(ANSA) - SOFIA, 02 SET - On 15 September, the Italian Embassy in Sofia and the New Bulgarian University (NBU) will celebrate the 90th birthday of the famous Bulgarian-Italian soprano Raina Kabaivanska with a gala concert conducted by Maestro Nayden Todorov in the evocative setting of the Roman Theatre in Plovdiv. The concert will be organised by the Plovdiv State Opera as part of the Opera Open 2024 Festival.
The event will be attended by some of the most prominent representatives of the Kabaivanska School, as well as fellows of its Foundation at the NBU, who have performed in opera houses all over the world: Aleksandrina Mihaylova, soprano (Bulgaria); Baia Saganelidze, mezzo-soprano (Georgia); Veronica Simeoni, mezzo-soprano (Italy); Milla Mihova, soprano (Bulgaria); Reinaldo Droz, tenor (Venezuela), Sofia Soloviy, soprano (Ukraine) and Toni Nezic, bass (Croatia). The evening's programme includes a selection of the most famous arias that have accompanied Raina Kabaivanska's illustrious career.
The cycle of events dedicated to the great opera actress was opened with a New Year's Eve concert by the Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra (December 2023). This was followed by four performances of the opera Aida at the Sofia Opera and Ballet Theatre (January 2024), two concerts at the Opéra Bastille in Paris (February 2024) and the Britten Theatre in London (May 2024), and the premiere of a documentary on the artist's life and work. Upcoming events include the XXIV International Masterclass and a Gala Concert of the winners at the Sofia Opera and Ballet Theatre (October 2024), as well as a performance of the opera Adriana Lecouvreur at the Sofia Opera and Ballet Theatre (January 2025).
Embassy concert in Bulgaria for Kabaivanska's 90th birthday
At the Roman Theatre in Plovdiv, conducted by Maestro Nayden Todorov