A festival with impressive traditions since 1926, awarded with the EFFE label.

The program of Varna Summer IMF is structured in 6 modules with a genre variety.

- CORE PROGRAM (24 June - 5 July)
- INTERNATIONAL SUMMER ACADEMY (2 – 29 July)
- MUSIC LAB (13 - 19 July)
- OPEN-AIR OPERA, MUSICAL AND BALLET (28 June - 9 August)
- CROSSOVER (2 August -  2 November)
- BAROQUE MUSIC (17 - 19 September)

Highly appreciated musicians from Bulgaria and Europe will perform on the Varna stage.The opening is on 24 June with the Bulgarian opera prima Alexandrina Pendatchanska and conductor Piero Romano from Italy. The Core Program is in the tune with the Bulgarian Presidency of the Council of EU and European Year of Culture Heritage. This year the program is wide and besides classical music it features some of the best Bulgarian productions in the field of jazz, folklore and music theater. Highlights are the East-West Chamber Orchestra (Orchestra in-residence at the Yuri Bashmet International Music Festival)  with Sergei Krylov and Rostislav Krimer; Bulgarian National Radio Symphony Orchestra conducted by Mark Kadin and soloists Theodosii Spassov, kaval and Ilian Iliev, clarinet; the leading Bulgarian Jazz Band - Big Band of the Bulgarian National Radio; "Dragostin Folk National" Choir Ensemble; Pilekadone Quintet; Sinfonietta Orchestra-Varna with conductor Milko Kolarov.

On 24 June, a workshop will take place, organized jointly with EFA and the Bulgarian Festival Association (BFA). The EFA president Jan Briers and representatives of Bulgarian festivals, will discuss subjects related to better communication between festivals.

The module Academy will present the emblematic project of Prof. Mintcho Mintchev Beethoven Complete Sonatas for Piano and Violin. For the first time in Bulgaria within three concert evenings, the fame of Bulgarian performing art around the world - 10 violinists and 4 pianists, including Mintcho Mintchev, Svetlin Roussev, Albena Danailova, Mila Georgieva, Plamena Mangova, Evgeni Bozhanov will perform the 10 violin sonatas by Beethoven.

The Summer Music Academy itself will include three masterclasses: 

Piano - with the legendary pianist Prof. Dmitri Bashkirov, who is today one of the most sought after piano pedagogues in the world, opera singing - with the famous tenor Emil Ivanov and violin - with the artistic director of the Academy Prof. Mintcho Mintchev, as well as the traditional Competition "The Violins of Mintcho Mintchev Fund ".

There will be excellent concerts in the module Varna Lab - the accent will be on Varna artists and their joint projects with internationally established musicians. Names such as “Stefan Zweig” Piano Trio featuring Bulgarian pianist Sibila Konstantinova, the “Dobri Hristov” String Quartet and friends, the flutist Ivona Nedeva with her new project are among the participants in the laboratory. This module will finish with the Balkan Youth Symphony Orchestra. We will also hear brand new names, young pianists, students of the artistic adviser of the festival Prof. Ludmil Angelov.

The module Crossover - summer mood on the outdoor stages in the city - in the Open-air Theater, the Inner Courtyard of the Archaeological Museum and on the very beach - the “Menthol” stage. We expect attractive programs by Hilda Kazasyan, Antoni Donchev Jazz Quintet and Patax Ensemble from Spain. The Grand Final will be with Ara Malikian and his “The Incredible Story of Violin” on 2 November 2018 in the Palace of Culture and Sports Varna.

The module Open-air Opera, Musical and Ballet includes 5 premieres of the Varna Opera - the musical „Zorro” and four opera productions. Undoubted favorite for connoisseurs will be "Der fliegende Holländer" by Wagner, co-production with the National Opera of Belgrade. The other opera productions are “La Gioconda” by Ponchielli, co-production with the Italian opera theaters in Modena and Piacenza and Puccini's “Tosca”. This module ends with the ballet "Swan Lake" by Tchaikovsky - a new production of the Varna Opera.

The final module Baroque promises meetings with prominent European ensembles for early music: the elegant Italian ensemble Concerto de’ Cavalieri with Venetian Baroque masterpieces, Bach Beyond by Signum Saxophone Quartet and Baroque Concertos performed by the Bulgarian flutist Yavor Zhelev and string quartet.

For more info: www.vasrnasummerfest.org

Tickets: https://fccvarna.bg/en

FB:  международен музикален фестивал “варненско лято”/ varna summer music fest