28 april 2026 Renowned Conductor and Distinguished Singers Present "Aida"

The last event of the State Opera – Burgas for the month is the large-scale performance of one of the most popular operas by Giuseppe Verdi – “Aida” – on April 30 at 7 p.m. In the hall of the Burgas Cultural Institute on Thursday, the exciting story of the Ethiopian princess in slavery, Aida, the pharaoh’s daughter Amneris, and the Egyptian military leader Radames, for whose heart the two beauties compete, will come to life. “Aida” has not been presented on the Opera stage since October 2024, and in the last two years, it caused a furor during the “Opera of the Sanctuary” festival – on the open stage of the Thracian sanctuary Begliktash, Primorsko Municipality.

Under the baton of the renowned conductor Ivan Kozhuharov, who in April was behind the stage of the successful performances of "The Queen of the Czardas", "My Fair Lady", "The Barber of Seville" and "Il Trovatore", on April 30 the musicians of the orchestra will once again be fully dedicated to recreating Verdi's beautiful music, charged with an incomparable emotional and meaningful charge.

The magnificent opera artists - in the same composition in which "Aida" was presented with exceptional success in the fourth festival evening of the "Opera of the Sanctuary" in August 2025: Yoana Zhelezcheva, Valery Georgiev, Daniela Dyakova, Maryan Yovanoski, Delyan Slavov, Kostadin Mechkov, and others. It will fill the hall of the Opera and transport the audience to ancient times, in which, however, human passions are identical to the feelings that we experience in modern times. Those present will immerse themselves in the atmosphere of Ancient Egypt, with its characteristic symbols and artifacts – pyramids, Egyptian frescoes, mysterious sphinxes, as the visual environment flows into the stage action, enhancing the psychological impact and overall sensory perception in an impressive way.

The soloists – each of them with an impressive artistic career- will not only be impressive as an individual performance, but will also build a common artistic suggestion – shocking, captivating the senses, carrying messages. The role of Aida is one of the emblematic ones for Yoana Zhelezcheva, who masters every phrase, scene, ensemble, and semantic point of the opera in detail. Her powerful and penetrating voice, which, however, also possesses gentle-lyrical parameters, as well as exceptional spiritual strength and impact, helps to completely build the image of the enslaved Ethiopian princess. Ioana Zhelezcheva’s Aida is marked by both softness and strength, with an inner yearning for love and an outer expression of the impossibility of its fulfillment due to the tragic force of circumstances. She builds an astonishing dynamic in the heavy soprano part, saturated with drama and psychologism, especially in the quiet, muted nuances. In both artistry and vocal achievement, her role is flawlessly presented. With a remarkable ease of flowing tones in the interpretation of the part and impressive technical parameters of the performance, she remains an unsurpassed Aida, affecting with voice and presence.

Another prominent Bulgarian opera singer, mezzo-soprano Daniela Dyakova, will be sweeping in the role of Aida’s rival in love, Amneris. Dyakova is completely absorbed in the dynamics of the image of the powerful ruler, in love with Radames, from whom she is repelled due to his irresistible feelings for the Ethiopian princess in slavery - Aida. An exceptionally powerful voice, resonating amid the impressive scenery, irresistible charisma, and inner strength, radiates through her every gesture and tone, presenting the remarkable mezzo-soprano. Daniela Dyakova weaves her feminine radiance and her beautiful timbre in the construction of the princess torn by doubts and jealousy, who keeps in her heart both passion and devotion, cruelty, revenge, and typically female grief, which is devastating for her essence. Despair, irreconcilability with the emotional loss of the beloved man, intertwined with sincere suffering and pain in its purely human dimensions, give a special color to the image of Amneris. She is imposing – as a resonance of the affected sweeping power of the voice and presence, and in one of her most characteristic roles, her complex qualities as a creator are reflected undeniably.

In the role of Radames – an Egyptian noble warrior, who became the cause of the heart clashes of Aida and Amneris and stepped over the family orders because of the strength of his own feelings, for whose heart the two beauties are fighting, convincing and unappealing in vocal terms is the tenor Valery Georgiev. He unfolds his powerful vocal range – with emotional scope, artistry, respectful presence, radiating a truly regal bearing and inspiring both respect and human sympathy – due to the personal choice of the heart, which opposes his family duty. The tenor is famous for the rich range of his voice with the so-called Rossini heights, which very few tenors in the world possess. The image of Radames is characterized by his heartfelt aspirations, contrary to logic and pragmatic choices, which are subordinate to his love for the Ethiopian captive Aida. 

The final scene of the walling up of the living Aida and Radames remains in the mind for a long time with the dramatic nature of the musical expression, characterized by a muffled, mournful tone. However, it does not so much emphasize the despair of imminent death, but rather sounds like an apotheosis of love and one of the brightest symbols of immortality, embodied in the merging souls of two lovers, although doomed, here, in the earthly dimensions.

The soloist of the National Opera and Ballet of the Republic of North Macedonia and the State Opera - Burgas - the remarkable baritone Marian Jovanoski entered the image of the captured by the Egyptians king of Ethiopia Amonasro, father of Aida. His powerful timbre is not only respectful with its exceptional impact power, but also emotionally conquers the audience, with the added soul nuances of a suffering father who recruits his daughter to help the captured compatriots through her irresistible influence on her beloved Radames. The distinguished baritone gives the image a unique suggestion and dignity by adhering to the power of the law, regardless of the unbearable grief caused to his daughter, Aida.

Bright and memorable images are also created by the basses Delyan Slavov, as the High Priest of Egypt Ramfis – his impressive bass timbre is like a symbol of the fusion of the will of the deities and the human destinies they rule; and Kostadin Mechkov – in the image of the Pharaoh of Egypt, who also presents himself with all the dignity that the character requires.

The wonderful opera artists also fit into the overall splendor of the production: soprano Stefka Hristozova, in the role of the Priestess, announcing the beginning of the sacred ancient Egyptian rituals, and tenor Milen Dinolov, in the image of the Herald.

An important part of the overall picture of the completed musical and stage product of the magnificent spectacle will be the choir with conductor Alexander Chepanov, merging with the messages of the score in building the suggestion woven into the storyline and presenting the large-scale epic picture of antiquity.

The choreography of Prof. Hikmet Mehmedov, which is also in sync with the ancient Egyptian culture and the specificity of costumes and movements, performed by the ballet of the Burgas Opera, is also wonderfully thematically incorporated. The artist Chavdar Chomakov is the artist who created the magnificent, respectful atmosphere in Egypt, with emblematic artifacts.

The director of the production is Pavel Gerdzhikov, concertmaster – Vanya Zlateva, assistant directors of the production are Lina Peeva and Petar Tiholov, ballet rehearser – Marina Zmeeva-Markova, accompanist is Raina Popova, and the subtitles are the work of Srebrina Slavova. The orchestra, choir, and ballet of the State Opera – Burgas take part in the large-scale, attractive spectacle.

. The beautiful, affecting voices of the soloists will sound powerfully and affectingly on April 30 at the Opera, bringing legends from antiquity – about the dilemma between feelings and duty to the Motherland, about jealousy, revenge, and the irrevocable power of love.