The December issue of LIK magazine, dedicated to the 120th anniversary of the Ivan Vazov National Theatre, showcases the continuous development of an important tradition, Bulgarian News Agency (BTA) Director General Kiril Valchev said during LIK magazine’s presentation in BTA’s MaxiM Hall on Friday.

Valchev noted that BTA’s chronology highlights the preservation and evolution of this tradition, beginning in 1923 when the theatre building was destroyed by fire and subsequently rebuilt by 1928.

He explained that the issue opens with an introduction by Ivan Vazov from a time before BTA existed. Between 1881 and 1884, Vazov wrote articles advocating for the necessity of a National Theatre. However, the official beginning is considered to be 1904, when on January 1, the manager of the state-supported drama group Salza i Smyah [Tear and Laughter] was appointed as the theatre’s director, marking the start of the Bulgarian National Theatre, Valchev said.

Valchev explained that the cover of the issue is particularly important, not only due to its modern design created by students from the National Academy of Arts but also because it highlights Theatre Osnova, the wooden structure that preceded the National Theatre’s establishment in 1888.

He emphasized the importance of showing readers how the original wooden structure, Theatre Osnova [Foundation], evolved into the “magnificent building with three times more seats, designed by the famous Viennese architect Rudolf Fuchs.”

Valchev added, “One realizes the rapid development of an inspired nation, which, after five centuries without independent progress, embarked on the path of the most advanced in Europe.”

He also mentioned that the December issue conveys another message: that time can reconcile even the sharpest contradictions. “In the history of the theatre, we know that Sofia University was closed for six months due to the theatre’s opening, for example. That is why we included, in the form of a chronology, the two hot topics of recent years—the election of the current director and the excitement surrounding it, and literally from the last few weeks, the buzz around the play Arms and the Man directed by John Malkovich. I’m confident these topics will be read a hundred years from now in the same way we now calmly read about the uproar, for instance, when Ferdinand was booed at the opening of the National Theatre in 1907,” Valchev said.

He highlighted that this year’s issues of LIK have covered a wide range of topics, including the Balkan Athlete of the Year poll marking its 50th anniversary, the 125th anniversaries of artist Dechko Uzunov and composer Pancho Vladigerov, the 45th anniversary of Bulgarian astronaut Georgi Ivanov’s space flight, Bulgarian science in Antarctica, the 120th anniversary of poet Atanas Dalchev, the 55th anniversary of the Albena resort complex, Bulgaria’s Olympic glory, the 110th anniversary of opera singer Boris Christoff, the 155th anniversary of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (BAS), and the 10th edition of the CineLibri film and literature festival.

Valchev mentioned that issues of LIK on The Bulgarian Footprint in Space and Bulgarian Science in Antarctica have been translated into English, with the latter also available in Spanish. Another issue, 155 Years of BAS, is currently being translated into English.

Over 300 copies of the print edition are distributed free of charge to national and regional libraries, cultural institutions, and universities in and outside Bulgaria, Valchev noted. “For example, students studying Bulgarian in Bucharest asked for the magazine because their teachers said it was once used to teach Bulgarian. We aim to increase the print run next year to ensure that the print edition is accessible wherever Bulgarian is studied worldwide,” Valchev said. He added that the magazine is also available online for free on the BTA website.