National Theatre "" – the cultural heart of Slide 1: Introduction The Ivan Vazov National Theater is located in the center of Sofia (the capital of ). In front of the building is one of the most visited parks in the capital. It's known as the City Garden. The theater, has been chosen to be located near the Tzar’s Palace – former Royal Palace (nowadays the National Art Gallery). Slide 2: For more than 100 years, the Ivan Vazov National Theater has been recognized not only as a stage in Bulgaria, but also as a living, working and large-scale theater, that is aware of the important mission as a national cultural institute. The history of the theater is rich, interesting, contrasting in its rises and crisis, but always firmly connected with the essential changes and directions in the development of national culture and art. Slide 3: History In modernizing Sofia at the end of the 19th century, there was long a talk about the need to build a special building for the state theater, which, as the national poet Ivan Vazov points out, would give better opportunities "for the future greatness of dramatic art in Bulgaria". In December 1898, with a decision by the National Assembly was created a special fund for the construction of the building. Slide 4: The theater was designed by the famous Viennese architects Ferdinand Felner and Herman Helmer, who have already made numerous theatrical buildings in Vienna, Zagreb, Prague and other European cities. The construction started in 1904 on the site of the obsolete “Foundation” wooden playhouse, where previously the first professional troupe "Tear and Laughter" played its performances, and at the end of 1906 the building was completed. Slide 5 and 6: The interest in opening the theater was extremely high. At the official opening of the building, the ceremony gathered the elite of the state. The program was glamorous and impressive. The royal family, ministers, prominent doctors, members of parliament, diplomats and many more are only part of the special invitees for the ceremony. This list of guests was the reason for a protest demonstration. The date of January 3, 1907 remains in history with the fact that, outraged by the palace character of this national

event, students from Sofia University whistled Prince Ferdinand's cortege. This was the reason for closing Sofia University for 6 months. After this incident, the then Minister of National Education – Ivan Shishmanov, resigned. Slide 7: In early 1923, fire broke out in the theatre during a performance. Although the cast, staff and audience rushed to extinguish the fire, it burned both the stage and the salon. The restoration continued until 1929 under the project of Dresden professor Martin Dülfer, who created a whole new, modern scene – wider and higher, and shaped the theater in the style of neoclassicism. Slide 8: The Bombing of Sofia in World War II destroyed parts of the building and it was rebuilt. The last major reconstruction of the National Theater was from 1972 to 1976. The main task of the project under the leadership of the Bulgarian architect Ivan Tonev and Professor engineer Venelin Venkov was to restore the original appearance of the building. At that time they also add a Chamber scene. The overall decoration was also work of Bulgarian artists. Slide 9 and 10: National poet Pencho Slaveikov in his capacity of the theatre’s director and later, such renowned figures as the famous poets , Nikolay Liliev, Geo Milev have made an outstanding contribution to the shaping of the creative nature of the theatre. It was these intellectuals of considerable accomplishments who moulded the National Theatre from a magnificent and remarkable building in the heart of Sofia into ‘a big school for all, accessible to all strata of society, ages and minds’. In this respect, 's role is extremely important for the development of the whole Bulgarian theater, because he is convinced that “National theaters are not establishments that make money or lead the audience with aimless and senseless pleasures. They are the highest cultural institutes”. Slide 11 and 12: After the first steps of the theater, a process of increased interest by Bulgarian writers in the performing arts begins. As a result, some of the most significant works that have become classic for Bulgarian dramaturgy are created. The record for the longest performed play belonged to the Vazov’s “The Outcasts”, which opened the theater itself. Vazov himself, whose name bears the theater now, is not only the author of many popular historical dramas and tragedies and brilliant comedies, but he also enjoyed attending theater performances. Until the very end of his life he had a

permanently reserved seat, preserved until this day and marked with a commemorative tablet ‘Ivan Vazov’s seat’. Slide 13: Ever since its establishment, the repertoire of the National Theater has been distinguished by its richness and diversity, with a wide presentation of both the most significant works of the world classical dramaturgy and the leading contemporary European authors – Ibsen, Chekhov, Strindberg and many more. Slide 14: In 1943, an acting school at the Ivan Vazov National Theater was established, and later in 1948 it developed into the first Bulgarian State Higher Theater School. Then it separated from the National Theater as an independent institution. Slide 15 and 16: The theater nowadays Nowadays the National Theater has a modernly equipped large stage (the most complex one on the Balkan Peninsula) and an auditorium hall with 780 seats, a chamber hall with 120 seats and a stage on the fourth floor with 90 seats. It continues to be the most significant and representative Bulgarian theater and has a permanent cast in which some of the best Bulgarian actors of different generations play. The repertoire of the theater currently has a total of 57 titles that arouse the interest of more than 150,000 viewers. Each season, over 600 performances are played in the three stages of the theater and about 10 premiere performances per season.