THE TELEPHONE

a chamber operas by Gian Carlo Menotti

Director Ognyan Draganov

Conductors Viktor Krumov and Petar Tuleshkov
Scenography and Costumes Teodora Dzhambazova
Arrangement for a string quintet Viktor Krumov and Petar Tuleshkov
Piano Elena Stanchovska
Chamber Orchestra of the Stara Zagora State Opera

Lucy – Hristiana Hristova
Ben – Ivan Kabamitov

The Telephone or L’amour a trois is a comic opera in one act to text and music by Gian Carlo Menotti. It was written for the production of the Ballet Society and was presented for the first time in the same bill together with The Medium at the Heckscher Theater, New York, 18 – 20 February 1947. On Broadway the spectacle was on 1 May 1947 at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre, and at the Metropolitan Opera there was one performance on 31 July 1965. The opera was filmed for the Austrian TV in 1956, and the American production in 1988 was with the participation of Whoopi Goldberg.

Ben, carrying a gift, comes to visit Lucy in her apartment. He wants to propose marriage to her before she leaves on a journey. Despite his attempts to attract her attention, a long time passes before he could ask his question. Lucy is constantly busy with endless telephone conversations. In between the conversations, when Lucy goes out of the room, Ben even tries to tear the telephone cable, but his attempt fails. Not wanting to miss his train, Ben leaves without managing to ask her hand in marriage. But he decides to make one last attempt, calling her from a telephone booth on the street and finally is successful in proposing to her. She accepts and they both get connected in a romantic duet on the telephone line, at the end of which Lucy thanks him that he has remembered her telephone number!

Duration: 40 minutes.with out interval
Performed in English with titles in Bulgarian
Premiere: 16 November 2018 – Chamber Stage „In the Pocket 234”