Bad Opera in Bulgaria
The arts in Sophia, Bulgaria were in bad shape in 1994.
The People’s Opera of Sophia: Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor.
There are no words to describe how awful it was: missed cues, mumbled phrases, strained voices. I was sitting in the audience in disbelief, embarrassed for the performers. The country was in transition away from the Soviet-dominated past. The musical arts had clearly suffered all the distortions of that terrible era.
From the looks of things online today, it looks that the arts in Sophia are in much better shape now.
Sofia Opera and Ballet | Home page
Opera by Richard Wagner /Premiere/