Absolutely gorgeous, full of joy and optimism, operatic soprano Sonya Yoncheva arrived in Sofia a few days ahead of her concert with the Sofia Philharmonic. The event is planned for the Orthodox Palm Sunday, 5 April, and will be held at Bulgaria Hall. The program features works by Massenet and Puccini. A few duets will be performed by the Met star and her brother Marin Yonchev. The conductor will be Domingo Hindoyan who has worked with prestigious orchestras like Philharmonia Orchestra, Royal Scottish National Theater and is first assistant of Daniel Barenboim at Staatsoper - Berlin for season 2014-2015. Maestro Hindoyan is in fact married to Ms. Yoncheva, and the two arrived in Bulgaria with their 6-month-old son.

More from Victor Stoyanov, Director of the Sofia Philharmonic.

“We have provided this nice surprise for the Bulgarian audience in cooperation with the America for Bulgaria Foundation. Sonya Yoncheva is one of the brightest stars in the world of opera today. Her career is virtually booming and she is booked for years to come. Despite her tight schedule however, she has found time to come to her motherland to the delight of the admirers of classical music.”

In the recent years Sonya Yoncheva has launched a remarkable career that was given an impetus by her winning appearance at the Operalia competition organized and conducted by Placido Domingo.

"I am happy that I will be on stage Bulgaria Hall. I am looking forward to the concert with great excitement”, Sonya Yoncheva said and added:

"Bulgaria is my home. Even after I have been away for many years, this will never change. My family and friends are here. I feel obliged to tell the world that this country has always produced great operatic talent. Moreover Bulgaria takes care of and supports classical music talent. I want to tell everybody that above all I am Bulgarian. I always accentuate that when talking to foreign media, and I insist this being written in reports and articles. I remember that when I started my operatic singing training I sang an aria from the opera Aika by Bulgarian composer Parashkev Hadzhiev. It was such a great experience. I love very much The Blue Eyed, a song by Georgi Zlatev-Cherkin. We were singing it with my teacher in Plovdiv Nelly Koycheva. I should like to thank her a lot. Today she lives in Japan but we keep in touch and her advice is very precious to me. One day I should like to present a program with Bulgarian works. People across the world are curious and eager to discover all tones in the voices of opera singers. And, mind you, when one sings in their native language, they show a different aspect of their talent.”

English Daniela Konstantinova