Established in 1996 by Ivan Kyurkchiev, OPERA VERDI is based on the great traditions of the art of opera in Bulgaria and presents unique productions combining the best of the opera worlds of Bulgaria and all of Europe.

The performances of OPERA VERDI are co-productions of the major opera houses of Bulgaria, theatres where many eminent singers have started their world careers, including Ghena Dimitrova, Vesselina Katsarova, Nikolay Gjaurov and many others. It speaks for itself that the world-renowned singers including Orlin Anastassov and Dario Volonte made their opera debuts with the productions of Ivan Kyurkchiev, productions that were presented throughout Europe on tour. The company collaborates not only with Bulgarian opera theatres and symphony orchestras (among which are the Sofia National Opera, Sofia Radio Orchestra and Mixed Choir, Plovdiv State Opera and Philharmonic Society, Varna Opera and Philharmonic Society and Stara Zagora State Opera Theater), but also with opera houses from Bucharest and Konstantsa (Romania), Budapest (Hungary), Chisinau (Moldavia), Kiev (Ukraine) and many others.

The rapid artistic and professional development of the company was mostly due to the direction from the beginning of such distinguished conductors as Nayden Todorov, Luciano di Martino, Hristo Ignatov; stage directors including Prof.Pavel Gerdjikov, Boyko Bogdanov, Kuzman Popov, Nina Naydenova and choreographers Krzyzstof Pastor and Craig Revel Horwood. Opera Verdi’s roster of distinguished singers, its impressive choir, ballet and orchestra has obtained an interpretive maturity in many different styles. The members of the orchestra, choir and ballet were carefully selected from among the best Bulgarian musicians, singers and dancers.

Rich in its genre, the repertoire of OPERA VERDI includes wide spectrum of opera works: Otello, Nabucco, Aida, Turandot, Don Carlo, La Traviata, Lucia di Lammermoor, La Boheme, Il Trovatore, Un Ballo in Maschera and productions of the Mozart and Verdi Requiems, among other works.

The international stature of OPERA VERDI is demonstrated by the company’s participation in the thrilling “super-productions” of La Traviata at the Munchen Olympiahalle in December 2001, Carmen in Arnhem (Holland), Nabucco and Rigoletto in Rotterdam and Aida at Arena auf Schalke in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, as well as acclaimed productions at the Stade de France in Paris in September 2001, and the Grossefestspiehalle in Salzburg, Austria in January 2001 and 2002 – all of them realized in collaboration with the Dutch promoters agency“Companions”.

The open-air performances given by OPERA VERDI across Europe deserve special mention among the company’s activities. Most memorable was the presentation of Aida and Nabucco at the unique natural stage of Castelgrande (“The Great Castle”) in Bellinzona, Switzerland during its Second and Third Opera Festival. The performances took place with the participation of the State Philharmonic Orchestra and the massive choir of the Opera House of Plovdiv under the baton of Maestro Luciano di Martino and featuring soloists Orlin Anastassov, Boyko Tsvetanov, Roman Mayboroda and Emilia Boteva.

The creative achievements of OPERA VERDI have also gained international recognition on many more of the world’s most prestigious opera stages, including Salzburg (Austria), Solingen, Remscheid, Schweinfurt (Germany), Zurich (Switzerland), Madrid and Valencia (Spain), Lisbon and Oporto (Portugal).

The company undertakes its first tour of the United States of America under the auspices of Columbia Artists Management, Inc. in Autumn 2003.