site.btaFrom Vidin to Oltenia Philharmonic Orchestra in Craiova

Maria Popova was born in Vidin, but fate took her to Craiova, where she has lived and worked for nine years. The Bulgarian is part of the Oltenia Philharmonic Orchestra in the Romanian city. She met with a BTA correspondent in the concert hall, shortly before another Bulgarian (Hristo Pavlov) leads the orchestra on stage for a performance.

Arriving in Craiova, Popova immediately comes across people who make her move to a new place easier. "They helped me learn the language, I did not know a single word. They helped me with accommodation, with all the household things. Professionally, I did not have any problems. From every point of view, I was charmed by the warm welcome in the orchestra and I have always felt very comfortable among my colleagues," she explained. 

"Vidin is a beloved hometown, but with a small budget for what we do, with a much smaller orchestra and with opportunities for much fewer works. I have gotten to play things here that I never thought I'd get a chance to play in my lifetime," the Bulgarian said.

Popova said she clocked the kilometres from the door of her home in Vidin to the one in Craiova - 100 km. The relatively short distance allows her to go home every weekend. "I would love to get into Schengen sooner, so I don't have to stay as long as I do at the border waiting for my passport to be checked."

Popova also noted that each Bulgarian performance of soloist or conductor in Craiova enjoyed great success. "And I always felt proud when Bulgarians came. I have always received compliments from my colleagues [after such performances] and I have always been proud to be Bulgarian," she said.