet staff in the opera and operetta performances of the theater but over the years its independent performances: “Sheherazade”, “Bakhchisarai Fountain”, “Swan Lake”, “Nestinarka”, “The Nutcracker” and others. mark the way of the ascending development of the Burgas Ballet Company with original, unique and highly professional choreographic handwriting.
The mixed choir in Burgas was formed in 1972 when the Bourgas Opera became a state music institute. The choir at the Opera and Philharmonic Society – Burgas participates in the realization of operas, operettas, and children’s performances.
