Thomas Hampson, a star of the Metropolitan Opera and the most popular American baritone, is returning to Sofia following his extremely successful concert in May 2018. Together with the Sofia Philharmonic, he will present a new programme of beloved arias and duets from popular operas, under the conduction of Maestro Nayden Todorov. His on-stage partner for the event on 31 October 2021 will be a surprise to the audience.

The video greeting on Sofia Opera's YouTube channel opens the curtain for the preparation of the upcoming premiere of the opera Ariadne on Naxos by Richard Strauss, with the soloists of Bulgaria's first opera house, evoking the memory of Anna Tomowa-Sintow's golden roles in the world's major opera houses, with which she remains in the history of opera.

My connection to the audience is intimate. When we are together, I feel profoundly humbled and grateful for their trust and sensitivity towards my work and that of the orchestra. Sometimes, I have the feeling that we become one - a single entity of energy - and that we embark on a musical journey together, says Maestro Sascha Goetzel.

Sofia Philharmonic continues presenting to audiences today's most popular classical music performers. Virtuoso violinist Sergey Khachatryan - the youngest winner in the history of the prestigious international competition Jan Sibelius - will play on the stage of Bulgaria Hall on 23 September. Under the baton of Carrie-Lynn Wilson, he will perform Concerto for Violin and Orchestra No.1 by Max Bruch. Maestra Wilson has also included in the programme Symphonic Poem Vltava by Smetana and Symphony No.1 by Shostakovich, which will be performed by the National Orchestra.

Dead Can Dance return to stages across Europe in the coming 2022. They have announced the dates for their new European tour named Europa - 2022, which will take place in April, May and June and will also include Bulgaria. The date for the performance in Sofia is already confirmed for 14 May and the place is Hall 1 of the National Palace of Culture.

Two-time Echo Klassik Award winner Sebastian Knauer has agreed to step in for pianist Stephen Kovacevich after it became clear that he might be unable to enter the country due to the newly introduced measures to combat the spread of Covid-19. Sebastian Knauer promptly shuffled his busy schedule to make room for a performance in Sofa. He is set to play Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 9 under the conduction of Adrian Prabava.

The new album of the world-famous Bulgarian kaval player Theodosii Spassov will be titled Icy Eyes. The album will be comprised of music Spassov has created during his travel to Antarctica.

World-renowned conductor Valery Gergiev and soloists of the Mariinsky Theatre Symphony Orchestra, together with the Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra will perform a charity concert in support of the initiative to build a new acoustic musical complex in Bulgaria. The project is designed to have the potential of turning into a temple of spirit and culture for the coming generations of young people and to set the city of Sofia next to the major cultural centres of the world.

“This is my second time in Sofia and I am really happy because I am about to take the stage outside one of the biggest Orthodox cathedrals in Europe.

Sonya Yoncheva has won the Singer of the Year honour from the 2021 Opus Klassik Awards. The Bulgarian soprano earned that recognition for her English-language Rebirth album, her team revealed.