La Traviata in Burgas: Glamour and Tragedy on the Opera Stage

One of the most performed opera titles – “La Traviata” by Giuseppe Verdi, will be a brilliant highlight in the November program of the State Opera – Burgas. On November 24, Monday. from 7:00 PM on the stage of the Burgas Opera, a whole host of wonderful opera artists will appear. They will tell the tragic story of a beautiful love, subject to pure heartfelt impulses, but overshadowed by prejudice and the fateful relentlessness – in Verdi's masterpiece, under the baton of the distinguished Bulgarian master behind the conductor's desk, who has built a world career and recognition and has the energy and impressive experience to turn every event into a musical celebration – Ivan Kozhukharov, chief conductor of the State Opera – Burgas and honorary citizen of Burgas.

The charming soprano Ilina Mihailova, soloist of the State Opera – Varna and recently – of the State Opera – Burgas, well known to the Burgas audience from her brilliant and emotionally captivating roles in: "My Fair Lady", "The Barber of Seville", Rigoletto", her participation in “Zarzuela – Fire and Passion” and others. Memorable were her participations in performances of "La Traviata" in March 2022 – on the stage of the Opera, and in July 2025 – in the Summer Theatre of Burgas. The multifaceted artistic range of the magnificent singer will be presented in the emblematic soprano role – for the opera world, and also for the wider audience – of Violetta Valery, torn apart by dramatic passions with a tragic nuance. She is incredibly impressive in the image – charming, exceptionally talented and artistic, woven from the nuances of the entire spectrum of sensuality, impeccable in vocal terms.

The charismatic tenor from Venezuela Reinaldo Droz will perform on the stage of the Burgas Opera in the image of Alfredo Germont. The Burgas audience knows him from his brilliant role as Rudolf in a performance of “La Bohème” in October 2024, as well as from his participation in the concert “Zarzuela – Fire and Passion”, which officially closed this year's Burgas Musical Holidays “Emil Chakurov”. The young tenor is a graduate of Raina Kabaivanska and the winner of the 12th International Opera Competition “Anita Cherqueti" in Montecosaro, Italy. For several seasons he has been a staff soloist of the State Opera – Varna, and recently – also of the State Opera – Burgas. He has performed as a soloist in productions of the Sofia Opera and Ballet and on other stages in Bulgaria.

In the image of his father – Giorgio Germont, is another great Bulgarian opera singer – the baritone Alexander Krunev. The eminent baritone has a rich stage experience in roles of different styles and temperaments. In the image, the doyen Krunev is at his usual height – respecting and at the same time brilliantly presenting the metamorphoses in his soul that have led to his transformation. The eminent Bulgarian baritone is irrefutable – as a presentation, dignified, inspiring and awe-inspiring, and human sympathy, torn between the duty of a father and the sense of justice.

In the role of the friend from the high society of Paris in the middle of the 19th century – Flora Bervoix, is the charismatic mezzo-soprano Yoana Kadiyska. She is bright, stylish and creates a convincing image of a frivolous aristocrat who is not devoid of mercy and compassion.

Brilliant and fitting into the overall picture of the exciting performance will be all soloists, musicians from the orchestral ensemble, artists from the choir and ballet. Darina Zapryanova enters the image of Violetta Valery's faithful maid – Annina, the bass Kostadin Mechkov will be in the role of Baron Douphol, the baritone Andrey Yurkovsky – Marquis d’Obigny, Milen Dinolov – Viscount Gaston de Letorières, Diman Panchev – Doctor Grenvil, Miroslav Dimitrov – Joseph and Nikolay Nikolov – Servant of Flora. The conductor of the choir, to whom an important role in the overall development of the plot action is assigned, is Alexander Chepanov, the concertmaster is Hristo Belchev. The attractive choreography, which has blended vigorously into the spectrum of colors and emotions in the performance, is the work of Galina Kalcheva, the assistant directors of the production are Lina Peeva and Petar Tiholov, the repetiteur – Raina Popova, the ballet ensemble repetiteur is Marina Zmeeva-Markova. The magnificent direction of “La Traviata” is by Prof. Dr. Alexander Tekeliev and combines original techniques and an unconventional approach to building the images in the dramatic plot based on the novel by Alexandre Dumas – son. Attractive and containing an allegorical charge is the scenography by Katalin Arbore /Romania/, in which mirror images are used – as a symbol of the spiritual metamorphoses. Arbore is also the author of the beautiful stage costumes for the production “La Traviata”. 

Those present at the performance on Monday will be charmed and excited – thanks to the beautiful music, the inspired performers, the stylish scenography with metaphorical messages and something that is not subject to conventional description – charm, excitement, contact with the sublime.

Under the baton of Ivan Kozhukharov, the tragic story of a beautiful love, subject to pure heartfelt impulses, but overshadowed by prejudice and the fateful relentlessness will be told.

A magnificent link between music, dramatic messages, mirror effects of the original scenographic solutions, which seem to reflect the inner world and contradictions in the plane of different perspectives, revealing unsuspected truths – about people, relationships and interdependencies. The visual-semantic leitmotif of the camellias /synchronous with the literary source of the libretto "The Lady of the Camellias" by Alexandre Dumas-son/ runs throughout the action – as a symbol of worldly splendor and frivolity, as well as the lost hopes, crushed by the decisions of Fate /in the form of the unposted letters thrown on the mirrored floor to the beloved/.

The story of "La Traviata" is an eternal and always exciting story – about love, self-sacrifice, redemption and death. Do not miss an aesthetic experience with high artistic and emotional value on November 24 at 7:00 PM on the stage of the State Opera – Burgas!

Tickets for “La Traviata” - at the Opera box office, "Clock" box office, in Grabo-https://grabo.bg/burgas/operata-traviata-083bd?fbclid=IwY2xjawONJqNleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETBZeFBTejhYcDRiQ2dZaUxsc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHpj3HwHWfXkq4OC3rB9HXUYSLJmaw0bRSZaPfTOEid9Y1VOLK5zL4m-xXTTh_aem_ME0y6pcYiWGNcypSgkqqSw and Eventim - https://www.eventim.bg/bg/bileti/traviata-burgas-drzhavna-opera-1528175/performance.html.