On February 26, 2009 in Marcus Aurelius hall of the Capitoline Museums in Rome, in the presence of the presidents of Italy and Bulgaria, Raina Kabaivanska
performed a concert with a repertoire of her most popular roles. At the event the great soprano presented to the Italian public her students from the Master
Classes at New Bulgarian University: Eugenia Braynova, Veronica Simeoni, Andrea Caré and Alexander Nossikov. Accompanied by Prof. Boryana Lambreva, PhD.
Concert of Raina Kabaivanska and her students
at the Capitoline Museums in Rome
26.02.2009
Concert on the stage of the Ancient Theatre in Plovdiv
29.09.2014
In 2014 New Bulgarian University organized a series of events to honour the 80th birthday of Raina Kabaivanska, its great friend, member of the Board and celebrated teacher.
On September 10 Raina Kabaivanska selected a team of 12 young artists from Bulgaria, Italy, Serbia, Puerto Rico, Chile and South Korea for her XIV International Master Class at New Bulgarian University. The winners of the master class performed two outstanding concerts at Sofia Opera and Ballet and within the framework of the 5th International Festival “Days of Music in Balabanov House” – on the stage of the Ancient Theatre in Plovdiv. Five of the winners continued their education in Italy with one-year scholarships from Raina Kabaivanska Fund at New Bulgarian University.
Charity Gala Concert “Raina Kabaivanska presents the stars of the opera”
18.12.2014
The culmination of the celebrations was the charity Gala concert entitled “Raina Kabaivanska presents the stars of the opera”. The concert took place on 18 of
December 2014 in Hall 1 of the National Palace of Culture in front of more than 4,000 spectators. The concert was a gift to the legendary Maestra Raina Kabaivanska
from her most famous students and scholars from over the years. Today they are all stars of the major world opera theatres. Bulgarian audience had the unique pleasure to hear Veronica Simeoni, Andrea Caré, Sofia Soloviy, Vittoria Yeo, Maria Radoeva, Kostadin Mechkov, Anna Petricevich, Anaís Mejías, Elisa Barbero, Anton Markov, and Matteo Desole. The enthusiastic audience welcomed the appearance of Raina Kabaivanska and her exceptional performance of Fidelia's aria from “Edgar” by Puccini.
The concert was organised with the participation of the choir and orchestra of Sofia Opera and Ballet, under the baton of Maestro Nayden Todorov. They performed
arias and choral ensembles of some of the greatest masterpieces of the opera art. The director was Assoc. Prof. Snezhina Petrova. Funds from each ticket purchased helped to support the next generation of young opera singers and Raina Kabaivanska's mission to donate her experience and talent.
Concert “The Tenors of Raina Kabaivanska”
03.06.2018
“The audience rapturously applauded the tenors of Raina Kabaivanska in Bulgaria Hall on Sunday evening, June 3rd. Even Andrea Caré who could not sing due to health reasons, losing his voice hours before the event, received unexpected applause. The Italian tenor was in the audience in the hall and visibly regretted not being among the performers on the stage. Especially in the end, when his mentor, Raina Kabaivanska, sang with Korean Davide Ryu and Venezuelan Reinaldo
Droz. All three young tenors are students from the master classes of Kabaivanska, and on Sunday evening the audience in Bulgaria Hall heard and saw them at the start of their careers. Since Caré was unable to perform, the maestra presented another young talent – the talented 20-year-old Aleksandrina Mihailova. Ryu and Droz performed more than they had envisaged, including excerpts from works by Mozart, Donizetti, Verdi, Puccini, Cilea, Giordano. However, the audience would
not let them off the stage until they had performed together the aria Nessun Dorma from “Turandot” by Puccini.”
Slaveykov Square, June 2018
Raina Kabaivanska presents three of her outstanding students in a concert with Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra on June 3, 2018 in Bulgaria Hall, conductor – Nayden Todorov.
The concert features Davide Ryu from South Korea and Reinaldo Droz from Venezuela with the special participation of Aleksandrina Mihailova from Bulgaria.
Serata belcantо
Under the patronage of H.E. Stefano Baldi, Ambassador of Italy to Bulgaria, at the Residence of the Embassy of Italy, Raina Kabaivanska presented three concerts „Serata Belcanto“ from her master classes in 2017, 2018 and 2019. This initiative was carried on by H.E. Giuseppina Zarra in 2021, 2022 and 2023.
„The young participants in Raina Kabaivanska School brought belcanto to the Italian Residence.
On September 19, the third edition of „Belcanto evening 3“ took place at the Embassy of Italy in Sofia (within the framework of the initiative vivereallitaliana). Main artists were young opera singers from the XIX International Master Class of Raina Kabaivanska School at New Bulgarian University.
Young talents from Bulgaria, Italy, South Korea, Brazil performed a programme which emphasized not only their great singing gift, but also the beauty and everlasting of the Italian opera, presented with arias by Rossini, Leoncavallo, Puccini and Verdi. The three wonderful Italian performers were Eleonora Filiponi, Giuseppe Infantino and Kristin Arsenova (Italian-Bulgarian). In 2002 Raina Kabaivanska established a Fund which bears her name at New Bulgarian University to provide support for the professional growth of young singers from Bulgaria and other countries by awarding scholarships. Mrs. Kabaivanska is also one of the most remarkable examples for permanent cultural cooperation between Italy and Bulgaria. Special gratitude to her for the wonderful evening, along with congratulations to all the singers who successfully affirm the opera tradition around the world. In addition, gratitude to UniCredit Bulbank and Generali Bulgaria for the sponsorship of the event.
This evening also provided a wonderful opportunity to present the Italian award of the Order of the Star of Italy to the Executive Director of New Bulgarian University George Tekev, PhD in recognition of his hard work for spreading Italian culture and musical tradition. Besides the strong presence of the diplomatic corps, among the guests of the evening were many representatives of Bulgarian institutions, entrepreneurial and cultural circles.“ Embassy of Italy in Bulgaria, https://ambsofia.esteri.it/ambasciata_sofia/en/ 23/09/2019
“Serata Belcanto – a concert of artists from Kabaivanska School in Paris”
On 10th of February 2023 at l’Opéra Bastille in Paris took place a concert of four of the outstanding students from Raina Kabaibvanska School and scholarship holders of her Charitable Fund at New Bulgarian University – Alexandrina Mihaylova, Bozhidar Bozhkilov (Bulgaria) and Veronica Simeoni, Giuseppe Infantino (Italy). The concert was organized by Bulgarian Cultural Institute in Paris in cooperation with New Bulgarian University. This event enabled the admirers of the opera art to enjoy popular arias and ensembles from immortal musical works under the piano accompaniment of Prof. Boryana Lambreva, PhD.
“Paris is an admiration! A huge stage – the dream of each artist, but the audience there is demanding, well informed and uncompromising, identifies precisely the talent and welcomes the courage and the skills of the artists to transform it into a holiday and emotion. In the winter of 2023 students from the Master Class of Maestra Raina Kabaivanska stepped on the one of the most prestigious world stages - l’Opéra Bastille in Paris and turned this concert into an event which did not go unnoticed both by the media and the experts in the field. Four young singers succeeded to recreate – everyone in his/her own way the superiority, the inspiration and the knowledge they acquired through the years from their Maestra – the legendary soprano Raina Kabaivanska. I express my gratitude on behalf of Bulgarian Cultural Institute in Paris for the trust of New Bulgarian University - being together in this unbelievable event was real honor and joy for me!”
Desislava Bineva, Director of Bulgarian Cultural Institute in Paris
Concerto di Belcanto
Concerto di Belcanto - performed by artists from the master classes of Raina Kabaivanska at New Bulgarian University took place at Accademia Santa Cecilia in Rome on 3rd of May, 2023. Alexandrina Mihaylova, Aida Pascu, Bozhidar Bozhkilov, Giuseppe Infantino and Hae Kang under the piano accompaniment of Paolo Andreoli presented in front of the demanding audience in Rome arias and musical works of Leoncavallo, Handel, Mozart, Donizetti, Rossini, Bellini, Verdi, Rachmaninov and Puccini. This event as a part of the project of Accademia Santa Cecilia “Creative UE Opera out of Opera 2” was organized by New Bulgarian University in cooperation with Rotary Italy 8020.
New Year concert of Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra
The New Year concert of Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra with three of the distinguished artists from the Masterclasses of Raina Kabaivanska at New Bulgarian University, took place on 28 of December 2023 at Bulgaria Hall in Sofia.
Aleksandrina Mihaylova (Bulgaria), Vittoria Yeo (South Korea) and Andrea Carè (Italy) performed arias and ensembles from operas by W.A. Mozart, Gaetano Donizetti, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Giuseppe Verdi, Giacomo Puccini, Franz Lehár and Charles Gounod.
The culmination this evening came when the three singers addressed their Maestra from the stage with words of gratitude and affection, dedicating the concert to her.
Serata Belcanto at Opéra Bastille, Paris
On 15 February 2024 in Opéra Bastille in Paris hosted Serata Belcanto of artists from the School of Raina Kabaivanska: Aleksandrina Mihaylova (Bulgaria), Veronica Simeoni and Giuseppe Infantino (Italy) and Hae Kang (South Korea) under the piano accompaniment of Prof. Boryana Lambreva.
The audience admired arias and ensembles from operas by Gaetano Donizetti, Vincenzo Bellini, Giuseppe Verdi, Jules Massenet, Giacomo Puccini, Francesco Cilea and Umberto Giordano, celebrating the richness and beauty of the bel canto tradition.
The concert was presented at the invitation of Bulgarian Cultural Institute in Paris and attracted a large audience. Among the distinguished guests were Prof. Minko Balkanski and H.E. Radka Balabanova, Ambassador of the Republic of Bulgaria to France.
Serata Belcanto at the Britten Theatre, London
On 25th of May 2024, the Britten Theatre in London hosted Serata Belcanto – the first time performance of the School of Raina Kabaivanska n front of the British audience.
In the concert participated: Aleksandrina Mihaylova (Bulgaria), Veronica Simeoni and Giuseppe Infantino (Italy) and He Kang (South Korea), under the piano accompaniment of Prof. Boryana Lambreva.
The programme included arias and ensembles from operas by Gioachino Rossini, Gaetano Donizetti, Giuseppe Verdi, Camille Saint-Saëns, Giacomo Puccini, Francesco Cilea and Umberto Giordano, showcasing some of the finest masterpieces of the bel canto and Italian operatic radition.
The concert was presented at the invitation of Bulgarian Cultural Institute in London. H.E. Tihomir Stoychev, Ambassador of the Republic of Bulgaria to the United Kingdom, George Tekev, Ph.D., Executive Director of New Bulgarian University, and Nayden Todorov, Minister of Culture of the Republic of Bulgaria welcomed the audience.
During the event, Minister Todorov preised the soprano Aleksandrina Mihaylova the Annual Award for Contribution to Bulgarian Culture.
Opera Gala in honour of Raina Kabaivanska
On 15th of September 2024, the Ancient Theatre of Plovdiv hosted an Opera Gala in honour of Raina Kabaivanska, celebrating her 90th anniversary.
In the Gala concert participated artists from the School of the world famous opera Prima: Aleksandrina Mihaylova and Mila Mihova (Bulgaria), Sofia Soloviy (Ukraine), Baia Saganelidze (Georgia), Veronica Simeoni (Italy), Reinaldo Droz (Venezuela) and Toni Nežić (Croatia), accompanied by the Orchestra of the State Opera – Plovdiv conducted by Maestro Nayden Todorov. Director of the production was Nina Naydenova, and screenwriter – Petar Barbalov.
The programme of the Gala retraced the major moments of Raina Kabaivanska's remarkable international career presenting arias and ensembles from the operas significant for her great artistic track in the world history of this art.
The Gala was included in the Opera Open Festival, at the invitation of the State Opera - Plovdiv, and was organized in partnership with New Bulgarian University and the Embassy of Italy in Bulgaria.
Opera Gala with participation of artists from the School of Raina Kabaivanska and of Maestro Nayden Todorov
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On the occasion of the Day of the St. Brothers Cyril and Methodius, of Bulgarian Alphabet, Education and Culture and of Slavic Literature on 24th of May 2026 Bulgaria Hall in Sofia hosted Opera Gala with participation of artists from the School of Raina Kabaivanska, which opened the annual edition of Sofia Music Weeks International Festival.
The concert also paid tribute to the 65th anniversary of Raina Kabaivanska's debut at Bulgaria Hall – a landmark performance that took place in 1961, only a few months after her debut at Teatro alla Scala in Milan.
In the Gala performed some of the most successful graduates of the School of Raina Kabaivanska: Vittoria Yeo (South Korea), Aleksandrina Mihaylova (Bulgaria), Baia Saganelidze (Georgia), Arsen Soghomonyan (Armenia) and Giuseppe Infantino (Italy), accompanied by the Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of Maestro Nayden Todorov.
The programme included legendary arias and ensembles from the operatic repertoire. A particularly symbolic moment of the evening was Vittoria Yeo's performance of Adriana Lecouvreur's aria – the very same which was performed as a debut of Raina Kabaivanska at Bulgaria Hall sixty-five years earlier.