Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2025 All Rights Reserved

January 29 - the date of the first children's operetta performance in Bulgaria in 1882

Sliven Municipality
Photo: Stoyan Radev

On today's date, January 29, back in 1882, the first performance of a children's operetta in Bulgaria was shown in the town of Sliven, the Sliven-based library "Zora" announced. At that time, this musical genre was little known in Bulgaria. 

The idea came from Yosif Kalomati - a Bulgarian-French composer and pedagogue, the first music teacher with specialized music education at the Sliven Boys' High School. He chose the French operetta Royal Dindon by Luigi Bordese, a popular composer of children's music in the 19th century. The performance featured the choir and orchestra of the Men's High School.

The show passed "with great success, reaching the rank of a cultural event", the newspapers of that era wrote.



Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.

More from category

Tonika SV celebrates 45 years on stage

One of the most popular vocal groups of the 1980s, Tonika SV, is celebrating its 45th anniversary on stage with a grand concert in Sofia. The group is to perform its greatest hits on November 8, in Hall No 1 of the National Palace of Culture. Their..

published on 11/6/25 12:30 PM
Photo: Bulgarian Classical Concerts – Los Angeles

“Bulgarian Classical Concerts – Los Angeles” officially starts on November 6

The new nonprofit foundation Bulgarian Classical Concerts – Los Angeles , founded by two exceptionally successful and talented Bulgarian women – violinist Blagomira Lipari and composer Penka Kouneva – with the mission of promoting Bulgarian classical..

published on 11/6/25 11:50 AM

JazzBoree release original version of Bulgarian folk song "Rosni mi, rosni, Rositse"

The JazzBoree group continues the line of mixing Bulgarian folklore with expressive means characteristic of jazz. The musicians of the formation find the intersection between folklore and jazz precisely in the freedom of interpretation - this is exactly..

published on 11/5/25 3:30 PM