site.btaShakespeare Festival in Vidin’s Baba Vida Fortress Celebrated 400th Anniversary in 1964

A theatre festival marking the 400th anniversary of the birth of English playwright William Shakespeare took place in Vidin’s Baba Vida Fortress in 1964, featuring five theatre troupes from Sofia and other cities staging his works. The event included performances of several Shakespearean plays and attracted considerable public interest.

The “Shakespeariana” festival opened with the Vidin People's Theatre’s production of “Twelfth Night”. Other productions performed at the open-air theatre in Vidin included “The Comedy of Errors”, “Measure for Measure”, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”, “The Tempest”, and “Richard II”. Due to high public interest, some of the theatres repeated their productions in the Vida Winter Theatre, while other troupes brought their performances to surrounding towns and villages.

On July 5, 1964, the People's Youth Theatre – Sofia (now the Nikolay Binev Youth Theatre) staged “As You Like It” in the presence of the British Ambassador to Bulgaria, William Harpham. The ambassador gave an interview to BTA’s local correspondent, Ivan Zankov, where he said he was impressed by what he had seen. “This is my first visit to Vidin. I have been left with an excellent impression of the city. The people of Vidin are kind, hospitable and cheerful, and I feel their friendship,” Harpham said.

Five theatre ensembles from Sofia and the provinces performed during the eight-day celebration, including the People's Theatre “Georgi Kostov” in Sliven, People's Theatre “Adriana Budevska” in Burgas, Labour Front Theatre – Sofia, and, among others, the Sofia Theatre of Artistic Speech and the Vidin State Symphony Orchestra, which presented a recital of sonnets and a concert of music inspired by Shakespeare.

The festival was organized on the initiative of the Committee for Culture and Arts, the Central Committee of the Trade Union of Arts Practitioners, the National Academy for Theatre and Film Arts, local officials, and members of the cultural community in Vidin. Under the chairmanship of District Party Committee Secretary Petko Stamenov, the organizational committee met to review preparations for the event.

Throughout the festival, Vidin welcomed many visitors drawn by large colourful posters, artistic displays, and the symbolism of hosting Shakespearean celebrations in the historic Baba Vida Fortress. The festivities culminated with the lighting of beacons and welcoming speeches. Deputy Chair of the Committee for Culture and Arts Boris Vaptsarov, in his opening address, noted Shakespeare’s enduring relevance and the affinity Bulgarian audiences feel towards his works.

Notable artists participating included Konstantin Kissimov, Vladimir Trendafilov, Ivan Kondov, and laureates of the National Festival of Artistic Speech. After the final performance on July 6, 1964, featuring “Richard II” by the National Youth Theatre – Sofia, a closing ceremony took place led by District Party Committee Secretary Velko Semkov. The Shakespeare Theatre Days in Vidin stands as a significant cultural event in the city’s history, honouring the timeless works and universal appeal of William Shakespeare.