GALA IN SOFIA 2026 - FESTIVE TWO DAYS PASS
from 25.08
to 27.08
to 27.08
GALA IN SOFIA 2026 - FESTIVE TWO DAYS PASS
Alexander Nevsky Square Alexander Nevsky Square, Sofia
Alexander Nevsky Square Alexander Nevsky Square, Sofia
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Sonya Yoncheva shines in “Tosca” with Jonas Kaufmann and “Blue Night” with David Garrett
On August 25 and 27, in the spiritual heart of the Bulgarian capital, the already emblematic and traditional “Gala in Sofia” will take place - this time in its largest and most emotional festival format to date. On the grand stage at St. Alexander Nevsky Square, alongside the Bulgarian opera prima, producer and publisher Sonya Yoncheva, will stand the No. 1 tenor of our time, Jonas Kaufmann, and the global sensation in classical and popular music - violinist David Garrett. Both are megastars in their respective fields. Their appearance on this most prestigious Bulgarian stage is in line with Sonya Yoncheva’s mission to turn Bulgaria into an attractive destination for performances by the greatest classical artists of the 21st century, on the one hand, and, on the other, to ensure that Bulgarian culture is spoken about more often and with ever greater dignity around the world.
During the first festival evening, opera lovers will be able to enjoy the most majestic and popular operatic thriller of all time - “Tosca” by Giacomo Puccini. The role of the Roman diva is a signature one for Sonya Yoncheva, and with it she has conquered all the most prestigious stages in the world: from her debut in the role directly at the Metropolitan Opera in New York in 2018, through Arena di Verona, the Vienna State Opera, the Royal Opera House in London, the Rome Opera, the Berlin State Opera, Baden-Baden, Gstaad, all the way to Japan and many other stages, in productions broadcast on television screens and in cinemas around the world. For critics, Sonya Yoncheva is the benchmark Tosca of the 21st century, while Jonas Kaufmann is the most passionate, technically accomplished and compelling Cavaradossi, always met with thunderous applause and indescribable enthusiasm from audiences in his role as the painter-revolutionary. The two performed “Tosca” with great success on the stage of the Zurich Opera in the autumn of last year. They have also partnered in “Don Carlos” at the Paris Opera, “Andrea Chénier” on the stage of La Scala in Milan, in a concert marking the 100th anniversary of the opera festival at Arena di Verona, and Sonya Yoncheva also took part in the German tenor’s album of love arias and duets.
“After having presented ‘Tosca’ all over the world, I decided to place the culmination of this unique journey around the globe in the role of the temperamental and religious prima donna, who devoted her life to art and love, precisely before my Bulgarian audience and under the dome of our largest memorial cathedral,” Sonya Yoncheva emphasized.
“Tosca” is the first opera of the 20th century, with its world premiere in 1900, and its themes of power, corruption, passion, revolution, crime and redemption sound especially relevant today. Experiencing Puccini’s opera is an invitation to everyone to reflect on the world around us through the cathartic power of art and love. In the role of the iconic villain Baron Scarpia, Bulgarian audiences will have the unique chance to see one of the most current stars on the international stage - Russian baritone Igor Golovatenko, with whom Sonya Yoncheva partnered in 2025 on the stage of the Met in New York in the operas “The Queen of Spades” and “Andrea Chénier”. Critics regard him as an absolute discovery and phenomenon among baritones.
During the second festival evening, we present David Garrett. The German violinist has been described as “the Paganini among pop stars” and “the Jimi Hendrix among classical musicians”. Thanks to his visionary approach to building bridges between different eras, genres and styles, he brings people together through the magic of his mega-spectacles and shines equally brightly in his interpretations of Mozart and Metallica. The creative meeting between Sonya Yoncheva and David Garrett is unprecedented and will present Bulgarian audiences with the best of both artists’ styles, united under the motto of the evening, “Blue Night”.
“Blue blood, blue sky, blue sea, a blue expanse of melodies, crossover arrangements and remixes of classical compositions and contemporary evergreens - this combination will prove to everyone that music is a time machine, the most universal language, destined to build a bridge between people in these troubled times in which we live,” Yoncheva further emphasized.
David Garrett is known for his vivid stage presence, strong charisma, virtuoso command of the violin, his ability to tell emotional stories through his music and to create captivating multimedia and multi-genre spectacles for his millions of fans around the world. He performs in some of the most astonishing places on the planet and is an absolute favorite of megastars and loyal fans across the globe.
The Sofia Opera will take part in the “Gala in Sofia” 2026 festival. The ensembles of the largest, most authoritative and longest-standing national cultural institution for classical music and opera are the most fitting partner for such large-scale and prestigious spectacles. The conductor of “Tosca” with Sonya Yoncheva and Jonas Kaufmann will be Prof. Grigor Palikarov - one of the most respected and successful Bulgarian musical leaders and educators at home and abroad. The “Smiling Stars” children’s choir will also take part. The conductor of “Blue Night” with Sonya Yoncheva and David Garrett will be Maestro Leonardo Sini - the young and attractive sensation of the Italian school, especially in verismo.
The organizer of “Gala in Sofia” 2026 is Sonya Yoncheva’s production company SY11 Events, which was also behind “Gala in Sofia” 2021 and 2025, as well as numerous other cultural projects in Bulgaria and abroad. In 2026, “Gala in Sofia” celebrates five years since its first edition and will return in its most impressive format to date, expecting nearly 20,000 people across the two festival evenings on the square and more than 100 musicians, singers and soloists on stage.
The exclusive television partner of the festival is Nova Broadcasting Group. The exclusive radio partner is BG Radio. Media partners include the Bulgarian News Agency (BTA), Bulgarian Artist magazine, Radio 1, the Bulgaria Wants You platform and others.Corporate partners are United Bulgarian Bank (UBB), European Roads, SIAD, Confindustria Bulgaria, Mapei, Unique Estates and Hotel InterContinental.
The event is held with the institutional support of Sofia Municipality, Oborishte District and the Bulgarian Patriarchate. Tickets are available through the Kupibileti.bg network.
About SY11 Events:
Sonya Yoncheva founded her production company SY11 Events in 2020. The mission of the opera prima and her team is to develop diverse projects and events in the field of art and to present them in a new way, attracting audiences of different interests and ages. The major projects carried out by SY11 to date include: the “Homecoming” gala in Plovdiv in 2020, “Gala in Sofia” in 2021, the book “Fifteen Mirrors” in 2023, the album “The Courtesan” in 2023, the recital series “Intimate Voices” seasons 1 and 2 from 2023 to 2025, Bulgarian Artist magazine from 2024 to 2026, the CD “Georges” in 2025, “Gala in Sofia” in 2025 and the Operalia World Opera Competition in 2025. The major highlights in 2026 are the audiovisual project ICON, Bulgarian Artist magazine, which will celebrate 100 years since its first historic issue, Sonya Yoncheva’s first international Thracian Awards for Classical Music on June 23 at the Ancient Theatre in Plovdiv, and “Gala in Sofia” 2026 from August 25 to 27 at St. Alexander Nevsky Square.
Organizer: SY11 EVENTS
Tickets are available only on kupibileti.bg and through our partner network.
kupibileti.bg sells tickets on behalf of and for the account of the organizer and is not responsible for the organization or staging of the event.
On August 25 and 27, in the spiritual heart of the Bulgarian capital, the already emblematic and traditional “Gala in Sofia” will take place - this time in its largest and most emotional festival format to date. On the grand stage at St. Alexander Nevsky Square, alongside the Bulgarian opera prima, producer and publisher Sonya Yoncheva, will stand the No. 1 tenor of our time, Jonas Kaufmann, and the global sensation in classical and popular music - violinist David Garrett. Both are megastars in their respective fields. Their appearance on this most prestigious Bulgarian stage is in line with Sonya Yoncheva’s mission to turn Bulgaria into an attractive destination for performances by the greatest classical artists of the 21st century, on the one hand, and, on the other, to ensure that Bulgarian culture is spoken about more often and with ever greater dignity around the world.
During the first festival evening, opera lovers will be able to enjoy the most majestic and popular operatic thriller of all time - “Tosca” by Giacomo Puccini. The role of the Roman diva is a signature one for Sonya Yoncheva, and with it she has conquered all the most prestigious stages in the world: from her debut in the role directly at the Metropolitan Opera in New York in 2018, through Arena di Verona, the Vienna State Opera, the Royal Opera House in London, the Rome Opera, the Berlin State Opera, Baden-Baden, Gstaad, all the way to Japan and many other stages, in productions broadcast on television screens and in cinemas around the world. For critics, Sonya Yoncheva is the benchmark Tosca of the 21st century, while Jonas Kaufmann is the most passionate, technically accomplished and compelling Cavaradossi, always met with thunderous applause and indescribable enthusiasm from audiences in his role as the painter-revolutionary. The two performed “Tosca” with great success on the stage of the Zurich Opera in the autumn of last year. They have also partnered in “Don Carlos” at the Paris Opera, “Andrea Chénier” on the stage of La Scala in Milan, in a concert marking the 100th anniversary of the opera festival at Arena di Verona, and Sonya Yoncheva also took part in the German tenor’s album of love arias and duets.
“After having presented ‘Tosca’ all over the world, I decided to place the culmination of this unique journey around the globe in the role of the temperamental and religious prima donna, who devoted her life to art and love, precisely before my Bulgarian audience and under the dome of our largest memorial cathedral,” Sonya Yoncheva emphasized.
“Tosca” is the first opera of the 20th century, with its world premiere in 1900, and its themes of power, corruption, passion, revolution, crime and redemption sound especially relevant today. Experiencing Puccini’s opera is an invitation to everyone to reflect on the world around us through the cathartic power of art and love. In the role of the iconic villain Baron Scarpia, Bulgarian audiences will have the unique chance to see one of the most current stars on the international stage - Russian baritone Igor Golovatenko, with whom Sonya Yoncheva partnered in 2025 on the stage of the Met in New York in the operas “The Queen of Spades” and “Andrea Chénier”. Critics regard him as an absolute discovery and phenomenon among baritones.
During the second festival evening, we present David Garrett. The German violinist has been described as “the Paganini among pop stars” and “the Jimi Hendrix among classical musicians”. Thanks to his visionary approach to building bridges between different eras, genres and styles, he brings people together through the magic of his mega-spectacles and shines equally brightly in his interpretations of Mozart and Metallica. The creative meeting between Sonya Yoncheva and David Garrett is unprecedented and will present Bulgarian audiences with the best of both artists’ styles, united under the motto of the evening, “Blue Night”.
“Blue blood, blue sky, blue sea, a blue expanse of melodies, crossover arrangements and remixes of classical compositions and contemporary evergreens - this combination will prove to everyone that music is a time machine, the most universal language, destined to build a bridge between people in these troubled times in which we live,” Yoncheva further emphasized.
David Garrett is known for his vivid stage presence, strong charisma, virtuoso command of the violin, his ability to tell emotional stories through his music and to create captivating multimedia and multi-genre spectacles for his millions of fans around the world. He performs in some of the most astonishing places on the planet and is an absolute favorite of megastars and loyal fans across the globe.
The Sofia Opera will take part in the “Gala in Sofia” 2026 festival. The ensembles of the largest, most authoritative and longest-standing national cultural institution for classical music and opera are the most fitting partner for such large-scale and prestigious spectacles. The conductor of “Tosca” with Sonya Yoncheva and Jonas Kaufmann will be Prof. Grigor Palikarov - one of the most respected and successful Bulgarian musical leaders and educators at home and abroad. The “Smiling Stars” children’s choir will also take part. The conductor of “Blue Night” with Sonya Yoncheva and David Garrett will be Maestro Leonardo Sini - the young and attractive sensation of the Italian school, especially in verismo.
The organizer of “Gala in Sofia” 2026 is Sonya Yoncheva’s production company SY11 Events, which was also behind “Gala in Sofia” 2021 and 2025, as well as numerous other cultural projects in Bulgaria and abroad. In 2026, “Gala in Sofia” celebrates five years since its first edition and will return in its most impressive format to date, expecting nearly 20,000 people across the two festival evenings on the square and more than 100 musicians, singers and soloists on stage.
The exclusive television partner of the festival is Nova Broadcasting Group. The exclusive radio partner is BG Radio. Media partners include the Bulgarian News Agency (BTA), Bulgarian Artist magazine, Radio 1, the Bulgaria Wants You platform and others.Corporate partners are United Bulgarian Bank (UBB), European Roads, SIAD, Confindustria Bulgaria, Mapei, Unique Estates and Hotel InterContinental.
The event is held with the institutional support of Sofia Municipality, Oborishte District and the Bulgarian Patriarchate. Tickets are available through the Kupibileti.bg network.
About SY11 Events:
Sonya Yoncheva founded her production company SY11 Events in 2020. The mission of the opera prima and her team is to develop diverse projects and events in the field of art and to present them in a new way, attracting audiences of different interests and ages. The major projects carried out by SY11 to date include: the “Homecoming” gala in Plovdiv in 2020, “Gala in Sofia” in 2021, the book “Fifteen Mirrors” in 2023, the album “The Courtesan” in 2023, the recital series “Intimate Voices” seasons 1 and 2 from 2023 to 2025, Bulgarian Artist magazine from 2024 to 2026, the CD “Georges” in 2025, “Gala in Sofia” in 2025 and the Operalia World Opera Competition in 2025. The major highlights in 2026 are the audiovisual project ICON, Bulgarian Artist magazine, which will celebrate 100 years since its first historic issue, Sonya Yoncheva’s first international Thracian Awards for Classical Music on June 23 at the Ancient Theatre in Plovdiv, and “Gala in Sofia” 2026 from August 25 to 27 at St. Alexander Nevsky Square.
Organizer: SY11 EVENTS
Tickets are available only on kupibileti.bg and through our partner network.
kupibileti.bg sells tickets on behalf of and for the account of the organizer and is not responsible for the organization or staging of the event.