Stara Zagora Municipality supports the Stara Zagora Opera with additional funding for the opera Rigoletto at the National Palace of Culture
News публикувана на: 05.12.2025
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Mayor Zhivko Todorov: "State Opera - Stara Zagora" creates productions at a high professional level. You have our full support
Today, Mayor Zhivko Todorov held a working meeting with part of the team of the State Opera - Stara Zagora, in connection with the premiere of the opera Rigoletto, which on 17 December 2025 at 19.00 will be performed for the first time on a Sofia stage - in the National Palace of Culture. In order to ensure the necessary preparation and to guarantee the successful presentation of the performance, the Municipality of Stara Zagora will allocate additional funding in the amount of 20 thousand BGN.
The meeting was attended by the deputy mayors of Stara Zagora Municipality - Milena Zheleva, Svetoslav Kolev and arch. Martin Paskalev. From the side of the Opera attended the deputy director for technical part Radostina Doneva, deputy director Krasimir Chervilov, chief accountant Dian Chukanov, Georgi Mitev, marketing director and Uliana Kyoseva, public relations.
"You are producing at an extremely high professional level - such achievements deserve our full support. Our policy is to encourage and support cultural institutes, because it is through them that our city acquires its cultural image," said Mayor Zhivko Todorov.
"We are grateful for the attitude and constant support to our work all these years. We are glad that there are mayors like you who understand how vital it is to support culture - not only for our institution, but also for the overall cultural life and image of the city," said the opera.
The opera Rigoletto will be presented for the first time on a Sofia stage and has been chosen by the National Palace of Culture to open the 39th edition of the traditional New Year's music festival. "Rigoletto brings together an international creative team, including the world-renowned opera singer and conductor José Cura, director Ognian Draganov and Romanian artist Catalin Ionescu-Arbore, the author of the costumes and the impressive set design. The New Year Music Festival at the National Palace of Culture attracts significant national and international interest and underlines the leading role of the Stara Zagora Opera as a key cultural institution outside the capital.
The Jubilee Year 2025 is particularly significant for the Stara Zagora Opera House - it marks 100 years since its establishment with special performances, operas, ballets and other cultural events. The FOBI Festival, which this year featured a very strong and impressive edition, further establishes Stara Zagora as a leading festival city. On 7 December at 7 p.m. is the finale of FOBI with Richard Wagner's opera Tannhäuser, presented by the Sofia Opera.
Mayor Zhivko Todorov was also introduced to the current challenges facing the Stara Zagora Opera. "Let us continue to work together, hand in hand. No matter what difficulties arise, our goal is to jointly seek solutions and ensure the successful development and high professional level of the opera," Mayor Todorov said at the end of the meeting.
Text and photo Stara Zagora Municipality Press Centre
