The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic is set to present Dvořák’s “Rusalka” for the first time starring Sonya Yoncheva, who is set to make her role debut.

The star soprano will be joined by a cast that includes Pavel Černoch as the Prince, Jongmin Park as Vodník, Jennifer Johnston as Ježibaba, and soprano Emma Bell as the Foreign Princess. The Wood Sprites are sung by Ella Taylor, Liverpool’s Natasha Agarwal and Lily Mo Browne, with Joshua Ellicott as the Gamekeeper/Hunter and Grace Durham as the Turnspit/Kitchen Boy.

Jennifer Johnston is the Creative Consultant on the project and English surtitles will be provided.

The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra will be conducted by Chief Conductor Domingo Hindoyan

In a statement Hindoyan said, “Opera is a great passion of mine, so it is a real joy to bring Rusalka to Liverpool. I’m very grateful to Jennifer and the team at Liverpool Philharmonic for making projects like this possible. For those coming to opera for the first time, I would say: just let yourself be carried by it. When music, voices and drama come together like this, it creates something deeply immediate and immersive. We have a wonderful cast bringing this story of love, sacrifice and belonging to life. And for me, sharing the stage with my wife Sonya Yoncheva makes it even more special.”

Regarding her role debut, Yoncheva commented, “I am so happy to be returning to Liverpool, every time I perform here, I am so moved by the warm welcome given to me and my family. Rusalka is a role I have wanted to sing for a long time. Beneath the famous ‘Song to the Moon’ lies a character of great fragility and longing, and Dvořák’s gorgeous music captures that beautifully. I couldn’t be happier to perform this alongside Domingo in this city which holds such a special place in our hearts.”

The performances are set to be held on June 19 and 21, 2026.