Second edition of the International Conducting Competition of Opera Plovdiv

The second edition of the International Conducting Competition of Opera Plovdiv marked an exceptionally strong international presence and confirmed its development as a significant professional platform for young conductors.

In this year’s edition, 204 candidates from around the world applied—an appreciable increase compared to the first edition and a clear indicator of the growing interest in the competition, its importance, and its value. The international jury, chaired by Maestro Dian Chobanov, selected 60 conductors to take part in the competitive rounds held in Plovdiv. Of these, 16 advanced to the second round, conducting symphonic repertoire, and 8 were chosen for the semifinal.

The final stage of the competition took place within the concert “Opera Gala – Puccini,” in which the three finalists conducted the Orchestra of Opera Plovdiv and soloists.

First Prize was awarded to Federico Tibone (Italy), who, in addition to the cash award, will conduct an opera production at Opera Plovdiv and an opera production at the Astana National Opera during the 2026/2027 season.
Second Prize went to Orhan Murat Cem (Turkey), with the opportunity to conduct an opera production and a concert of Opera Plovdiv during the current season.
Third Prize was awarded to Cristian Lorca (Chile), who will conduct a concert with the Pazardzhik Symphony Orchestra.

Special awards were also presented:

• The Orchestra Prize of Opera Plovdiv was awarded to Federico Tibone.

• The Audience Award went to Orhan Murat Cem.

• The Special Prize of the Orchestra Sinfonica Metropolitana della città di Bari (Italy) was awarded to Franz Göbel (Germany).

The winners were determined by an international jury consisting of Maestro Frédéric Deloche (Opéra de Nice, France), Maestro Nicola Simoni (Opéra d’Avignon, France; Orchestra di Padova e del Veneto; Teatro La Fenice, Italy), Maestro Grigor Palikarov (Chief Conductor of Opera Plovdiv and Head of the Pazardzhik Symphony Orchestra), Maestro Vito Clemente (Traetta Opera Festival, Sinfonica Metropolitana della città di Bari, Italy), and Maestro Juan José Navarro (University of Almería, Spain).

The gala concert featured the soloists Tanya Ivanova, Evgeniya Ralcheva, Boris Taskov, Bozhidar Bozhkilov, Svilen Nikolov, Elena Chavdarova, Maria Anastasova, Mariana Panova, Alper Unluturk, and Kaloyan Georgiev.
Concertmaster: Bozhidar Benev; Host: Lili Barzeva; Guest: Petar Tuleshkov, winner of Third Prize, the Audience Award, and the Orchestra Award at the first edition of the competition in 2023.

The International Conducting Competition of Opera Plovdiv is establishing itself as a sustainable professional environment for encounters between young talents and leading figures of the international opera and symphonic scene, while promoting Opera Plovdiv within the contemporary music community.