Every late summer, Bansko becomes Bulgaria’s opera town

For a few nights every late summer, opera finds a home in Bansko. From August 27 to 29, the Pirin mountain resort will host three evenings of opera and musical theatre as part of Bansko Opera Fest. Held since 2010, the festival will feature a musical, a comic opera and an opera and operetta gala. Events will also extend beyond the main stage for the second year running, with classical performances at several locations around Bansko.

The festival opens on August 27 with Notre-Dame de Paris, one of the most successful contemporary French-language musicals. Directed by Petko Bonev and conducted by Stratsimir Pavlov, the production combines sets, costumes and choreography with 3D mapping. Victor Hugo’s story will be performed in the original French with Bulgarian subtitles. Liliya Ilieva-Mihaylova appears as Esmeralda and Velin Mihaylov as Quasimodo, joined by the soloists, chorus, orchestra and ballet of the Varna State Opera.

On August 28, the festival continues with Gaetano Donizetti’s Don Pasquale, one of the best-loved comic operas in the operatic repertoire. Conducted by Svetoslav Borisov and directed by Srebrina Sokolova, the production stars American tenor Samuel Robertson alongside Aleksandrina Mihaylova, who has studied under renowned Bulgarian soprano Raina Kabaivanska.

The festival closes on August 29 with an opera and operetta gala featuring pop singer and actor Orlin Pavlov as special guest. Also appearing are Aleksandrina Mihaylova, Zhana Kostova, Liliya Ilieva-Mihaylova, Samuel Robertson, Velin Mihaylov and Svilen Nikolov, accompanied by the Varna Opera Orchestra conducted by Svetoslav Borisov.

Editor: Tsvetana Toncheva
Supervising editor: E. Karkalanova