site.bta20th Arts Festival Boris Christoff Kicks Off with Concert

The 20th Arts Festival Boris Christoff was launched with a concert entitled Chanson: Grace and Nobility by the vocal ensemble Cantanti Dai Monti Verdi here in the Plovdiv Regional History Museum on Monday night. This year's edition of the festival is dedicated to the 110th anniversary of opera singer, music interpreter, educator and philanthropist Boris Christoff.

The event is organized in partnership with Museum Boris Christoff in Sofia.

This year's festival is different from the previous ones, as it was unveiled in Christoff's hometown, Museum Boris Christoff director Elena Dragostinova told BTA. She pointed out that his home in Sofia was turned into a museum as per his wish, as he wanted the building to showcase exhibits that would testify to Bulgaria's operatic glory. He also donated his Italian villa, which today houses the Bulgarian Cultural Institute in Rome.

The festival participants are connected to Christoff in various ways. The goal is to have the audience learn about the singer's creative principles and attitude toward the stage.

The first concert, performed by Cantanti Dai Monti Verdi, presented pieces by Claude Le Jeune, Clement Janequin, Orlando di Lasso, Philippe de Monte and Jean de Castro.

Another concert with pieces by Ilya Bolgar, Tsanko Tsankov, Lyubomir Pipkov, Pantcho Wladigeroff, Dobri Hristov and Alexander Gretchaninov is scheduled for Tuesday night, again at the Plovdiv Regional History Museum. The music will be performed by bass Plamen Beykov and Bozhena Petrova on grand piano.

Music by Giuseppe Verdi, Giacomo Puccini, Gioachino Rossini, Gaetano Donizetti will be included in the concert programme on Wednesday. The concert entitled Sempre Libera (Always Free) will be performed by soprano Marta Kukularova, pianist Tomislav Vichev and violinist Micho Dimitrov.

The following day will see performances by baritone Krum Galabov and pianist Zarina Getoeva. Audiences can also see a documentary directed by Yordan Boychev that tells the story of Christoff's dream to have his house in Sofia be tuned into a place that nurtures young talents. A photo exhibition entitled Rome. Boris Christoff by Svetoslav Chulin will be unveiled the same day.

Percussion duo Agleya Kaneva and Alexander Vichev will perform on May 17.

Spectrum Vocal Band will perform on May 18, the day of Christoff's birthday. On this date in 1942, he also left Bulgaria to settle in Italy.

The festival will continue in Sofia until July 1.