Sofia
to be or not to be...
Народен театър „Иван Вазов“
Naroden teatar „Ivan Vazov“
CONSTRUCTION :
1904-1906
TRANSFORMATIONS :
1923-1928
renovation by the architect Martin Dülfer following major fire
1945
reconstruction of the auditorium after war bombing
1972-1976
full-scale reconstruction according to original designs - arch. Ivan Tomov
STATUS DURING RESEARCH :
carefully maintained building and stage mechanisms
ORIGINAL GROUND FLOOR PLAN
STAKEHOLDERS
COMMUNITY
the softness of angles towards the stage, the subtleness of curves welcoming crowded pairs of eyes, the overall intimacy of the purposefully crafted atmosphere are to be looked at when searching for a Fellner & Helmer signature. how much of this is to be sensed here?
the swans are here, the cherubs as well... everything looks according to the plans. yet, something seems to be not quite right.
but what? and more importantly, why?
in 2023, ‘The Hague’ by Sasha Denisova, a satire questioning ethical perspectives over the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine is played in a house that gracefully survived a great fire, bombing and political repression... or, when theatre is more than a frame for a show to just enjoy.
SPECIAL THANKS FOR THE INTERVIEWS:
Mladen ALEXIEV - head of international relations department / Maria DAIEVA-KAZAKOVA - creative archive archivist / Zhaklin DASKALOVA & Valentin GANEV - actors / Bogdan DIMITROV & Maria GETOVA - international relations experts / Mirela IVANOVA & Svetlana PANCHEVA - dramaturgs / Milan KOPCHEV - stage mechanisation technician / Emilia OCHKOVA - head of creative design department / Vasil VASILEV - general manager
