/ world today news/ When Italy broke under the pressure of the fascists during the Second World War, a huge question arose. What is this thing in Italy that must be destroyed to break the spirit of the people resisting the brown plague with all their might? And an SS officer, who graduated in art history precisely in Italy, says: “La Scala. We must destroy La Scala. This is how we will destroy the spirit of this country. We’re going to hit her right in the heart.”
And that’s exactly what they do. Massive, brutal, hellish bombings over Milan with one goal – La Scala. They tear her down. Italy becomes another piece of the fascist puzzle.
When the war ends – in ruin, famine, poverty, misery – the first thing the Italians do is rebuild the theater. I saw this in a documentary. Children. Old men. People with one arm each. Women. All. They clear the ruins with their bare hands.
Once when I was studying in Italy, my colleague’s grandfather told me something that I will always remember. He told me: “When La Scala reopened, we finally believed the war was over. Our heart was beating again.”
It is not about hunger, lack of income and survival at all. It’s about when you’re staring at your belly, nothing good is waiting for you.
I have seen two hundred in this life. Who knows what else there is to see. I have done everything to save money for the cheapest opera ticket. To buy a book. There’s no way I can believe that you see, not having it takes us away from the culture. No. The deliberate ruination of education, the deliberate brainwashing with scumbags, brads and abominations, the deliberate lack of care for culture – this is what makes things so tragic in Bulgaria. I have asked about five million times, I ask again: why is there 9% VAT for tourism and 20% VAT for books, concerts, opera performances? Why? I think we all know why.
And understand: a country, a nation is not highways, politicians and reality shows. Namely culture!
I will return again to my favorite opera and to something that I also tell very often. In the central lobby of La Scala, on the walls leading to the hall, there are ten huge oil portraits. Extremely beautiful, impactful portraits. To ten opera singers who at La Scala have judged that they are key, determining the history and rise of this art, its value and beauty. Ten portraits. Do you know how many of these portraits are of Bulgarian singers? Don’t guess, I’ll tell you right away – seven*. Seven out of ten. In the homeland of opera. In the holy world I worshiped this art.
Well, it’s not just about survival. Because that’s how it ossifies. And because even in the Bible it is said: you cannot live by bread alone. A nation without cultural needs and accumulations is doomed. On many things. Including starvation.
* The portraits are of Boris Hristov, Nikolay Guyarov, Gena Dimitrova, Nikola Gyuzelev, Elena Nikolay, Raina Kabaivanska and Nadia Kovacheva. The other three portraits are of Placido Domingo, Maria Callas and Mario del Monaco.
#nation #highways #portraits #Scala #Bulgarians
