A significant part of the 19^th Art Salon programme is dedicated to Children’s day, June 1 and features a variety of events connected with it.

The premiere of the children’s ballet show based on Charles Perrault’s Puss in Boots will take place on May 29, with renowned prima of Bulgarian ballet Krassimira Koldamova as its scriptwriter and director. Koldamova herself says this was a major challenge as she had never before staged an entire show. Why did she choose Puss in Boots?

“I took to the cat as an idea and a character. I re-read the tale, which is now my own age, and I found the story was rather disturbing and not quite what we would imagine suitable for a ballet for children. So, I altered the story somewhat – I used the character of the puss in boots and the little brother but I developed a friendship between the two. I also added a fantasy element – a bird of hope which helps the principal character attain his dream.”

The show is with the participation of children from the ballet studio of the Petar Beron chitalishte (culture community club) in Sofia. The studio was set up in 1991 thanks to a famous ballerina who worked together with professional ballet dancers, choreographers and stage designers. For the staging of Puss in Boots Krassimira Koldamova worked together with pedagogues Margarita Mihailova, Elena Yanakieva and Preslav Manchev and stage designer Ivan Tokadjiev. Besides classical ballet, Koldamova has included different kinds of dance in the choreography. She says she was very careful in her selection of music for the show. Ultimately she decided on fragments of works, composed in the baroque and romantic period. Besides May 29, Puss in Boots can also be seen on June 3 and 4.

The 19^th Art Salon features other events connected with Children’s day. June 1 marks the opening of a children’s exhibition – Tatyana Antonova’s Fairytale Studio. Here is what she said for Radio Bulgaria:

“On June 1 we shall open our exhibition for the eleventh time; it is also the eighth time we are taking part in the Art Salon. The children will put on display their work over the school year. We have worked on a variety of subjects using different applied art techniques. We shall be displaying a wall panel featuring letters. June 1 is a good opportunity for the children to be rewarded for their work. Prizes will be awarded – they have received awards at competitions in Norway, Poland, Japan. So, we invite the children and their parents to see the results of our work at the Art Studio.”

A week later, on June 7 the Art Salon programme affords children an opportunity to try their hand at drawing, book illustration, clay modeling or putting on a stage show. The children taking part are from the Young Talents OK art studio, Hug Me studio and studio Hotchpotch.

The audio to this file features:

-  Puss in Boots, composed and performed by Krassimir Miletkov;

-  Childhood, Veleka Tsankova.

English: Milena Daynova