The conductor Vladimir Ghiaurov was born in Sofia and had his musical training in Milan and in Vienna, making his Italian début in 1980. He has gone on to appear with leading orchestras throughout the world, appearing as a guest conductor at the Vienna State Opera, Moscow’s Bolshoy Theatre, Berlin’s Konzerthaus and Tokyo’s Suntory Hall. For almost ten years he served as a principal conductor of the Philharmonic Orchestra of Plovdiv, Bulgaria.