Италианският репертоар на Петър Райчев в годините между двете световни войни
The Italian Repertoire of Peter Raichev in the Years Between the World Wars

Summary/Abstract: The exceptionally stable vocal and actor’s training of Peter Raichev, in conjunction with his natural talent and universal professional erudition, enable the singer to “expand” his range of parts - roles by adding to the dramatic parts of Turridu and Canio, also Manrico from “II Trovatore” almost simultaneously with Calaf from “Turandot”, without any of these roles causing a retreat from the recognition of the spinto, lyric and leggier parts performed by him. Already in the French repertoire he demonstrates this with Don Jose and Werther, and in the Russian with Hermann and Lensky, but it is the Italian roles, of which it is known that they have been created with the most consistently acquired and followed tradition of the vocalist’s employ, that continue to astonish us with their equal value even today. At the same time there is no place for condescense or suspicion for “paid” critics: recordings exist, even though only of arias, that are sufficient to make us feel the skill of the singer with which he creates his characters without regard to their au thor’s emploi. Judging by starring parts of Peter Raichev on the great European stages, and also by the nu mber of his appearances on the stage of the Bulgarian National Opera, it seems that in the center of his career - after all most close to his temper! -are the lyrico-spinto, and immediately following them, the lyrico-leggiery parts of his repertoire. These are the Italian - Duca from “Rigoletto”, Rodolfo in “La Boheme”, Cavaradossi in “Tosca”, Alfredo i n “La Traviata”, Gabrielle Adorno in “Simon Boccanegra”, Loris in “Fedora” (according to his son, Ruslan Raichcv, this is his favorite role, which he has played only outside Bulgaria), Ricardo in “Un ballo in maschera”, and also Conte Al maviva in “Il barbiere di Siviglia”, Ernesto in “Don Pasquale”, Tonio in “La fille de regiment”. An impressive range of parts which had given him the opportunity to unfold his talents and knowledge. About some of them Bulgaria learns from transcriptions of foreign review publications, and about others from extensive comments in the Bulgarian press. Others remain scattered in documents in various archives and as reminiscences - his own and of contemporaries. With his active presence on the stage in Sofia, this for decades, and with the optimal control of his strengths and abilities, Peter Raichev noticeably influences the notions of the Bulgarians about the roles in which he presents himself. Performed before him and in parallel with his appearances by singers such as Stefan Makedonsky, Panaiot Dimitrov -Otito, Constantine Karenine, Lyuben Minchev, and for a short time - Todor Mazarov, Georgi Belev and others, these parts acquire a special vitality and richness. They are remembered for the feeling of genuineness and real life they suggest. In his Italian repertoire Peter Raichev in a particular way, raises a barrier in front of the pseudoitalian style, in front of the incompetent choice of means and methods...

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