25 june 2026 The IV Ballet Competition "Sara-Nora Prima" Is Coming Up
On Monday, July 6, at 6 p.m., the fourth edition of the International Ballet Competition "Sara-Nora Prima" begins on the stage of the State Opera - Burgas, named after the prima ballerina and long-time director of the ballet troupe of the Sofia Opera and Ballet, Sara-Nora Krasteva. The prestigious ballet forum, whose successful editions in the last three years have also been held in the hall of the Burgas Opera, which is co-organizer and host, will this year be one of the most prestigious events in the city's summer cultural program.
Over 150 ballet dancers from several continents are expected to arrive at the competition /July 6-11/ and the accompanying ballet academy /July 4-12/. The competition is only for professionals, as previous editions were of an extremely high level. The awarded participants were granted tours in several prestigious national and world theaters, and it is precisely this fact, not only the monetary prize, that is an incentive for their future professional development.
The fourth international ballet competition "Sara-Nora Prima" will be held again with the financial support of the Ministry of Culture and the Municipality of Burgas. The official media partner of the competition is the Bulgarian Telegraph Agency /BTA/.
"The seaside town will once again become an international stage for young ballet talents. We expect over 150 participants in the competition and the academy," said the organizer of the forum, prima ballerina Sara-Nora Krasteva, in an interview with BNR-Burgas.
“In addition to monetary awards, the competition also provides several professional opportunities – participation in performances, tours, scholarships and offers for engagements in ballet companies. So far, dozens of stage appearances by laureates have been realized in various state theaters in Europe,” said Sara-Nora Krasteva, prima ballerina and the longest-serving former director of the Sofia Opera and Ballet, organizer of the prestigious international forum, together with Evgenia Trofimchuk – ballet manager, choreographer, initiator and ideologist of some prestigious international forums, in a press conference for BTA.
“In the four years since its establishment, the competition has already established itself as a significant international forum, attracting over 450 participants from 20 countries. Behind this success is not only the competitive element, but also the idea of the founders of the competition and the academy to create an environment for creative exchange, professional growth and building contacts between young ballet artists,” said Sara-Nora Krasteva in an interview for the online publication “Life Today”. "This year, the performances will be judged by Sara-Nora Krysteva, Prof. Masha Ilieva, prima ballerina Marta Petkova - artistic director of the ballet at the Sofia Opera and Ballet, Angelina Gavrilova - director of the ballet "Arabesque", Galina Srebreva - director of NUTI, Galina Kalcheva - ballet tutor at the State Opera - Burgas, as well as internationally renowned figures such as Denis Cherevichko - premier soloist of the Vienna Staats Opera, Ayşem Sünal - director of the National Ballet in Istanbul, Jojun Jo - National University of the Arts in Seoul, Konstantin Kostyukov - international choreographer. The jury members also participate in the academy's training program, turning the forum into a unique opportunity for direct contact with leading professionals," adds Sara-Nora Krasteva in the interview.
Mentors at the Ballet Academy will be: Prof. Dr. Maria/Masha Ilieva, Denis Cherevichko, Galina Srebreva, Konstantin Kostyukov, Ayshem Syunal Savashkurt, Angelina Gavrilova, Prof. Elitsa Lukanova, Elena Marinova. Atanas Srebrev. "The ballet profession is very serious, and one must be dedicated and dedicated. The Sara-Nora Krasteva Academy aims to do exactly that - to find children from different schools and direct them to the academic educational sphere so that they can become serious professionals," comments Evgeniya Trofimchuk.
The emcee on all competition days and at the awards ceremony will be the popular TV presenter Georgi Lyubenov, who is well known to the ballet audience from previous editions of the Sara-Nora Prima competition.
The director of the State Opera - Burgas, which hosts the competition and the academy - Prof. Dr. Alexander Tekeliev - is also sympathetic to the cause of the prestigious international cultural forum: "After the exceptional success of the first three editions of the competition and the Sara-Nora Prima Ballet Academy, I am convinced that the fourth edition will again be a highlight in the summer cultural calendar of Burgas. It is part of the large-scale program with events in various fields of art, related to the candidacy of our seaside city for European Capital of Culture in 2032,” said the director of the State Opera – Burgas – Prof. Tekeliev before the start of the competition.
All competition days /July 6, 7, 8 and 9/ are from 6 pm in the Opera hall; the day off is July 10, the gala concert is on July 11 at 7 pm. From July 4 to 12, the Ballet Academy is held, which will end with a gala concert – on July 12, Sunday, at 2 pm, also in the hall of the State Opera – Burgas.
Tickets – for the competition days /July 6, 7, 8, 9/ – from 6 pm in the Opera hall, as well as for the gala concert – on July 11 at 7 pm – at the Opera box office, Ticket Center "Clock", for the gala concert on July 11
The fourth edition of the International Ballet Competition "Sara-Nora Prima" SARA-NORA PRIMA International Ballet Association /July 6 - 11/ and the accompanying Ballet Academy SARA-NORA MASTER International Ballet Academy / State Opera Burgas /July 4 -12/, which will be held in the hall of the State Opera Burgas.
In the publication - an interview with Sara-Nora Krysteva on the occasion of
https://jivotatdnes.bg/…/sara-nora-krasteva-na-konkursa-v…
The competition and the Ballet Academy are named after the prima ballerina of the Sofia National Opera and Ballet and long-time director of the ballet of the National Cultural Institute Sara-Nora Krasteva and are organized by the Association "Sara-Nora Prima Sara-Nora Prima – Sara Nora Prima https://saranoraprima.org/bg/
and the State Opera - Burgas, with the financial support of the Ministry of Culture and the Municipality of Burgas.
After the remarkable success of the first three editions of the competition and the accompanying ballet academy, this year too, participants from several continents are expected to arrive in Burgas.
"This year, the performances will be judged by Prof. Masha Ilieva Maria Ilieva, prima ballerina Marta Petkova Marta Petkova Petkova - artistic director of the ballet at the Sofia Opera and Ballet, Angelina Gavrilova - director of the ballet "Arabesque", Galina Srebreva - director of NUTI, Galina Kalcheva - director of the ballet at the State Opera - Burgas, as well as internationally renowned figures such as Denis Cherevichko - Prime Soloist of the Vienna State Opera, Ayşen Sünal - Director of the National Ballet in Istanbul, Jojun Jo - National University of the Arts in Seoul, Konstantin Kostyukov - International Choreographer. The jury members also participate in the academy's training program, turning the forum into a unique opportunity for direct contact with leading professionals," says Sara-Nora Krasteva in the interview.
The presenter of all competition days and the awards ceremony will be the beloved television presenter of The Day Begins with Georgi Lyubenov, who was in this role at the laureates' gala concert in 2023 and the presenter of all competition evenings and the final concert, during the last two editions of the competition /in 2024 and 2025/ in the Burgas Opera Hall.
Interview of Georgi Lyubenov with Sara-Nora Krasteva on the air of Bulgarian National Television. BNT:
https://bnt.bg/…/v-ochakvane-na-chetvartoto-izdanie-na…
BTA / Bulgarian News Agency - official media partner.
Good afternoon, participants and organizers!
Information about the gala concert in 2025 and a video recording of the official award ceremony and the performances of the awarded participants:
https://operabourgas.com/…/-sara-nora-prima-zavarshi…
Tickets: for the competition days - from 6 pm, as well as for the gala concert - on July 11 at 7 pm - at the Opera box office, "Clock" box office, as well as on Grabo.bg and Eventim. BG.
