Burgas State Opera stages Verdi's "La Traviata" on Friday, 23 October, at 7pm, the opera house said. Ivan Kozhuharov conducts, and the lead roles go to Ilina Mihaylova, Reynaldo Droz, Alexander Krunev and Maria Yurkovskaya.

"La Traviata" is one of the most performed operas in the world. It is based on the novel by Alexandre Dumas the younger and tells of a tragic love that runs into prejudice. Its themes are love, sacrifice, redemption and death.

Soprano Ilina Mihaylova sings Violetta Valéry. She is a soloist at Varna Opera and has also sung in Burgas for a year. Audiences in Burgas have seen her in "My Fair Lady", "The Barber of Seville", "Rigoletto" and "The Marriage of Figaro", as well as in the concerts "Love Without Translation" and "Love, Champagne and Can-Can".

Venezuelan tenor Reynaldo Droz sings Alfredo Germont. He studied with Raina Kabaivanska and won the 12th "Anita Cerquetti" international opera competition in Montecosaro, Italy. He has been a full-time soloist in Varna for several seasons and has been in the Burgas company for a year. He has also sung in productions at Sofia Opera and Ballet and on other stages in Bulgaria.

Mihaylova and Droz have already performed "La Traviata" together in Burgas, in November 2025 and in February this year.

Baritone Alexander Krunev sings Alfredo's father, Giorgio Germont.

Mezzo-soprano Maria Yurkovskaya makes her debut as Flora Bervoix. In 2025 she won second prize at the "Stoyan Popov" international competition for opera singers. On the Burgas stage she has sung Rosina in "The Barber of Seville", Mercedes in "Carmen", Zerlina in "Don Giovanni", Fenena in "Nabucco" and Cherubino in "The Marriage of Figaro". She also took part in the concert "A Neapolitan Evening at the Opera". Both she and Mihaylova have also sung in the concert show "Zarzuela – Fire and Passion".

Darina Zapryanova plays Violetta's maid, Annina, and Miroslav Dimitrov plays her servant Joseph. Milen Dinolov is Viscount Gaston de Letorières, and Kostadin Mechkov is Baron Douphol, Alfredo's rival. Andrey Yurkovsky sings Marquis d'Obigny, Diman Panchev is Doctor Grenvil, and Nikolay Nikolov plays Flora's servant.

The opera's orchestra, chorus and ballet also appear on stage. The chorus, which has a big part in driving the action, is led by conductor Alexander Chepanov. Hristo Belchev is concertmaster, Galina Kalcheva is choreographer, and Marina Zmeeva-Markova is the ballet's rehearsal coach.

Prof. Dr Alexander Tekeliev directs, with assistant directors Lina Peeva and Petar Tiholov. Catalin Arbore from Romania designed the sets and costumes. In the set she has placed mirror images that show the changes in the characters' souls.

On 19 October we reported that Burgas State Opera brings back "The Csárdás Princess" on 20 October, directed by Alexander Tekeliev and conducted by Ivan Kozhuharov. The singers included Maria Yurkovskaya, Diman Panchev, Miroslav Dimitrov and Milen Dinolov.

Tickets are on sale at the opera box office, at the "Chasovnika" ticket office, and on Grabo and Eventim.