site.btaOpera Diva Sonya Yoncheva Launches Video Series Exploring Connection between Arts and Development of Children, Society

Opera diva Sonya Yoncheva has launched a video series exploring the connection between arts and the development of children and society. Coinciding with Mental Health Awareness Month, the series focuses on the benefits of early exposure to classical music, Yoncheva’s team said. 

With her series titled Culture is the Future, Yoncheva aims to initiate an important public conversation - in Bulgaria and internationally - about the scientifically proven advantages of children engaging with the arts. Whether as part of education or leisure, exposure to the arts helps young people develop lasting interests and skills. 

In a series of short online videos, Yoncheva - a mother of two and a lifelong artist - educates parents, teachers, and institutions about the role culture plays in shaping young people’s character and attitudes and foster key competencies.

In her first video, the opera diva discusses three main reasons why children should be introduced to classical music. First, it improves concentration and attention span, helping children stay focused during tasks like reading, studying, or problem-solving by reducing distraction. Second, it encourages creativity and imagination by inspiring mental images, stories, and emotions that stimulate creative thinking. Third, classical music support motor and coordination skills - especially when learning to play instruments - by developing fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and a sense of timing.

The first episode was recorded in New York, where Yoncheva is preparing for her debut in Tchaikovsky’s The Queen of Spades at the Metropolitan Opera. The Bulgarian soprano will then return to Europe for performances in Paris, Munich, Vienna, and Santander, to name but a few.

She will headline Gala in Sofia on August 28 and 29 in St Alexander Nevsky Square, sharing the stage with Vittorio Grigolo, Jose Carreras, and Placido Domingo before an audience of nearly 10,000 people. Between October 20 and 26, at Yoncheva’s invitation, the Bulgarian capital will host Operalia, the world's most prestigious opera competition, which helped launch her own international career.