Activities: 1998
STEP BY STEP
The start of the New Year was even stronger. Second edition of the party around the clock took place on January 25 with the groups "Horizon" and the Plovdiv based, acid-jazz formation "2CU"
A
week later, on February 1st, a classic concert in the Hall No12 of the
Cultural Palace. The program included Hendel's Messiah, performed by a
choir and an orchestra of artists with Protestant and Catholic background.
Conductor - Nancho Dimitrov.
On March 1st, was the celebration of 1 year anniversary of the centre. Many friends and followers of the idea for contemporary Christian art were invited. It was a time to present many of the people who worked on the projects during 1997.
March 20, was the date and Sliven was the place, for the "unplugged" concert of Milko Tsonov. In the Pentecostal church in the town he played songs from his album "Saved."
The traditional Easter concert was on April 17, in Sofia with the groups "2CU", "Horizon" and the special guest Ivo Vakuvliev.
The first
concert from the initiative "Art Against Poverty" was the jazz
concert of the groups "Jazz Trio +X" and "2CU." It was held
on May 22nd in the "Focus" movie theatre. A documentary about a
home for handicapped children was shown during the concert.
Two
days later, on May 24th was the second classical concert of the orchestra
with conductor Nencho Dimitrov. It included pieces by Hendel, Haidn, Mozart.
More info on the "Art Against Poverty" page.
On July 24 the audience in Sofia saw for the first time the puppet show "The Good Samaritan" of the first Christian puppet theatre called "Daylight" directed by Rosica Gjumlieva, with the participation of Milen Gjumliev and Tatjana Guerdjikova. Music by Todor Guerdjikov. "Evangelski vestnik" (The Evangelical Newspaper) commented the performance: "All the biblical characters were cleverly substituted with gangsters, medical workers without compassion, religious people ...all people of the 20 century, whose life's philosophy keeps them prisoners of their own selfishness. But the emphasis of the performance was not on the sad side of life but on the grace of God expressed in the mission of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ - the Good Samaritan."
On July 31 was the seminar "For Bulgarian Christian Poetry" led by Ivo Miltenov - director of the "Javorov" museum in Sofia.
On August 7 guest in the club of the originals was the
American alternative band "Stain Me Sane." On 6 and 9 August the group
played in the famous night clubs "Mr Punch" and "Funky's
Pub".
The summer's last concert was the "Crossroad" group's
"unplugged" on August 28.
The last cultural event for 1998 was the musical "Dancing with Angels" from the director Tony Radoslavov on December 26. This was a part of the "Art Against Poverty" initiative of the centre, and the money raised were used to help a home for retired artists. Some warm winter clothes were bought to help them live through the cold.