site.btaBulgarian Opera Diva Sonya Yoncheva Triumphs in Zurich, Paris

Sofia, October 26 (BTA) - Bulgarian star soprano Sonya Yoncheva brought down the house with performances in Zurich and Paris earlier in October. In the Zurich Opera House, she performed her famous lead role as Floria Tosca in Puccini's Tosca and in Paris' Gavout Hall she presented her programme Ad una Stella. 
The opera singer returned to the stage in Zurich after her remarkable Traviata debut there in 2015.She performed together with Maltese tenor Joseph Calleja and German baritone Thomas Johannes Mayer under the baton of conductor Paolo Carignani from Italy.
In Paris, she sang pieces by Duparc, Viardot, Chausson, Donizetti, Puccini and Verdi, to the accompaniment of piano player Malcolm Martineau.
"Sonya Yoncheva cranked up the emotional level and gave us a sincere, convincing, desperate Tosca. Her bright soprano was strong, powerful, and very easy on the high notes", international online music magazine Bachtrack said.
"When she unleashed her voice, her top notes chilled the blood", John Rhoes from Seen and Heard International wrote for Yoncheva's Tosca. He described the Bulgarian singer as "a very fine, coquettish actress" who made the audience laugh on several occasions which is not "something which happens in many a Tosca".
"When these two soloists (Sonya Yoncheva and Joseph Calleja) were on stage, we realised how lucky we are in a relatively small city such as Zurich to be able to witness two stars who normally grace the Met and Covent Garden", Rhoes wrote.
"Yoncheva's voice is perfectly placed and carries perfectly. Her low notes are seductive, her middle register is rich and her high notes are sparkling and clean. Stylistically, nothing is left to be desired: Yoncheva finds the right amount of drama and veristic aplomb. This absolute vocal sovereignty enables her to completely immerse herself in the role. (...) Her 'Vissi d'arte' is the absolute highlight of the evening, she is in the spotlight. Yoncheva is by far the best interpreter of Tosca in Zurich in a long, long time", Jan Krobot said in Der Neue Merker. /VE/KK//