National Philharmonic Choir "Svetoslav Obretenov"

The Svetoslav Obretenov National Philharmonic Choir was founded on 1 November 1944 as the State Choir of Radio Sofia, with Obretenov as its first chief conductor. Renamed the Bulgarian Choral Capella in 1954, it subsequently took his name. Georgi Robev led the ensemble from 1966 until 2002 and initiated its association with the Sofia Philharmonic. Its repertoire encompasses opera, cantatas and oratorios, Slavonic sacred chant and Bulgarian works written for the ensemble. International appearances have included French productions of Norma, Macbeth, Turandot and Nabucco, and Schoenberg's Gurre-Lieder under Zubin Mehta in Florence in 1986. Its recordings have appeared on labels including Harmonia Mundi, EMI and Forlane. Founded on 1 November 1944 by Svetoslav Obretenov as the state choir of Radio Sofia, with some forty singers chosen by audition, the ensemble spent its early years building a studio archive now kept in the radio's Golden Fund. It became the Bulgarian Choral Capella in 1954 and took Obretenov's name by decree in 1955, months after his death. Georgi Robev directed it from 1966 until 2002; on his initiative it joined the Sofia Philharmonic in 1981.