On 24 May 2019, on the Day of Slavic literature and culture, a festive concert was held in the JINR Cultural Centre “Mir” in which artistic teams from Dubna, the Moscow Region, and Bulgaria took part.

The holiday started in the exhibition hall of the Cultural Centre where visitors could get acquainted with three exhibitions: “Bulgaria is the motherland of the Cyrillic alphabet” by the Bulgarian Cultural Institute, an exhibition of unique books in Bulgarian, Russian and the Cyrillic from the rare book and literature collections of the JINR Universal Public Library, and an exhibition of tasty and aromatic products from the Industrial Centre of the Republic of Bulgaria in Moscow. Before the concert, JINR Director V. A. Matveev shared his emotions with the Institute’s mass media:

“Maybe there is no more significant holiday than one dedicated to the history of our literature, the holiday of Cyril and Methodius. It is in the origins of our culture, our Slavic view on life and the perception of it. It is a holiday for all staff members of our Institute with no regard to the place they have come from. They see how we appreciate this day, the day of the history of our culture, of what we call national identity. Culture brings us together; our actions are based on it, and the major ones are to do good and to love neighbours.

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Photo by Igor Lapenko

We are very thankful to our Bulgarian national group as far as they contribute their souls and strengths into organization of this holiday, and they inspire us so much. We were waiting for Ambassador of Bulgaria in Russia to visit Dubna today, but he was fully engaged in the preparation of the holiday in Moscow and the Central Region, so he could not come here. However, he said that his soul is with us, and we will celebrate the holiday with colleagues from Bulgaria and other countries. It is our joint holiday, the holiday of our common home on the bank of the Volga river!”

A guitarist Hristo Kirilov also participated in the concert: “I am a musician from Bulgaria although I have spent half of my life in Moscow. Our peoples have a lot in common in their origins. I have travelled around the world a lot, but Russia is the only place where we are called “brothers”. I think it is impossible to be even closer.”

Photo by Olga Tarаntina

“What is the style of your music?”

“I call my style “driving and romantic”. I realized just in the childhood that one should be himself, try not to copy anyone. I have spent years to achieve it, and now I succeed in it. One should not discuss music: if you hear, you will understand my point. I hope that I will please the audience today and I really hope to come here with a solo concert. I have friends in Dubna, the Bulgarians and the Russians, so I have a reason to come back.”

Greeting the audience in the big concert hall of the Cultural Centre “Mir”, JINR Vice-Director M. G. Itkis noted that the holiday that has been celebrated since 1886 in Russia was not cancelled after the revolution; only its name was changed. On behalf of the JINR Directorate, he congratulated “Bulgarian friends who do not forget to organize this holiday each year. I congratulate all of us!”

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Photo by Igor Lapenko

A considerable contribution to organization of the event was made by Leader of the national group of Bulgaria in JINR Plamen Fiziev: “Dear friends, it is a pleasure that you have attended this holiday joint for all Slavic peoples around the world. In Bulgaria, it has been celebrated nationwide since the times of Ottoman Bulgaria. Everyone knows and sings the hymn to Cyril and Methodius written by a Bulgarian poet in the 19th century. Byzantine scientists Cyril and Methodius created the Glagolitic script, and their five students invited to Bulgaria by Tsar Boris I developed the Cyrillic script. We are proud of the fact that Bulgaria gave momentum to all Slavic culture. We express our gratitude to Russia that supported and developed it. Dear friends, congratulations!”

The atmosphere of the holiday filled the hall. Nobody was left indifferent to a bright performance of the children folk ensemble “Semechki” (Taldom). It was a separate mini-concert with a choir performance, dances, and citations of poems that was concluded with a touching performance of the march “Farewell of Slavianka”. By the way, it was written by a trumpet major Vasily Agapkin who was impressed by events of the First Balkan War of Serbia, Bulgaria, Montenegro, and Greece against the Ottoman Empire. Several folk dances were brilliantly performed by participants of the folk choreographic team “Kalinka” of the Cultural Centre “Oktyabr”. It was not the first time when a vocal duet of Marina Sidorchuk and Anna Kulakovskaya (JINR) pleased Dubna citizens with their voices. The ensemble of folk instruments of the Dubna music school “Serpantin” showed their mastership. Two guitar songs were masterly played by Hristo Kirillov: one of the songs was his interpretation of a Bulgarian folk song, the other one was a part of his trilogy “Our way”.

Photo by Olga Tarаntina

A Bulgarian post-graduate student of the Moscow State Conservatory Maria Zhekova (mezzo-soprano) brought the atmosphere in the concert hall to the full swing. She did not just perform the aria of Carmen but created a bright image of a cheerful gipsy. The concert was concluded with a set of Bulgarian dances performed by participants of the folk ensemble “Bulgarian rose” of the Bulgarian Cultural Institute in Moscow who wore national costumes. They managed to come in time to Dubna after their performance at the festive concert held in the Red Square. The holiday turned out to be fascinating, emotional, and bright. Many thanks to organizers and participants!

Photo by Olga Tarаntina

Olga Tarantina, JINR Weekly Newspaper
photos by Igor Lapenko and Olga Tarantina