site.btaSalon des Arts Opens in Sofia with "Iconic Melodies" by Harpist Alexander Boldachev

The 23rd spring edition of the Salon des Arts, hosted by the National Palace of Culture (NDK) in Sofia, opened on Monday evening with a concert by Zurich-based harpist Alexander Boldachev. The show at Hall 3 of NDK ranged from Baroque classics to rock hits and film music, and concluded with enthusiastic applause and an encore.

Before the concert, NDK Executive Director Andriana Petkova greeted the audience and presented this year's edition of the festival, which comes on NDK's 45th anniversary.

"We have prepared a very strong Salon for you, and we are beginning with an extraordinary concert," Petkova said. She announced some of the upcoming events: an exhibition by Pavel Koychev, a children's opera by the Stara Zagora Opera House, theatre productions and film screenings, among others. On May 31, children from Sofia will be invited to paint on a large white canvas what NDK means to them.

"Alexander Boldachev demonstrates all the nuances and possibilities of the harp," said Dr Kohar Andonyan-Kradjyan, a harp lecturer at the Lyubomir Pipkov National Music School, who introduced Monday's performer.

Boldachev addressed the audience in English. "This is my second visit to Bulgaria and my first to Sofia," he said. "My mission and desire is to share with you everything I wish to express through this instrument and to offer something for everyone," the musician said.

His concert, entitled Iconic Melodies, unfolded in five parts, with Boldachev speaking to the audience between each section to explain what was to follow. The first part, "Rock Baroque", featured works by Bach, Vivaldi and Daken. The second, titled "There Will Come Soft Rains...", was dedicated to Rachmaninoff, Tchaikovsky, Mussorgsky and Shostakovich. The third, "True Love", brought together Debussy, Chopin, Brahms and Piazzolla. In the fourth part, "Childhood Memories", the harpist performed music from popular video games and films. The final section, "Classical Pop", included works by artists and bands such as Gotye, Scorpions, Red Hot Chili Peppers, John Lennon, Queen and Nirvana.

The Salon des Arts will run until June 2, turning NDK into a hub of cultural life in the capital for nearly two months.

Alexander Boldachev is an internationally recognized and award-winning musician, having performed on prestigious stages such as Carnegie Hall in New York, Musikverein in Vienna, and Salle Gaveau in Paris. He is a virtuoso classical performer known as an improviser, producer, and composer of film and theatre music.

Boldachev is an honorary professor at the Royal Academy of Music in London, the music school at the University of California, Los Angeles, and the Conservatory of Milan, Italy. He holds Swiss citizenship, is the founder of the Zurich Harp Festival, and the initiator of World Harp Day.