On June 28, 2025, at 6 pm, in the Music Studio of the Bulgaria Concert Complex, within the 56th International Festival “Sofia Music Weeks”, a presentation of Miglena Tzenova’s book Reception of Traditional Chinese Opera Performances in Bulgaria was held[1]. The text of this second[2] printed monographic study was developed as a three-year individual scientific project from the Scientific Plan of the Institute of Art Studies at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences. However, as the author herself points out, it is the result of her 27-year study of Chinese music, specifically Chinese traditional opera. The publication has a special dedication – on the 75th anniversary of the establishment of bilateral relations between Bulgaria and China, “with wishes for ever deeper mutual knowledge and full communication between the two cultures.”
The meeting between East and West on the stage of Sofia Music Weeks has been conceptually conditioned since the establishment of the festival in 1970, when its main priorities were announced, among which was its establishment as an intersection of European and Asian musical cultures in various aspects of such cultural interaction, interpreted both in a broad and narrow sense. Over the years, numerous interesting tours have been performed, including by the Nanking Folk Instrument Orchestra (China), the Pyongyang Folk Ensemble (DPRK), a dance performance from India (1988) and others. In the last few editions of Sofia Music Weeks, the theme has had specific expressions in visits by Korean performers with interesting traditional instruments, dances, and costumes, in fruitful collaborations between Bulgarian composers and Korean performers[3]. This year, there were also guests from China – a large symphony orchestra from the city of Changsha was presented for the first time in Bulgaria (Bulgaria Hall, June 28, 2025, 7 pm). Sofia is one of the destinations of the European tour of this impressive ensemble of 80 instrumentalists, conducted by Fan Tao, and as a soloist, his sister, the pianist Fan Kun, appeared. The orchestra had prepared a classical European program featuring works by Felix Mendelssohn, Carl Maria von Weber, and Johannes Brahms, preceded by a Bulgarian work, “Song of the Sun” by Georgi Arnaudov. In itself, the event is curious enough for the metropolitan festival audience. Still, as an important emphasis and success in programming, I will highlight the previous event from the accompanying program of Sofia Music Weeks, which focused on the scientific interpretation of music from the Far East and its reception in Bulgaria.
The accompanying program of Sofia Music Weeks is a long-established parallel line consisting of a growing variety of peripheral events: scientific forums, master classes, screenings of film opera productions, competitions for young instrumentalists, meetings with participants (with the presentation of new CDs), exhibitions, and others. Traditionally, the festival management also presents newly released monographic music editions annually, set in the context of appropriate concerts from the main program. Here, the very active participation of scholars from the Institute of Art Studies in these events must be emphasised – a significant share of the scientific publications woven into the Sofia Music Weeks poster are the works of musicologists from our institute. Over the last few years, the festival’s rich accompanying program has included monographs by Elisaveta Valchinova-Chendova, Kristina Yapova, Ventsislav Dimov, Angelina Petrova, Milena Bozhikova, and others[4]. Among the latest editions of the Institute of Art Studies presented at Sofia Music Weeks are the books “Music in the Bulgarian School at the End of the 19th and the Beginning of the 20th Century” (2020) by Rositsa Draganova and “The Archive of Dimitar Nenov. Systematisations, interpretations, analyses” (2024) and Panka Pelisek and Her Pianistic School (2024) by Polina Antonova, as well as the monograph dedicated to the festival itself: Sofia Music Weeks. Studies on the History and Present of the Festival (2024) by Diana Danova-Damyanova. The scientific works have been awarded Book of the Year Awards in various categories, annually presented by the Musicologists Section of the Union of Bulgarian Composers. “Reception of Traditional Chinese Opera Performances in Bulgaria” (2024), by Miglena Tzenova, has been awarded in the Scientific Monograph category (Musical Theatre).
The presentation of the monograph of Assoc. Prof. Miglena Tzenova, PhD, defined by the attendees as an “academic but also secular event”, caused well-deserved interest and was supported by the scientific community of the Institute of Art Studies in the face of scientists from different sectors – Music, Theatre, Cinema, by lecturers at the National Academy of Music “Prof. Pancho Vladigerov” and the National Academy of Theatre and Film Arts “Krastyo Sarafov”, as well as by philologists from the Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”.
Among the contributions of her latest extensive research, structured in two main sections with subchapters, introduction, and conclusion, accompanied by a comprehensive bibliography and application, according to the author, is the understanding of the term “reception” itself, both in literary studies and linguistics, as well as in music and theatrical studies. To this end, in the first theoretical section, Miglena Tzenova refers to old written monuments created between the 5th and 4th centuries BC and the 6th century AD, in search of possible earliest precursors of theories of reception created in the 20th and 21st centuries. The second – an empirical array, is dedicated to the restoration of the chronology of the numerous performances of traditional Chinese opera in Bulgaria, performed in the period 1952 – 2023, as well as to the interpretation of the “cordial communication between such performances and the Bulgarian audience and criticism in the 20th and 21st centuries” – a particularly laborious task that the researcher has performed with great patience and precision. The beginning of such events was initiated by the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China, with support from Chinese institutions. In recent years, more and more Bulgarian festival forums have also contributed to the realisation of such performances. A significant contribution is the study of the degree of penetration of Chinese traditional opera elements through some Bulgarian interpretations in Bulgarian higher education.
Prof. Nikolay Yordanov, DSc., a theatrical scholar at the Institute of Art Studies and one of the book’s reviewers, highlighted some of the main qualities of the text. Noting the various perspectives presented on the problematics, exceeding that stated in the title, Prof. Yordanov stressed that the study makes sense of serious theoretical and historical works – treatises, concepts, but also contributes to acquainting the Bulgarian cultural community with a centuries-old tradition and unfamiliar territories: “There is a hunger among the Bulgarian audience to get acquainted with the forms of Asian theatre and opera. This traditional Chinese opera is located on the border between music and theatre.” In the first section, which deals with receptive aesthetics, the author provides a historical examination of fundamental concepts starting from the East and ending with Western schools and research. “A particular highlight of the exhibition is the presentation of “Natyashastra” – an Indian text, the earliest treatise on theatrical art in the world. Translations of this treatise in European cultures, including Bulgarian, have been traced. Miglena Tzenova researched practically all the visits of Chinese traditional art in Bulgaria, including the reviews of leading Bulgarian intellectuals. She continues to be interested in Bulgarians visiting China.” Prof. Yordanov also outlined the supposed audience of the publication: “I think that the book will be very useful for people who are directly involved in musicology, art studies, cultural studies, art, for people who are interested in the dialogue between East and West.”
Assoc. Prof. Stefka Venkova, PhD, musicologist, scientific secretary of the Institute of Art Studies, also a reviewer of the monograph, in her statement marked contribution moments: “This is a very thorough book, I congratulate the author on her perseverance and dedication. The work respects the serious theoretical premises on which it is built, as well as the large amount of work done. The large-scale and up-to-date musicological study bridges the gap between the Bulgarian and European theatrical scenes, introducing a wide range of information. I would like to emphasise some innovative approaches: the in-depth study of the question of reception not only within the theories of postmodernism, but also the search for supports and the transfer of ideas from ancient texts of European and Asian culture to modernity; the understanding of the interaction between the Indian and Chinese traditions in traditional Chinese opera; the introduction of musical-theoretic interpretations from Chinese treatises from the 5th-4th centuries BC. – 6th century AD in terms of criteria for the evaluation of musical, poetic, and other works. Moreover, the author is already following the reflection in the Bulgarian author’s space: in the creative efforts of numerous Bulgarian directors, composers, scenographers, choreographers, and performers, which I find bring a particular contribution. What she is currently developing at our institute is related to the work of the composer Asen Avramov.” Prof. Venkova also paid special attention to a great advantage – Miglena Tzenova’s competence in the music genres – opera, operetta, musical, which supports multidisciplinary approaches to the chosen topic and stressed that “the current research confirms Miglena Tzenova’s position as one of the important modern researchers of Chinese traditional opera.”
Prof. Andronika Martonova, PhD, a cinematographer from the Institute of Art Studies, shared about her long-standing dialogue with Miglena Tzenova on an Asian topic and also highlighted some of the specifics of the edition: “The book is multifaceted, extremely rich. I believe that as art scholars, we are indebted to this Eastern theme and the reception of the East in Bulgaria, as well as the discussion over this dialogue in the Bulgarian cultural field, where it intersects with the Eastern field. […] Working with archival materials is one of the serious merits of the book; it is another type of work that requires a new reading. The book will be useful not only for our artistic circle but also for researchers of Eastern languages and cultures. My wish is that the book be translated into Chinese.” Prof. Martonova also recalled an important historical moment in the bilateral cultural dialogue – the first film co-production from 1955, “With a Song for China”, “a documentary about a truly epic tour of our military ensemble in China”.
Some facts presented in Miglena Tzenova’s book[5] personally prompted me (provoked also by Andronika Martonova’s mention of the forgotten film[6], as well as her publication in this regard[7]) to look for and find a fascinating parallel. At the dawn of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Bulgaria and China, in the autumn of 1954, a three-month concert tour of the Song and Dance Ensemble of the Bulgarian People’s Army was held in the vast Chinese country, immortalised in the film With a Song for China, with the original title Song of Friendship. A participant in this memorable journey and subsequently one of the authors of the music to the film was the future long-time director of Sofia Music Weeks, Petar Stupel, then composer of the ensemble[8]. After returning from the long tour, he published in the Bulgarian Music magazine the large article The Hearts of the Peoples Beat in One…[9], almost entirely dedicated to the impressions of touching the previously unknown genre of Chinese opera, which in fact is an in-depth analysis of its specifics, characteristics, tools, and plots used. During the Ensemble’s one-month stay in Beijing, Bulgarian musicians had the opportunity to hear a real ancient Chinese opera (The Girl and the Peach Blossom), which “has nothing to do with our understanding of opera”, but is “a special kind of musical drama”[10]. They even visited a school for ancient Chinese opera in Beijing and were amazed by the early starting age of training of artists in the “difficult ways of playing the game of Chinese opera”[11], as well as by the ubiquity of the practices of its dissemination: “There is no city in China where there is no opera troupe, and in a city like Shanghai[12] there are ninety-seven ancient Chinese operas[13]”. Miglena Tzenova also provided information about the large-scale tour of our military ensemble, assuming it was in response to a tour in various Bulgarian cities in 1952 by a large Chinese youth art troupe, including performers from the Beijing Jinju Opera. However, the information used by the author is mainly from Chinese sources – the authoritative newspapers Shiqiu Zhumin, Zhamin Zhubao, and others – which complements the picture of this impressive event from the other side[14].
Prof. Rositsa Draganova, PhD, musicologist, Head of the Music Sector, and Prof. Kamelia Nikolova, DSc, theatre critic at the Institute of Art Studies, Prof. Emilia Kolarova, PhD, from the National Academy of Music “Prof. Pancho Vladigerov” (scientific supervisor of many Chinese doctoral students, including students of Chinese opera), Prof. D.Sc. Milena Bratoeva, an Indologist from Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski” (consulted the terms in Sanskrit), Prof. Kalina Stefanova, PhD, theatre critic and theatre scholar from NATFA “Krastyo Sarafov”, Assoc. Prof. Antonia Tsankova, PhD, a Sinologist from Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski” (who verified all Chinese terms and names and their translations into Bulgarian), and Ch. Assist. Prof. Evelina Hein, PhD, a Sinologist at Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, also highlighted some of the qualities of Miglena Tzenova’s work from the perspectives of their disciplines. Emphasising the “double perspective” of the study, as well as the “intellectual but also emotional commitment” that shines through from the pages, everyone warmly congratulated the author for the work well done and its implementation as a valuable printed product by sending numerous well-wishes (including the translation into Chinese), which can be followed in the attached video file.
Respecting the versatility and precision of the text, as well as Miglena Tzenova’s specific approach to her work on the study of Eastern musical cultures, including the especially laborious study of archival documents, I also join those present at the premiere on June 28, wishing the publication Good luck! and many readers from different spheres of our cultural community!
The photographs enclosed in the
publication were kindly provided by Andronika Martonova, Valya Nusheva, Andrea
Ilieva, and the Sofia Music Weeks International Festival.
[1]Tzenova, Miglena. Reception of Traditional Chinese Opera Performances in Bulgaria. Sofia: Institute of Art Studies – Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 2024, 606 p. ISBN: 978-619-7619-51-5.
[2] Her first book was Tzenova-Nusheva, Miglena. Beijing Opera Jing Ju 京剧. Sofia: Amadeus Print, 2010, 388 p.
[3] See in more detail Danova-Damyanova, Diana. An epic of love and separation. – In: Arts Platform, Institute of Art Studies, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 21 July 2023. https://artstudies.bg/platforma/
[4] See in more detail Danova-Damyanova, Diana. Sofia Music Weeks 2020 for the First Time in the Autumn. – In: Arts Platform, 11 November 2020 ,http://artstudies.bg/platforma/; as well as Danova-Damyanova, Diana. 53. Sofia Music Weeks International Festival, 23 May – 2 July 2022 (For the big festival – in short). – In: Arts Platform, 23 July 2022 https://artstudies.bg/platforma/
[5] E.g. Tzenova, Miglena. Reception of Traditional Chinese Opera Performances in Bulgaria. Sofia: Institute of Art Studies, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 2024, pp. 273-275, 482.
[6] “With a Song for China”, 1955, 71 minutes. Directors: Nyuma Belogorski and Yan Jeya-ya. Written by: Hristo Gorov. Composers: Peter Stupel, Jules Levy and Gun Jae Wei (also spelt Tui Jae Wei).
[7] Martonova, Andronika. The Forgotten Tape: From the Archives and History of the Bulgarian-Chinese Documentary “A Song for China” (1955). – In: Diplomatic, Economic and Cultural Relations between China and the Countries between Central and Eastern Europe, 2015.
[8] Composer Petar Stupel (1923 – 1997) was the director of the Sofia Music Weeks International Festival from 1980 to 1997. His professional career for about 15 years was related to the Song and Dance Ensemble of the Bulgarian People’s Army (1953–1965).
[9] Stupel, Petar. “The hearts of the Nations Beat in One…” (Impressions from a trip to China). – In: Bulgarian Music, 1954, No. 11 – 12, pp. 84 – 87. The title of the article is the opening lyrics of a popular Chinese song about peace, with which hospitable hosts welcome and send their Bulgarian guests. The author points out that the Ensemble of the Bulgarian People’s Army, comprising 200 musicians and dancers, performs approximately 50 concerts in the Bulgarian Empire.
[10] Ibid., p. 84
[11]Ibid., p. 85.
[12] The original, outdated spelling, probably influenced by the English spelling of the city of Shanghai, is preserved.
[13]Ibid., p. 85.
[14]See Tzenova, Miglena. Reception of Traditional Chinese Opera Performances in Bulgaria. Sofia: Institute of Art Studies, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 2024, p. 273-275. The author also quotes the aforementioned article by Andronika Martonova, as well as documents from the Central State Archive related to the founder of the Military Ensemble and its then conductor, Dragan Prokopiev.
