national opera and ballet

This theater offers an amazing calendar of performances through the year, catering to children too, with many children's matinee shows. We enjoyed an evening of Wagner's Tristun und Isolde which opened here recently. The theater was filled to capacity - understandably given the low ticket price and quality performance. This is outstanding value for money. We paid only 30 lev (€15) for front row seats. The Opera House offered everything we anticipated: comfortable seats, beautiful interior decor, helpful attendants, coat check, champagne during intervals, and most of all, a well staged, beautifully orchestrated professional performance. Besides the difficulty we had obtaining tickets, we're delighted we persevered. We did take photos of our group inside the theater until we were politely asked not to.

Plenty of nice concerts and art exibitions every week! The interior can be of interest for those feeling nostalgia for the communist past ;) the garden in front of the National Palace of Culture is excellent for skaters and bikers!

I was on this performance of Sleeping Beauty - I did not saw ANY guy eating INSIDE the hall. All these arguments that this guy had was in fact not true. The staff in the Opera house is very nice and polite. Taking photos is absolutely prohibited and not tolerated during the performance. If that guy explained clearly that want a photo of the opera itself I can guarantee that everyone will allow that.The Opera house itself is one of the best in the World with acoustic sound and could be measured with Vienna Opera house.Do not forget that one of the biggest opera singers comes from this Bulgarian team, so forget the previous review....

We have been to the Sofia Opera twice in the last month. The prices are very good, 50 Lev for a top seat down to 8 Lev for a box. The building is nice but nothing special. The staff, booking system and performances are something else. Firstly the booking system, we booked through the online system, which was easy. What is not so easy is picking up the tickets. Due to the opening hours of the box office, you have to go in advance of a night performance. The two we have picked up tickets, we have had to stand in a line for over 1 hour, with one person working. There is no separate line for picking up internet tickets. I would prefer to buy and print off the tickets via the web page.Second the staff. I have rarely met ruder staff than they employ in the auditorium. All over the opera, Bulgarians were taking photo's and eating and drinking during the interval. The programme seller had tried to sell us a programme so she knew we were English. When we tried to take a photo of the ceiling, she attempted to confiscate our camera. At the same time Bulgarians were freely taking photo's. We were also told off by the same person for eating a piece of chocolate, whilst others ate sandwiches and crisps and drank from bottles. Needless to say, she did not get her hands on the camera. The taking of photos and eating in the seating area was also tolerated the second time we went. It is one law for them and another for non Bulgarians.Thirdly, the performance. Both La Traviata and Sleeping Beauty were performed without passion and conviction. Sleeping Beauty was the worst performance I have seen by a ballet company. The main leads lacked passion and finesse, it was appalling to watch. To sum it up, the staff are rude, the building is OK and nothing special, the performances lack just about everything, but at the price paid, I cannot complain too much, but do not expect Milan, Paris, Moscow or London quality.

Excellent Ballet - Swan Lake, Drove around the country, Good roads, not much development, needs entrepeneurs to attract capital and create jobs

I was many times at the Opera. I'm very exited every time when I watch our very professional ballet or listen lovely opera!If you have time in Sofia and you love dance, music and classic , go there!

This is avery unassuming building with only the roof line having an unspectacular bass relief. There is a large statue at the corner outside the building.

The first Ring Cycle in the Balkans and the standard is very high in an absolute gem of an opera house. Several of the performers would grace any Opera House in the world and one wonders why they aren't better known. If there's something on when your there it's definitely worth going and the whole Ring Cycle for two cost less than one ticket to Covent Garden the week before.

Just spent 4 glorious evenings here listening to a great orchestra and good soloists perform Wagner's Ring Cycle. Good productions. Stage craft a bit creaky, but superb music and singing.

We went to the Opera last May. It was my first time and I hadhardly heard opera before. But honestly, even just the theater was incredibly beautiful ! The prices were really low (We paid 6€ each for a 3 hours representations in good seats !) and staff was really nice and seaking english. I think representations are good quality but I don't know enough opera to judge that all I cans say is that I loved what I heard ! It was a gala so singers came one by one to sing but it's true that the stage seemed quite little ... There just a point I didn't like : As there was not a lot of tickets sold, we were all invited t oat wherever we wanted in the ground floor and I reall wanted to be on thebalcony, I think I would have had a better view and most of all, whatever was the price you paid you could beat the first or the last row and I think it's unfair.Well to conclude, if you go on Sofia even for a week end and there is a show, even if you don't know or odn't especially like opera you should buy a tickets because you will never have another chance like that to see a good represention for almost nothing !! =) (if you buy your tickets online, you hve to g otake the time to exchange them before the representation in the little 'box' at the right of the opera before to enter)

The building is not something special outside. But inside -- it's very nice and the accustic is perfect. The stage is an average size and very well visisble from anywhere.

We'd booked on-line for a ballet which unfortunately was cancelled. (No trouble getting a refund, in cash.) This is a very nice venue, very classical. Great annual schedule...hope to visit again.

Opera and ballet on a very high level at an unbeatable price, compared to other places in Europe. The best places cost around 30 Euros. They offer a lot of different operas, usually in mor or less "traditional" productions. The place with the best acoustic is in my opinion the first balcony. Usually there are tickets available if you go there a week in advance. The online booking system hardly ever works.

Depending on the performance or scheduled venue. I have attended classic music concerts and is a satisfying overall experience. But when it comes to put on stage an opera, stage is small and cramped. They really try hard and if your expectations are reasonable, for a dead cheap price, is worth it.As many buildings in Sofia, lacks maintenance and it shows.

If you enjoy opera, I would strongly recommend getting tickets while in Sofia. The theatre itself is lovely and it is interesting to be amongst locals on a cultural night out.We bought tickets through our travel agent for Madam Butterfly. The best seats in the house were 25 Euros which we thought was excellent value for money.The production was good and we really enjoyed it. If you are staying in central Sofia, you should be able to walk to the theatre as everything is fairly close.