Operatunity is knocking louder still for a former Bulgarian pop singer who is well on her way to becoming a classical diva.

Elena Markova-Smith will be the star of the show at Cart-wright Hall, Bradford, in spring - for the first time in her blossoming career.

And it's thanks to the Telegraph & Argus.

Back in Bulgaria, Elena had been a pop singer, performing in bars and cabaret clubs.

She gave up the stage, though, when she moved to Thornton, Bradford, with her then fiancee Darran Smith.

Two years ago he persuaded her to pick up a microphone again but, this time, she turned from McCartney to Mozart, trying her hand at classical songs for the first time. And a new opera star was born.

Within months, the 28-year-old mum of a four-year-old girl was entering - and winning - major competitions.

In the space of seven days last year she took prizes at both the Bingley Robertshaw Music Fes-tival and the Harrogate Compet-itive Festival of Music.

"When I was in Bulgaria I used to think that I would like to sing classical music but I thought that it would probably require a lot of talent and I never thought I would be able to do it," she said.

"But when I came over here I spoke to my husband and friends about it and they said, if you don't try you will never know, so I thought I would give it a go."

Since then, Elena has begun studying at the prestigious Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester.

And she has performed solos in two concerts with the Yorkshire Philharmonic Choir, in Dewsbury and at Wakefield Cathedral.

But she will be headlining for the first time at Cartwright Hall on May 10 by invitation of Thornton Vocal Union after they read about her in the T&A last year.

They invited her along to sing for them. "We all enjoyed it immensely so we asked her to perform at the concert," said a spokesman for the Thornton Vocal Union.

"It's just been fantastic," said Elena of the way her career has rocketed in the last 12 months.

"I'm more excited than nervous about the May concert. It feels really good."

Elena won't be charging for her services that night.

"I always said that I wouldn't take any money from the first people who let me do anything, because it would be my first shot," she said. "Maybe that's a bit superstitious."

But she has every intention of turning professional eventually and following in the footsteps of her heroes Montserrat Caballe and Sarah Brightman.