A glimpse into the Programme of the Varna Summer  International Theatre Festival 2025

World drama, strong Bulgarian participation, and internationally acclaimed theatre makers will meet audiences in Varna this June. The Varna Summer International Theater Festival—the largest theatre event with an international scope in Bulgaria—has announced the programme for its 33rd edition. Ticket sales for the performances, which will take place at various Varna stages, have already begun.

The festival once again emphasizes a programme of high artistic value and a diversity of forms—from contemporary interpretations of ancient tragedies to documentary theatre. A special highlight in this regard is an evening dedicated to ancient tragedy, featuring two performances united not only by genre but also by the distinctive vision of world-renowned British director Declan Donnellan and scenographer Nick Ormerod: Medea produced by the Ivan Vazov National Theater and Oedipus Rex, a production of the Marin Sorescu National Theater in Craiova, Romania.

Among the classical texts, The Ploughman and Death by Johannes von Tepl stands out. Silviu Purcarete, one of the most significant Eastern European directors of recent decades, creates a visually striking interpretation of this late-medieval work, which also became one of the earliest printed books in Europe. The production by the Vasile Alecsandri National Theater in Iași has received all major theatre awards in Romania, including the award for Best Performance in 2021.

Modern drama and literature also have a strong presence in the festival programme, with a new interpretation of one of Tennessee Williams’ most popular plays, A Streetcar Named Desire, directed by Anton Ugrinov, and a visually impactful stage adaptation of The Little Prince by Veselka Kuncheva. Both productions are by the Youth Theatre, which is celebrating its 80th anniversary.

The Bulgarian programme brings together some of the season’s most acclaimed performances and showcases actors from different generations, including this year’s Icarus National Theatre Award winner for Best Actress, Albena Pavlova, as well as Radina Kardzhilova, Vladimir Karamazov, Malin Krastev, Lilia Maravilia, Leonid Yovchev, Penko Gospodinov, and many others. Audiences will have the opportunity to see titles such as Mother Courage and Her Children, Hamlet,  Public Enemy, and Perfect Strangers, alongside other impressive productions with remarkable casts.

The international selection features outstanding theatre makers – besides Donnellan and Purcarete, Greek director Prodromos Tsinikoris, whose productions are performed on some of Europe’s most prestigious stages, will also be a guest. He will present the documentary performance 96%, which traces the story of the Jews deported from Thessaloniki in 1943.

This year’s edition also focuses on collaborations between Bulgarian theatre artists and theatres from the Balkan region. The festival includes Diana Dobreva’s Without Blood, a co-production of the Plovdiv Drama Theatre and the Drama Theatre in Veles, North Macedonia, as well as Pillar of Salt, a performance directed by Javor Gardev at the Royal Theater Zetski Dom in Cetinje, Montenegro.

Among the festival’s special musical events is a guest performance by the kings of Argentine nuevo tango, Quinteto Astor Piazzolla, winners of two Latin Grammy Awards. The concert is organized in partnership with A to Jazz Concerts and the Varna Summer International Music Festival.

The full festival programme is available at viafest.org, and tickets can be purchased online or at the box offices of the Festival and Congress Center – Varna.

The Varna Summer International Theater Festival 2025 is organized by the Via Fest Foundation with financial support from the Ministry of Culture, the Municipality of Varna through the Culture Fund, the National Culture Fund, and the Goethe-Institut Bulgaria. The festival is also supported by First Investment Bank. Its main host is the TMPPC – Varna. Additional venues hosting festival events include the Varna State Puppet Theater, the Festival and Congress Center – Varna, the Boris Georgiev City Art Gallery, and the Archaeological Museum.