A sophisticated lady with impeccable looks and in enviable physical shape, Svetlana Ivanova does not at all look her age. Maybe that's why she does not mention the exact anniversary that she celebrates on October 24 in the Music Theatre Stefan Makedonski, the music institution with which she has connected decades of her life and from whose stage she continues to delight her fans. She says that with love and gratitude she still keeps all letters, short notes, even poetry, which her admirers have dedicated to her over the years.

 "We are on stage for them, and they came in the room to watch us and listen to us. This is an inviolable connection," the famous believes. She also stresses that the operetta is a collective art and beauty lies in the variety of different arts which it combines.

For her anniversary concert she has selected only a small portion of her more than 50 roles. Together with colleagues from the Musical Theatre she will perform excerpts from operettas by Emmerich Kalman, Franz Lehár, Johann Strauss and others.

Surely her fans will be able to hear the Czardas of Maritza from Countess Maritza of Emmerich Kalman. In order to really "get under the skin" of this character, Svetlana studied the real-life story of Countess Esterhazy - a prototype of Maritsa. "She was only 17 years old, beautiful and full of vigour. Most men were after her money, but she knew this and sought true love," says the singer. Here is the recording of this excerpt.

How did it all start for her?

"I grew up in a family of cosmopolitan personalities and almost from infancy I have traveled the world with my parents”, the singer says. “But I spent my conscious childhood and adolescence in Varna. I graduated from the High School of Music in Varna where I had the incredible opportunity to study in the class of Veselina Zafirova - my vocal coach. She gave me so much - professional knowledge and skills, general knowledge, she taught me how to behave on stage and in society. I can say that I have always had great luck with my professors. I also was in touch with great personalities even as I studied at the Music Academy in Sofia. I graduated a master class with Tamara Gorinova. While still at university, I started working as a soloist with the Svetoslav Obretenov Choral Chapel. The conductor then was Georgi Robev - an outstanding musician. With the chapel choir we toured all over the world, we participated in various productions and met with great conductors - Zubin Mehta, Yevgeny Svetlanov, Michel Plasson. Unforgettable are the roles that I played under the baton of Ruslan Raichev and Boris Hinchev”, Svetlana Ivanova further recalls.

"Being in the musical theater I felt like I was "kissed by destiny," Svetlana adds. “There was a shining galaxy of legendary artists who received me very warmly - Minko Bosev, Vidin Daskalov, Liliana Kisyova, Donna Shishmanova, Liliana Koshloukova, Lyudmila Cheshmedzhieva... I cannot mention everyone, but this was the best master class for me - good attitude, and the experience that they gave me. It was an honor to partner with them. Now I, in turn, try to "pass the torch" to the younger generation, working with SvetYulka Children's Musical Theater with the Petar Beron community center in the capital. I want to keep the tradition of these rich and beautiful musical genres - the operetta and the musical. When I graduated the academy, everyone told me I should become an opera singer. But I was convinced that my field should be different. Along with the music education, since childhood I have been dealing with dance, artistic speech and acting. Where else could I unite all this as a performer if not in the classical operetta and musical. It is so joyful here, there is good music, beautiful dances, beautiful scenery. At least for the duration of the show people forget about their problems and enjoy art and rejoice. This is everything the artist needs nowadays."

Director of the anniversary performance is Alexander Mutafchiyski, conductor is Yuli Damyanov. The cast includes famous soloists of the musical theater as well as the orchestra, choir and ballet.

The audio file includes performances of Svetlana Ivanova of the following works:

-  Czardas of Maritza from Countess Maritza of Emmerich Kalman

-  Aria of Safi from Act 1 of The Gypsy Baron (Der Zigeunerbaron) by Johann Strauss

-  Aria of Helen from the Beautiful Helen of Jacques Offenbach

English Rossitsa Petcova