Vesselina Kasarova and Ludmil Angelov will close the “Piano Extravaganza” Festival with a chamber concert at the Sofia Opera on 6 October
The world-known opera prima Vesselina Kasarova and the eminent pianist Ludmil Angelov will close the “Piano Extravaganza” Festival with a chamber concert at the Sofia Opera on 6 October. In the programme there are works by Monteverdi, Haydn, Chopin and Berlioz, reported at a press conference today Ludmil Angelov, initiator and organizer of the festival.
“For the first time we are cooperating with the Opera for “Piano Extravaganza”, I hope this to continue”, marked the Maestro.
On the playbill – from 25 September, there are 10 concerts – in the Ceremonial hall of the Sofia University and at the Central Military Club. In the programme, there is not only classical music, but also other genres, with significant presence of the jazz, mainly as transcriptions and improvisations of the classic. Most of the performances are premiere ones for Bulgaria. The entry is free for students from the Academy of Music and from the New Bulgarian University – with music studies, as well as for the students from the music schools. Tickets there are at the Box office of Cantus Firmus at the Bulgaria hall and on ticketsbg.
The idea of the festival is to present unknown or undeservedly neglected virtuoso works – by famous composers, as well as by remained in shadow colleagues of theirs from different ages.
For the second time in the festival is included a Doors Open Day, on which all who wish will have the possibility to play a little bit at the best grand piano in Bulgaria, to the words of Ludmil Angelov. It was bought by the “Piano Extravaganza” Foundation for education of young Bulgarian pianists and for participations in the festival programme. The Doors Open Day will be on 1 October from 10.00 to 19.00 h at the Military Club. The Maestro will give his first open lesson to young talents, who have registered in advance, and the Prize for one of them will be a scholarship from the pianist for education by him at the New Bulgarian University.
In the additional programme is included also the premiere for Bulgaria documentary about Astor Piazzolla – on 5 October at the Odeon Cinema.
The young Bulgarian star of the piano Evgeni Bozhanov, laureate at prestigious competitions, will open the festival with Beethoven, Ravel and Schubert. The next evening the stage will conquer the jazzmen Milen Kukosharov – piano, and Vesselin Vesselinov – Eko – double bass, with improvisations to music by Erik Satie. For the admirers of the jazz is also the concert of the Polish pianist Piotr Wyleżoł.
The special guest of the festival – the Austrian Ingolf Wunder, one of the best European pianists today, will present himself with curious works, among which “Hexameron” (“Seven Hands” in Greek) – united by Liszt works by seven virtuoso composers from the 19th century, among who he himself, who had organized their odd competition in Paris.
The wunderkind from China – the 18-year old A Vi, will play works by Nikolai Kapustin for the composer’s 80th Anniversary, who combines the classic and the azz in his works. In the world of the Czech composer Eduard Nápravník will introduce the spectators Ludmil Angelov, the soprano Daniela Dimova and the Slovenian violinist Lana Trotovšek. The concert will hear also the audience in Varna on 26 September.
The Naples Piano School – one of the oldest in Europe, will be presented by the Italian pianist Eloisa Cascio. Recitals will give also Melani Mestre from Spain – pianist and conductor, and Vyacheslav Gryaznov from Russia – pianist and composer.
The festival is organized by the “Piano Extravaganza” Foundation with the support of the Sofia Municipality, the “America for Bulgaria” Foundation, The Ministry of Defence, the Cultural Institutes of Poland and Italy, the Embassies of Spain, Argentina and Austria.