OPERA OPEN 2025: THE INVISIBLE WORLDS

The Opera Open 2025 program was presented today at a special press conference in the Meeting Hall of Plovdiv Municipality with the participation of Mayor Kostadin Dimitrov, Deputy Mayor for Culture, Archaeology, and Tourism and Chairman of the Board of the Plovdiv 2019 Foundation Plamen Panov, Director of Plovdiv Opera Dian Tchobanov, Artistic Director of Plovdiv Opera Assoc. Prof. Nina Naydenova, and Executive Director of the Plovdiv 2019 Foundation Kiril Velchev.

OPERA OPEN 2025: THE INVISIBLE WORLDS takes the audience at the Ancient Theatre beyond the boundaries of the visible, where music and art reveal deep, unexplored dimensions. The five elements—earth, water, air, fire, and ether—come to life in the festival’s grand opening event with the extravagant violinist Alessandro Quarta. The multimedia project The Journey by virtuoso Vasco Vassilev takes us on a walk among the stars, while the production Orpheus and Eurydice by world-renowned artist Stefano Poda unveils the power of natural forces and opens the gates to the mythical underworld. Each performance in the program paints its own invisible world, which the audience can feel and experience through the magic of opera, ballet, and symphonic music.

A key highlight of Opera Open 2025 is the unprecedented number of premieres with strong international participation—six in total for the summer, compared to last year’s edition, which marked the 70th anniversary of Plovdiv Opera with a selection of the best productions from over the years. Alongside the multimedia performances of Alessandro Quarta and Vasco Vassilev, Plovdiv Opera will present premieres of Verdi's La Traviata, directed by Nina Naydenova; Swan Lake, choreographed by Mariana Krantcheva; the rock musical Hair, reimagined by director Veselka Kancheva; and the operetta gala performance The King of Waltz, presented by the National Music Theatre.

The official opening of Opera Open on July 1 brings the full force of nature to life through music in The Five Elements by Alessandro Quarta, accompanied by the Plovdiv Opera Orchestra. With hypnotic melodies and powerful sounds, the Italian violinist embodies the five elements—earth, water, air, fire, and ether—along with their creation in his new composition, which is both captivating and thought-provoking. The impact of the music will be enhanced by visual imagery created by video artist Petko Tanchev. As a festival tradition, the opening events shift the audience’s perspective by placing them on the stage of the Ancient Theatre, facing the "white canvas" of the stone seating, where the spectacle unfolds for a more intimate and unforgettable experience.

The festival’s second star violinist is the magnetic Vasco Vassilev, concertmaster of the Royal Opera House in London, who will take the audience on a cosmic journey through classical music on July 13. The artist has chosen the Ancient Theatre and OPERA OPEN for the premiere of his project before embarking on a world tour, starting in Japan.

After eight years, Verdi’s La Traviata returns to the Ancient Theatre with a premiere starring soprano Nino Machaidze on July 5. The Georgian soprano is a regular soloist at La Scala, the Vienna State Opera, the Metropolitan Opera, and other prestigious venues, making her one of the most sought-after opera stars today. Other opera titles in the program include Madama Butterfly by Puccini, featuring Portuguese tenor Carlos Cardoso on July 18, and The Barber of Seville by Rossini, starring Svetlina Stoyanova, the Bulgarian mezzo-soprano with a rapidly growing international career, on August 27. She has performed in some of the world’s most renowned opera houses, including La Scala in Milan and the Vienna State Opera.

Audiences will once again have the opportunity to see the acclaimed production of Gluck's Orpheus and Eurydice by Stefano Poda, which was specially created for the Ancient Theatre in the milestone year of 2019. The production, which attracted a record 7,000 spectators at OPERA OPEN and received coverage from leading international music media, will return with the premiere performance of American countertenor Ray Chenez on July 25 and 26.

The National Music Theatre will celebrate the 200th anniversary of Johann Strauss II with the gala performance "The King of Waltz" on July 15.

For the premiere of Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake, choreographer and director of the Plovdiv Opera Ballet Mariana Krantcheva has invited principal dancers from the National Ballet of Spain to perform on July 13. Plovdiv Opera’s ballet company will also present Anna Karenina, choreographed by Leo Mujić, on June 28, and Valentina Turcu’s production of Romeo and Juliet by Prokofiev on August 30. As per tradition, only the ballet productions of Plovdiv Opera at the Ancient Theatre are performed with a live symphony orchestra.

Following the overwhelming success of Jesus Christ Superstar, a major highlight of the festival is director Veselka Kancheva’s new project—the legendary musical Hair, composed by Galt MacDermot, with its premiere on August 24. The production will feature performers from the Bulgarian pop and rock scene.

The rich international program of OPERA OPEN 2025 is made possible through funding from the Plovdiv 2019 Foundation, as part of the festival calendar of Plovdiv—European Capital of Culture.

Tickets for OPERA OPEN at the Ancient Theatre are available at the Plovdiv Opera box offices, the festival box office on Main Street, ticket centers, and Eventim outlets. Online purchases can be made at eventim.bg and grabo.bg. As always, Plovdiv Opera will offer significant discounts for early purchases, bonus cards, and group discounts.