At a press-conference, the organizers shared their hopes that the Aphrodite's festival in Cyprus repeats last year's success. The opera Lakmé by Leo Delibes is only a small part of the festival program. A performance by the Sofia Opera is also included and it will take place in a medieval castle on September 4, 5 and 6.

Savas Vergas, Pafos mayor and organizational committee chairman, reveals the nature of the event, which will also have positive impact on the relationships between Greece and Bulgaria. Present at the conference were the Minister of Culture Andreas Demetriou and the cultural attaché from the embassy in Cyprus, Antonia Veleva.

"This festival is of great importance for Cyprus's cultural life," says Vergas. "Eleven years after the first forum, we can now say that the festival is an official part of Cyprus's cultural calendar."

He expressed his gratitude to the participants, the organizers and the sponsors, as well as to the major public support the event received. The festival attracts foreign tourists, fond of cultural tourism, using it as a medium to meet other art-enthusiasts.

Antonia Veleva emphasized on what a great opportunity this festival sets forth for Bulgarian artists to show their talent to the world.

Last-year performances have included Zorbas the Greek and Madame Butterfly, and this year's Lakmé by Leo Delibes will definitely fit into the standards that previous years have set.

The Sofia Opera will be headed by Prof. Plamen Kartalov and Francesco Rosa. Some of the participants are Petya Ivanova, Diana Genova, etc. From the local talents, the tenor Christoforou will take part in the performances. They will take place on September 4,5 and 6 in Pafos. For more information and reservations, visit http://www.pafc.com.cy/.