Dear friends,
Fourteen years ago, on 22 May 2010, on the idea and directorial realization of Plamen Kartaloff, the Sofia Opera began a daring undertaking, both creatively and organizationally – to celebrate in Bulgaria the 200^th anniversary of the birth of the composer Richard Wagner.

Each year we presented one of the operas in the “Der Ring des Nibelungen” tetralogy. The Scala di Milano chose a similar approach.

Indeed, in June 2013 the complete cycle was staged on the national opera stage for the first time. Since then, The Ring has become an emblem for our theatre. We also presented it abroad, in 2015 in Germany and in 2018 on the historic stage of the Bolshoi Theatre, Moscow.

Over the years, the Sofia Opera has presented three more Wagner titles - Tristan und Isolde, Parsifal and The Flying Dutchman. The new production of THE NIBELUNG PRESTEN by director Plamen Kartalov marked the beginning of a great festival in July 2023, which celebrated 210 years since the birth of Richard Wagner. A total of seven of Wagner's operas in the Sofia Opera repertoire were performed during the festival - THE REST OF NIBELUNG, TRISTAN UND ISOLDE, PARSIFAL and DER FLIEGENDE HOLLÄNDER.

We have received special invitations to perform “Siegfried” at the Bolshoi Theatre in Minsk, Belarus, “Die Walküre” again in Füssen, at the Festival of Opera and Ballet Art in Stara Zagora, and at the May Music Evenings at the National Opera and Ballet in Skopje this May.

On 13 June the Sofia Opera will raise the curtain for the premiere of Richard Wagner's “Lohengrin”. The production is by Plamen Kartaloff. Conductors will be Constantin Trinks (13 June) and Evan-Alexis Christ (23 June), Chorus master is Violeta Dimitrova, scenography is by Hans Kudlich in collaboration with Sven Jonke, Gudrun Geiblinger, Nela Stoyanova, Kristian Stoyanov, costumes are by Mario Dice.

In the main roles are:
Kostadin Andreev – Lohengrin, Tsvetana Bandalovska and Radostina Nikolaeva as Elsa von Brabant, Gabriela Georgieva, Mariana Zvetkova – Ortrud, Ventseslav Anastasov and Thomas Weinhappel as Friedrich von Telramund, Stefan Vladimirov and Georgi Kirov as Heinrich der Vogler, Kalin Dushkov as Duke Gottfried, Atanas Mladenov as the King’s Herald.

The orchestra and chorus of the Sofia Opera and the men's chorus of the Bulgarian National Radio with conductor Lyubomira Aleksandrova take part.

Vocal-stylistic training is under the direction of Kammersängerin Anna Tomowa-Sintow.

“Der Ring des Nibelungen” tetralogy will be presented on 15, 16, 18 and 20 June. All performances start at 18 h.

We look forward to seeing you again this year to share the fantastic music of Richard Wagner and to be together on the six festival nights of the SOFIA OPERA WAGNER FESTIVAL.