Bulgarian Opera diva Raina Kabaivanska became the first foreign national to receive the prestigious Italian award Maria Callas. She is distinguished with the award for her contribution to the glory of Arena di Verona . Raina Kabaivanska made her debut on the stage of the famous ancient theater in Verona in 1970 in Manon Lescaut and performed there for the last time in 1997 in Madame Butterfly (photo on the right). Photos: Arena di Verona

On the occasion of the anniversary since the election of the city of Plovdiv as European Capital of Culture, the space above the main pedestrian street and cultural environment, an special art installation was put up. It consist of two pieces of transparent fabric, spreading above the street and containing the names of all 60 capitals of culture proclaimed so far, written in Bulgarian and English, as well as the names of places that are yet to take over the title of Capital of Culture.  Photo: Ekaterina Kostova/Radio Plovdiv