16 march 2026 Symphony Concert With Bulgarian Works on Thursday at the Opera H

On March 19 this year, starting at 7:00 PM, an event of high artistic value is coming up in the Burgas State Opera Hall, presented entirely by a magnificent female ensemble - conductor, pianist, and composers.
 Under the baton of maestro Kalina Vasileva /guest/ Kalina Vasileva, pianist Iliana Todorova will be a soloist of the Burgas Opera Orchestra and will perform works by Prof. Borislava Taneva and Petya Toncheva in a SYMPHONIC CONCERT.
 Give yourself an experience - under the sign of the professionalism, talent, and undeniable charm of the creators of the exciting event!
 Tickets - at the Opera box office, "Clock" box office, at Grabo.bg - Symphony concert on March 19, in the Opera Hall | Grabo.bg - https://share.google/5O6iCxxA02O3qRXRt

and Eventim.BG - https://www.eventim.bg/…/%D1%81%D0%B8%D0%BC%D1%84%D0%BE%D0…/

 

March 19, 2026, 7:00 PM, Opera Hall
SYMPHONIC CONCERT
Conductor – Kalina Vasileva - guest
Soloist: Iliana Todorova - piano
Concertmaster - Vanya Zlateva
In the program - works by Borislava Taneva, Petya Toncheva, and others.
Orchestra of the State Opera - Burgas

 Here is what Prof. Dr. Borislava Taneva, whom the Burgas audience knows as a pianist, in addition to as a composer, says about the wonderful Symphonic Concert under the baton of Prof. Dr. Grigor Palikarov in November 2025 in the hall of the Burgas Opera:
"You will probably find a similar dramatic plan in both works - "Homage to Alexander Tanev" and "Musica ad libitum". I myself realize this only now, when I will hear them sound together for the first time, in one evening. Although they were created over several years, the form, composition, length, the passage through the different sections, and, last but not least, the role of the solo instrument unite the pieces in one dramatic framework.
"Homage to Alexander Tanev" was written first. Its initial version was for piano and chamber (string) orchestra, after which in its second version (enriched and expanded with wind and percussion instruments) the piece also acquired a subtitle “Sofia Concertino”. This version will be performed tonight. This is a kind of dialogue with my father, the composer Alexander Tanev, who left our world exactly 30 years ago. Throughout the piece, there are references and sometimes frank quotes – lines borrowed from his works (Divertimento Concertante for piano and orchestra, Piano Concerto No. 2, Piano Sonata, etc.).
The second piece, “Musica ad libitum,” was written by order of the Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra. The piece is again one-movement and has a similar rhapsodic structure, impressive with the dynamics of a modern day, burdened by stress and a race against time, in which the idea inevitably creeps in somewhere – a longing for a calm, balanced, and in this sense beautiful life.
The role of the solo instrument is special in both pieces. It is not necessarily the leading part, but rather the piano is treated as a more busy orchestral part, as an important, but still part of the entire orchestral organism, and not its leader.
With gratitude to Iliana Todorova and the management of Opera Burgas for the idea and realization!" - Prof. Dr. Borislava Taneva.

Here is the philosophical concept for the author's works of Petya Toncheva, composer, teacher, and conductor of the school orchestra of NUMSI "Prof. Pancho Vladigerov" Burgas:

Petya Toncheva -
“The Earth — Out of Range”
for solo piano and string instruments
The cycle “The Earth — Out of Range” is a work in five parts –
The Sea in Me,
The Earth Out of Range,
Tired Stars,
The World in a Grain of Sand,
Under One Sky.
Five titles that outline the broad path from personal experience to the universal, from the inner world of man to the fate of all humanity. They intertwine energy and contemplation, tension and harmony, anxiety and hope. At the centre of the sound picture stands the piano – not only as a soloist, but also as a narrator and an equal partner of the orchestra.
The piano part is built with elements resembling improvisation and counterpoint to texture. Jazz rhythms, jazz harmony and a syncopated pulse are woven into it, which create a feeling of freedom and lively communication with the string instruments. For the most part, the piano does not rise above the orchestra, but is woven into its fabric – complementary, leading and essential for the construction of the overall sound. More observant listeners can recognise in the second part an association with the tense rhythm of an SOS signal, as a symbolic call for help.
“Earth — Out of Reach” poses global questions: where has man gone, what do we lose, what do we keep, what traces do we leave behind? In each part, different states are felt – uplift and energy, anxiety and confusion, fatigue and contemplation, tension and chaos, but also light, wisdom and hope. The work is both a warning and a message – it confronts us with the responsibility to protect nature, preserve cultural heritage and be conscious of the examples we set for future generations.
The finale ends with an optimistic vision: that despite the cataclysms and trials, the world can turn to a more humane, more meaningful and wiser direction, in which man and nature exist in balance, and the spiritual heritage is passed down as a testament to the future." - Petya Toncheva.

Pianist with a remarkable professional portfolio, Iliana Todorova, also reveals her excitement before the significant cultural event on March 19:
"I would not say that the idea for this concert was born spontaneously. It is the fruit of long and careful consideration and of my desire to pay my respects and gratitude to two women with whom life first connected me professionally, and whose presence in my life continues to bring me peace, clarity and true joy - both as a musician and as a person.
Part of my student years were spent in the home of Professor Alexander Tanev, under the caring wing of his wife, Rumyana Taneva. Together with Borislava, she accepted and cared for me as the youngest daughter in the family. To this environment I owe the initial drive and direction of my professional and personal growth - that quiet but sure impulse that continues to guide me to this day.
Fate met me with Petya Toncheva at the Music School in my first working days there a few years ago. To this day, I remember her open arms and her welcoming smile. The collegial "Hello, how are you?" in the school corridors gradually turned into spontaneous post-concert walks, and later - into long, expected meetings and conversations about music, art, creative ideas and worldview. It was a real surprise for me that this Burgas artist had not been presented on the professional Burgas stage - hence, my desire to correct this omission was born.
With sincere gratitude to Professor Alexander Tekeliev, who embraced this idea and gave his support for its implementation." - Iliana Todorova.