Georgi Dimitrov is going from Thornton School of Music’s commencement stage to the helm of his first one-act opera, Maximus.
by Georgi Dimitrov and Lydia Siriprakorn
A Thornton School of Music graduate is gearing up to tackle the Los Angeles arts scene. Georgi Dimitrov is the proud, new recipient of a Master of Music in Composition. But his ultimate achievement – the one that makes his fingers tingle and eyes light up – is Maximus, a one-act chamber opera inspired by the city of Los Angeles that opens next week.
Dimitrov was born in Bulgaria with a natural musical talent. He began practicing violin at the age of six and moved to Massachusetts when he was 15 years old to study composition. He has studied under the wings of world class professors and dedicated himself to the pursuit of music, which has led him to where he is today: At the helm of Maximus, the fruit of more than a year’s worth of composing, planning, and rehearsing. Dimitrov will conduct the production’s ensemble of four singers, a violin, viola, cello, and clarinet. He is pulling triple duty as the composer, conductor, and producer.
Maximus is not your grandparents’ opera. If you’re looking for an opera you can actually relate to, this is the answer. It is the fictional story of Maximus, the stubborn, goofy, and intelligent protagonist, who receives a parking ticket in error generated by a private company hired to handle the city’s ticketing needs. Instead of paying the bogus fine, he decides to contest the ticket and finds that the quest for justice comes with a high price tag.
Maximus is a drama that challenges the trajectory of modern society. How does our high-tech, fast-paced world affect our humanity? What does privacy mean in a nation where almost every action or word is tracked and handed over to advertisers, employers, and government agencies? The show questions the dissolving sense of community in our technology-driven age, the terrifying power of big business, and the high cost of justice.
Dimitrov will continue his studies at USC this fall and begin his Doctor of Musical Arts. He writes 21st century acoustic music and explores the relationships between distinctive sound molds; how they relate, mix, and complete each other to create a viable sense of form.
Check out his labor of love in Los Angeles this month:
Wednesday, May 21, 2014 8pm
Monk Space
4414 W. 2nd Street
Los Angeles, CA 90004
Tickets $10 for students with ID
Saturday, May 31, 2014 8pm
Live Arts Los Angeles
4210 Panamint Street
Los Angeles, CA 90065
Georgi Dimitrov received his Master of Music in Composition in May 2014 and will begin his Doctor of Musical Arts in the fall. He is originally from Bulgaria. Visit his website to learn more.
Lydia Siriprakorn is pursuing a Master of Professional Writing degree and is from Washington D.C.