site.btaViolinist Vasko Vasilev Joins Opera Open Festival in Plovdiv

Renowned violinist Vasko Vasilev is set to perform at the Ancient Theatre in Plovdiv on July 13 as part of the Opera Open festival. The program will feature works by Vivaldi, Richard Strauss, Saint-Saens, Debussy, and Gustav Holst. According to the artist's team, Vasilev will play entirely from memory, without sheets, for a two-hour concert.

The repertoire and arrangements are crafted by Vasilev himself. The special invitation for this project comes from the Plovdiv Opera, and for the first time, the violinist will appear under the baton of Maestro Luciano Di Martino. Sharing the stage with the musicians from the Plovdiv Opera will be Pamela Nicholson (piano), Aurelio Martinez (piano), and Carlos Llave (guitar).

“I’ve always selected the music for my concerts based on personal interests and topics that preoccupy me at the moment. For the concert on July 13, I have a strong creative partner—Petko Tanchev, an exceptional set and visual designer, who created the visuals for the performance. With great precision, care, and professionalism, Petko interpreted each musical theme visually, and I’m incredibly excited to see his work come alive in the unique atmosphere of the Ancient Theatre in Plovdiv,” Vasilev said.

Vasko Vasilev’s concert at the Ancient Theatre in Plovdiv on July 13 will be his last performance in Bulgaria before celebrating his 55th birthday on October 14 with a special event at Arena 8888 Sofia. This will be his second concert in the arena after the first one took place nine years ago, on February 29.

This time, the focus will be entirely on the music. There will be no elaborate video productions or visual effects, only pure human connection and immediacy, the artist’s team said. The stage will be set in the center of the arena, surrounded by the audience.

Specially for the occasion, soloists from the Royal Opera House Orchestra in London, with whom Vasilev has collaborated for years, will arrive to join him, along with musician friends from Spain.

This year also marks another important milestone for Vasilev—30 years as a member of the Royal Opera House in London. To honor this anniversary, the Opera House plans to host a special screening this autumn of the documentary “Vasko and the Violin” by Lora Krumova and Maria Yotova, highlighting his remarkable journey.