Christmas is one of the brightest and most intimate days of the year. In any country and culture this holiday is hailed in a unique manner – from folk tunes to the works of geniuses among the composers. The Bulgaria Hall downtown Sofia will host the most beautiful segments of works by Bach, Puccini and Dimitar Nenov, while musicians will take you on a tour around the globe, in order to bring a sparkle of Christmas spirit to everyone.

On December 23 the Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra, alongside the Svetoslav Obretenov National Philharmonic Choir and the Bodra Pesen children’s choir at ODK Shumen will bring joy to music fans with their Christmas concert. Lyubena Ninova, Georgi Sultanov and Ventseslav Atanasov will be soloists. ‘Angels are singing and the hearts are full of joy because of the good news – Christ was born!’ This is the motto of the event which has unified many authors through the centuries in their efforts to create art for praising the Nativity.

For the 4^th year in a row the BNR and BNTv will make a Christmas present to the audience at the Bulgaria Hall, named To Christmas with Love. The BNT2 TV channel will broadcast live on December 25 at 11 am. The now traditional Christmas matinee will be a bit different this year, compared to the classical symphonic orchestra. Favorite Christmas songs are included in the show, alongside segments of favorite musicals and pieces of Bulgarian composers.

Musical producer and a soloist with the show Edelina Kaneva gives us more details on the selection of music, singers and participants:

“The Christmas matinee will belong to the Symphonic Orchestra of the BNR with the participation of the Children’s Radio Choir, conducted by Venecia Karamanova. Orlin Goranov and Orlin Pavlov will be the soloists, conducted by Nayden Todorov and with my participation. I do hope that this year the Christmas matinee will be a bit more cheerful, despite the dark events around us these days. We won’t rely on serious music this time, there will be a music comedy, also pop music. A little secret to tell now: we will be all singing together with the audience at the end. The title that I came up with was In Love with Christmas. Thus love songs are included as God is love. Orlin Goranov will sing an aria of My Fair Lady. Orlin Pavlov will sing a fragment of Josephand the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat by Andrew Lloyd Webber. We will start up with a small Christmas intermedia for a chamber ensemble and festive fanfaronade, saluting the start of the holiday. It will be a winter love tale conducted by Nayden Todorov."

The city of Varna will have a festive Christmas concert conducted and hosted by Martin Panteleev on December 23 – 24 onstage the State Opera. Galina Velkova – soprano, Vyara Zhelezkova – mezzosoprano and Hristo Ganevski – tenor will be the soloists of the event. Waltzes, polkas, intros and fragments of operettas of the Strauss family are included in the program. On December 28 the Varna audience will have the unique chance to touch upon the art of virtuoso violin player Mario Hossen in Hall 1 of the Festival Cultural Center. The Spirit of Paganini concert will also conquer the space with modern 3D mapping tools, offered by Polina Gerasimova. The orchestra of the Varna State Opera will be conducted by famous organist of the St. Stephen’s Cathedral in Vienna, Prof. Johannes Ebenbauer.

English version: Zhivko Stanchev