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On 19 and 21 June 2026, Sonya Yoncheva will make her highly anticipated role debut as Rusalka in two concert performances of Dvořák’s opera with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of Domingo Hindoyan.

One of the most cherished heroines of the Slavic repertoire, Rusalka marks a significant new addition to Yoncheva’s repertoire. Inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s The Little Mermaid and Slavic folklore, Dvořák’s opera tells the story of a water spirit who gives up everything for the chance to experience human love, only to discover its tragic consequences.

Renowned for her portrayals of some of opera’s most complex heroines, Yoncheva now turns to a role she has long been on her artistic wish list. The title character’s journey – from innocence and wonder to sacrifice and heartbreak – unfolds in some of Dvořák’s most luminous and emotionally charged music, including the famous “Song to the Moon,” one of the most beloved arias in the operatic repertoire.

The performances bring together an outstanding cast including Pavel Černoch as the Prince, Jongmin Park as Vodník, Jennifer Johnston as Ježibaba and Giselle Allen as the Foreign Princess. They are joined by the Liverpool Philharmonic Opera Chorus.

More information and tickets: https://www.liverpoolphil.com/whats-on/classical-music/dvo%C5%99%C3%A1k-rusalka/9613

[Photo: Victor Santiago]

On June 12, Sonya Yoncheva will appear at Hamburg’s Elbphilharmonie alongside the Orchestre de l’Opéra Royal and conductor and violinist Stefan Plewniak for a special evening dedicated to the music of Georg Friedrich Händel.

The concert marks the celebrated French ensemble’s debut in the Elbphilharmonie’s Großer Saal and reunites Sonya Yoncheva with the resident orchestra of the Opéra Royal du Château de Versailles, with whom she has collaborated on numerous acclaimed projects in recent years.

The programme explores some of the most compelling heroines of Händel’s operas and oratorios. Sonya Yoncheva will perform arias from Serse, Giulio Cesare in Egitto, Alcina, Rinaldo and Theodora, tracing a wide emotional spectrum from Cleopatra’s brilliance and vulnerability to Alcina’s despair and Almirena’s poignant plea for freedom. The evening also features Corelli’s Concerto grosso in D major, Op. 6 No. 4, highlighting the rich instrumental tradition of the Baroque era.

Renowned for her interpretations spanning more than four centuries of vocal music, Sonya Yoncheva has maintained a particularly close connection to the Baroque repertoire throughout her career. Her performances with the Orchestre de l’Opéra Royal have resulted in several acclaimed recordings and concert appearances across Europe. Next year, she will appear with the orchestra as Cleopatra in a new production of Giulio Cesare in Egitto at the Opéra Royal de Versailles.

The Handel takes place on 12 June 2026 at 8:00 p.m. in the Großer Saal of the Elbphilharmonie Hamburg.

In May and June, Sonya Yoncheva returns to one of the defining roles of her repertoire: the title role in Norma by Vincenzo Bellini. A cornerstone of the bel canto repertoire, Norma is considered a pinnacle for any soprano and has accompanied Sonya for over a decade. Torn between duty, love, and betrayal, the Druid priestess stands among opera’s most complex and demanding heroines.

On May 1, 6, 10, and 13, Sonya appears at the Staatsoper Unter den Linden, where she adds Norma as her fifth title role at the house, following La traviata, Médée, Tosca, and Madama Butterfly. The performances are conducted by Giuseppe Mentuccia and staged by Vasily Barkhatov. She is joined by Freddie De Tommaso (Pollione), Angela Brower (Adalgisa), and Erwin Schrott (Oroveso), alongside Sonja Herranen (Clotilde) and Álvaro Diana (Flavio).

Yoncheva then returns to the Bayerische Staatsoper for four performances on May 22 and 26, and June 2, following her widely acclaimed appearances in the role there two years ago. Under the musical direction of Giacomo Sagripanti and in the iconic production by Jürgen Rose, she performs alongside Najmiddin Mavlyanov (Pollione), Emily Sierra (Adalgisa), and Erwin Schrott (Oroveso), with Shannon Keegan (Clotilde) and Michael Butler (Flavio).

More information and tickets for Berlin:
https://www.staatsoper-berlin.de/de/veranstaltungen/norma.15538/#event-123479

Information and tickets for Munich:
https://www.staatsoper.de/stuecke/norma

[Photo: A Norma photo from Sonya’s book Fifteen Mirrors | Credit: Victor Santiago / SY11]