The Salzburg Festival has announced that Elena Stikhina will be taking over the lead role in “Medée” this summer.

Sonya Yoncheva was originally supposed to take on the opera after tremendous success in a previous production. However, the soprano is currently awaiting her second child and  regulations with Austrian maternity protection laws will not allow her to participate in rehearsals or performances.

As a result, Stikhina will be taking over the entire run of performances set for July 30 and throughout the beginning of August.

“The Salzburg Festival is delighted with Sonya Yoncheva about this personal news, and looks forward to welcoming Ms Yoncheva back to Salzburg in the years ahead,” the festival’s press department noted in a press release.

Throughout 2018-19, Stikhina has performed in such works as “La Forza del Destino,” “Suor Angelica,” “Siegfried,” and “Götterdämmerung.” She is set for her Dutch National Opera debut and will be taking on “La Forza del Destino” at the Paris Opéra prior to her engagement with the Salzburg Festival.