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The Varna Summer Festival celebrates its 99th anniversary ambitiously and attractively

The opening on June 21 at 8:00 p.m. is with the Varna Opera orchestra conducted by Emil Tabakov and French horn soloist Victor Teodosiev

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Photo: varnasummerfest.org

The first music festival in Bulgaria was founded in 1926 in Varna. Almost a century ago, immediately after the official opening of the Seaside Baths - the first spa center in the seaside capital of Bulgaria, famous musicians such as Dobri Hristov and Pancho Vladigerov, supported by the then Varna society, launched the first musical celebrations in the country, which today are among the most popular and established festivals in Bulgaria. 

On the eve of its centennial anniversary, the Varna Summer Festival will take place from June 21 to September 17 and invites the residents and guests of Varna to a series of events with the participation of prestigious European instrumentalists and ensembles, rising stars and famous Bulgarian musicians.


The opening - on June 21 at 8:00 p.m. in the hall of the Varna Opera House is with the opera orchestra, conducted by Emil Tabakov and with an impressive soloist - the young French horn soloist Victor Teodosiev, winner of prestigious international awards. Traditionally, the festival will begin with the beloved Bulgarian Rhapsody "Vardar" by Pancho Vladigerov and will continue with music by the great German composer Richard Strauss.

Emil Tabakov and Victor Teodosiev
In 2025, the highlight will be the events dedicated to the 200th anniversary of the birth of Johann Strauss Jr. The 150th anniversaries of Maurice Ravel and Fritz Kreisler will also be celebrated, and in honor of the centenary of the birth of the great Italian innovator Luciano Berio, his arrangements of Beatles songs for female voice will be performed.

The 75th birthday of the doyen among Bulgarian violinists - Prof. Mincho Minchev, will be celebrated on September 17 with a double recital by his famous colleague - Svetlin Roussev will play the Stradivarius instrument, which belonged to Prof. Minchev for decades.

Svetlin Roussev
Among the prestigious guest ensembles at the Varna Summer Festival will be the National Orchestra of Romania, the Scandinavian Baroque Ensemble (1B1) and the Ukrainian Youth Philharmonic, which will play under the baton of Oksana Yaroslavivna Lyniv - an extremely influential European musician, the first woman invited to open the Bayreuth Opera Festival (Germany) and the first woman - chief conductor of an opera theater in Italy (Bologna). 

Oksana Lyniv
The chamber music concerts will delight with the participation of no less brilliant performers: the Vienna Philharmonic Quartet; the Shostakovich ensemble, beloved by the Varna audience; the prominent pianist born in Varna – Vesko Stambolov, and one of the leading names in contemporary pipe organ music – Roman Perucki from Poland.

Pianist Vesko Stambolov
Master classes within the framework of the traditional Summer Academy will be held by Prof. Mincho Minchev (violin), Dimitar Burov (viola), Emil Ivanov (opera singing) and Georgi Vassilev (guitar).

Within the framework of the Crossover program, where jazz meets classical music, original projects will be presented by Bulgarian musicians Hristo Yotsov and Teodosii Spasov.

The seventh edition of the International Symposium is dedicated to the musical heritage and contemporary practices in the countries of the Mediterranean region with the participation of prominent musicologists from Spain, France, Austria, Italy, Turkey and Greece.

Quinteto Astor Piazzolla
The "Intermezzo" program - a joint initiative of the International Theater and International Music Festival "Varna Summer" - will present Quintetto Astor Piazzolla from Argentina and the Nina Nikolina Live project, in which Bulgarian folk songs are interpreted in an unconventional way, combining folklore, ethno-jazz, flamenco and improvisations.



Photos: varnasummerfest.org, oksanalyniv.com, BGNES, BNR
Edited by Tsvetana Toncheva
English publication: R. Petkova

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Radio Bulgaria Music    Bulgaria oldest music festival classical music festival Bulgaria Varna Summer Varna Summer festival

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