OVATION FOR SONYA YONCHEVA AT THE CONCERT AT THE LJUBLJANA FESTIVAL
Bulgarian opera singer Sonya Yoncheva received a standing ovation at her concert as part of the Ljubljana International Summer Festival on July 27th. The soprano's first visit to Slovenia was entitled "Evening with opera arias and duets", dedicated entirely to the Italian composer Giacomo Puccini. Fans of classical music had the opportunity to enjoy performances of fragments from the operas "Tosca", "Madame Butterfly", "Sister Angelica", "Bohemia", "Fedora" and others.
Yoncheva had to appear on stage together with the famous Slovenian tenor Branko Robinsak, whose participation was canceled due to health reasons. At last night's concert he was replaced by Martin Sushnik - soloist of the Opera in Maribor. The two performers were accompanied by the orchestra of the Slovenian National Opera and Ballet under the direction of the Italian Francesco Ivan Ciampa - director and artistic director of the Philharmonic di Beneveto and the competition "Pascale Papano".
The audience under the open stage on Congress Square in Ljubljana repeatedly applauded the opera star from Bulgaria, known as a guest soloist at the Metropolitan Opera in New York, the Milan Scala, the Berlin Philharmonic, the Teatro Real in Madrid and others.
At a press conference before the concert, the conductor Fr. Chiampa, who has performed more than once with the winner of the Placido Domingo competition "Operalia" (2010), called Yoncheva "an exceptional performer with an angelic voice."
The Slovenian media dedicated numerous flattering publications and reports about the visit of the Plovdiv-born "rising opera diva", highlighting her professional qualities and a series of international awards, "which make her one of the most established representatives of her generation". Today, the gala concert is covered on the front page of the leading newspaper Delo, which estimates that "the evening with Yoncheva, who is making her debut in Ljubljana, undoubtedly lived up to expectations."
The visit of the compared to Maria Callas Sonya Yoncheva was part of her European tour, which, after her arrival from Baden-Baden, includes the festivals in Ljubljana, Salzburg and Verona.
The 69th edition of the prestigious festival (July 1 - September 7) is organized by the Municipality of Ljubljana - in partnership with the Slovenian Philharmonic and the opera institutions in Ljubljana and Maribor and under the auspices of the Association of European Festivals.