Varna Summer International Theatre Festival: Theatre Dialogues

Kamelia Nikolova

doi:10.37130/5ndebs60

Authors

Kamelia Nikolova Institute of Art Studies, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences; National Academy of Theatre and Film Arts, Sofia, Bulgaria Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.37130/5ndebs60

Keywords:

Varna Summer International Theatre Festival, cultural exchange, significant European performances, best Bulgarian theatre productions, theatre showcase, digital portal

Abstract

The article examines the history and contemporary development of the main theatre event in Bulgaria – Varna Summer International Theatre Festival. The festival was first organised in 1992, as part of the common Eastern European effort to renew and reconnect with Western European and global cultures, following the political shift of 1989. The festival has grown significantly and evolved dynamically over its 33-year history. Launched to present the best of Bulgarian theatre, along with a few foreign productions, starting in 1997 the festival turned into an important international forum that now stands alongside other high-profile European festivals. The festival features four distinct sections: Main Programme – Bulgarian Selection; Main Programme – International Selection; the Showcase; and the Parallel Programme. Maintaining a strong tradition, every edition featured a rich tapestry of foreign and Bulgarian theatre and dance productions, exhibitions, street performances, screenings, concerts and conferences. The forum has also clearly established itself as an open space for discussions, educational workshops and theatre meetings.

Author Biography

Kamelia Nikolova, Institute of Art Studies, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences; National Academy of Theatre and Film Arts, Sofia, Bulgaria

Kamelia Nikolova, DSc., is a Professor of Bulgarian theatre at the Institute of Art Studies, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, head of the Theatre Studies Programme and Professor of History of European theatre at the National Academy for Theatre and Film Arts in Sofia, as well as a visiting lecturer at the National Academy of Fine Arts, New Bulgarian University and abroad. Her publications include ten books, for instance: The Other Name of Modern Theatre. Stage Director (1995); Expressionist Theatre and Body Language (2000); Theatre on the Border of the 20th and 21st Centuries (2007); History of Bulgarian Theatre (2011, in co-authorship); Bulgarian Theatre after 1989 and New British Drama (2013, 2018); Theatre Directors in European theatre (2021) and a number of chapters in collective volumes, studies and articles published in over ten languages. She’s editor- in-chief of SCENArt, a member of the editorial board of the Homo Ludens magazine and Litearary Journal, as well as a deputy editor-in-chief of the Yearbook of NATFA and the Art Studies Quarterly.

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