Opera Open Thracian Awards for Classical Music by Sonya Yoncheva

On 23 June, the unique Ancient Theatre of Plovdiv will host a glamorous award ceremony and gala concert featuring the laureates of the first-ever Thracian Awards for Classical Music. The vision of opera prima Sonya Yoncheva is to promote the region of Thrace as a cradle of civilization, rich historical memory, traditions, and future cultural development.

Plovdiv, her hometown and a center of remarkable cultural heritage, is the oldest continuously inhabited city in Europe and the only Bulgarian European Capital of Culture to date. The historic lands of the Thracians are also connected with the myth of the legendary bard Orpheus, a figure celebrated in opera, literature, and the visual arts and a global symbol of the beauty of singing and music-making—an inspiration behind the establishment of the Thracian Awards for Classical Music.

“My goal is to promote to the world the deep roots of our culture, our most distinguished artists, and the rightful place of our country alongside the great traditions of classical music on a global scale. This initiative is the culmination of many years of my efforts through the ‘Gala in Sofia,’ the magazine Bulgarian Artist, and other formats through which my partners and I strive to build bridges between eras, genres, and people both in Bulgaria and around the world,” said Sonya Yoncheva, who is the artistic director of the event and will also perform in the gala concert.

The awards are planned to be presented annually in the following categories:

• Debut of the Year

• Young Artist of the Year

• Instrumental Soloist of the Year

• Ballet Artist of the Year

• Male Singer of the Year

• Female Singer of the Year

• Director of the Year

• Composer of the Year

• Production of the Year

• Opera House of the Year

• Lifetime Achievement Award for Contribution to Classical Art

The award ceremony and performances by the laureates will take place live before an audience. Tickets are available online through the Eventim network and at the Plovdiv Opera box office at the Boris Hristov House of Culture.

“For Plovdiv Opera, it is a true honor to stand alongside Sonya Yoncheva—our fellow citizen who has conquered the world’s greatest stages. When an artist of such stature remembers her roots and invests her authority in her hometown, it inspires us all. I believe that with this ceremony we are not only opening the 13th edition of the festival in a brilliant way, but also further establishing it as an international platform where Bulgarian and global artists meet at the highest level,” said Maestro Dian Chobanov, director of State Opera Plovdiv and conductor of the gala concert for the first Thracian Awards for Classical Music.

The ceremony will be recorded and broadcast on the international classical music channel Medici TV.