Embracing the madness since '96

The church was built in the 14th century; it was not consecrated, hence the name - “aliturgetos” (αλειτούργητος) is the Greek for “not consecrated”. The legend says that one of the builders fell down and was killed. The church canon did not allow a place where a man had been killed to be used for worship, but according to some records services were still held in it. 

2013

The smallest town in Bulgaria

23 - 24 June 2012

The International Chamber Music Festival in Plovdiv - the oldest festival for classical chamber music in Europe - is held annually in June in one of the most emblematic monuments in the Old Town - the Ethnographic Museum. A representative building of architecture from the Bulgarian Revival period, its ambiance takes you back to a time long past, simultaneously providing the intimate atmosphere that suits the occasion perfectly.

On the second night of this year’s edition the stage was graced by Cantori Materani - the Chapel Choir of the Cathedral of Matera, the Italian city which will hold the title of European Capital of Culture in 2019, alongside Plovdiv. 

Lead by Maestro Alessandra Barbaro (on the right in the first picture), the choir performed a series of songs from different regions of the country, some even in a regional Neapolitan dialect. One of the songs – a lullaby about the hardships of life by the name of Fa la nana, was so profoundly touching that it moved me to tears.  The night was concluded, in typical Italian fashion, by a rendition of O sole mio.

You can find out more about choir on their facebook page [x] and on the page of the Interntional Chamber Music Festival [x]

One of my favourite costumes this year - Spain

Here is a part of the performance of the Brazillian dancers [2]

Here is a part of the performance of the Brazillian dancers [1]

The festival is by far one of the most popular and highly anticipated events of the year in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, a celebration of diversity where dancers from all over the world come together to give us a glimpse of their culture. It’s also a great opportunity to spend some time with friends and family, although going out on your own to meet new people is still very much an option. The atmosphere is vivacious, to say the very least. There is yet to be an occasion where I’ve been to the festival and haven’t gotten the strongest urge to stand up and dance. The setting, the crowds, the music and the dances make for a delightful combination that leaves a lasting impression and makes you want to relive that moment again and again.

This year, the city hosted dancers from Armenia, Brazil, Chile, Georgia, Jordan, Kosovo, Montenegro and Spain. The troupes would first parade along the main street and perform parts of their routines on a stage in front of the town hall, and then move on to the main venue – the Roman theatre of Plovdiv.

On the opening night, the first to take the stage were the dancers from Armenia. I was awestruck when they started off – while the norm for visiting troupes is to emphasize on the dance, the Armenians took off with a powerful vocal trio, delivering the best opening I’ve seen in years. They were followed by the Brazilians – a small group whose flamboyant costumes were matched by their infectious energy. Sadly, I can’t help but feel that they were overshadowed by the familiar presence of Georgia. Having taken part in the festival in previous years, the Georgians had already established a favourable reputation, and they surely didn’t disappoint this year. They started off with a slower routine, which gradually increased in pace, culminating in the traditional warrior dance. To be perfectly honest, after the fiery, fast-paced Georgians, I could hardly focus on anything else, and the rest of the night went by pretty much in a blur. The Spaniards which came next danced to a childishly fun melody, their costumes adorned with little bells. When I saw them with their swords at the parade on the main street, for a split second I thought they had prepared an epic sword-fighting routine, but what they really had in store was much more fascinating. At one point one of the dancers was lifted up in the air on those swords, and she proceeded to display the best flag-waving skills I’ve seen in my life [Around 32:40 in the video]. Jordan had amazing costumes, Montenegro – the tallest dancers, and Kosovo took home the prize for “Best moustache”. The last to perform traditionally are Bulgarian dancers, and this year the local representative was the folklore ensemble “Dilyanka”, which celebrated its 25th birthday – a perfect ending to a perfect night.

This festival has had a very special place in my heart ever since I first saw it five years ago, partially because of the rich atmosphere only a venue of such stature as the Roman theatre could provide, but also because of all the different people, different cultures you wouldn’t normally get to see. I especially enjoy seeing the dancers on the stage before the show starts, taking pictures and generally having fun. I would highly recommend you visit this festival - or any other similar even - if you ever have the chance. I’m sure you won’t regret it.

PS: The video above is not mine, but I thought it would be better to share this one, since the footage I recorded with my phone only covered tiny bits of the festival and was much worse in quality.