Sonya Yoncheva is the artistic director and driving force behind the inaugural Thracian Awards for Classical Music, opening the 2026 edition of the Opera Open at the Ancient Theatre of Plovdiv, her hometown, on June 23, 2026.

Conceived by the Bulgarian soprano as a celebration of artistic excellence and of the cultural legacy of Thrace, the event combines an awards ceremony with a gala concert featuring internationally acclaimed artists from the worlds of opera, instrumental music, ballet, and composition.

Joining her in the gala concert are mezzo-soprano Ekaterine Buachidze, countertenor Jakub Józef Orliński, pianist Emanuil Ivanov, trumpeter Pacho Flores, prima ballerina Marta Petkova, soprano Gabriela Georgieva, composer Dobrinka Tabakova, and legendary soprano Anna Tomowa-Sintow, with the Opera Plovdiv Orchestra under Dian Tchobanov.