World-renowned percussionist Vivi Vassileva appears for the first time on the stage of Opera Plovdiv

On March 24, the audience at Opera Plovdiv will experience an exciting encounter between percussion and orchestra – a concert that combines the energy of contemporary sound with the magic of the symphonic tradition. On the conductor’s podium will be maestro Nayden Todorov, while the soloist of the evening is Vivi Vassileva – the virtuoso Bulgarian percussionist who expands the perception of the possibilities of percussion instruments. Described as an artist who “pushes the boundaries of the percussion world,” she combines technical precision, remarkable virtuosity and vibrant stage energy.

The sister of the renowned Bulgarian violinist Vasko Vassilev will perform the Concerto for Percussion and Orchestra by Danny Elfman – a work described by critics as a true percussion symphonic revolution. In it, one of the most recognizable composers of film music for hits such as Mission: Impossible, Spider-Man, Batman, Desperate Housewives and others makes a bold turn toward the concert stage. The music unfolds as a dialogue between tradition and improvisation – cultures and rhythms that meet, intertwine and create a new sound. With this concerto, Elfman pays tribute to percussion – his first musical love, dating back to the time when he studied African balafons and Indonesian gamelan ensembles.

Vivi Vassileva has established herself as one of the outstanding percussionists of her generation, performing on prestigious stages around the world. She began her professional training in 2004 with the Chilean percussionist Claudio Estay – principal percussionist of the Munich Opera. At just 13, she won first prize at the Jugend musiziert competition and became the youngest member of the Bundesjugendorchester. At 15, she released her first album with the support of Bavarian Radio, and at 16 she was admitted to the Hochschule für Musik und Theater in Munich, where she graduated under Prof. Peter Sadlo and Raymond Curfs. This was followed by awards from international competitions in Paris, Nuremberg and Ingolstadt, as well as special prizes at the ARD Wettbewerb. In 2016, she also received first prize for her own composition in the Kulturpreis des Kulturkreises Gasteig München competition.

The second part of the program is dedicated to Symphony No. 5 by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky – one of the most powerful works in the composer’s symphonic output. Written in 1888, the piece is built around the theme of fate – a musical motif that runs throughout the entire symphony, gradually transforming from a dark tone into a triumphant finale. Its strong emotional intensity, rich orchestral colors and the famous lyrical second movement have made the symphony one of Tchaikovsky’s most beloved works.

Tickets are available at the Opera Plovdiv box office, through Eventim, and online at eventim.bg and grabo.bg.