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On September 6, on Unification Day and the holiday of Plovdiv, the stage of the Ancient Theatre became a space where Bulgarian traditions, art, and modernity came together in the large-scale performance “The Bulgarian Dress.”
The performance was based on an idea by world-renowned Bulgarian fashion designer Ivan Donev, with dramaturgy and direction by Stanimira Manolova.
The music for the performance was created by Nedy John Cross and Prof. Kostadin Buradzhiev. The musical performance brought together the Academic Folk Choir and the Orchestra of Opera Plovdiv, creating a spectacular fusion of music, fashion, theatre, and Bulgarian folklore.
Under the motto “All of Bulgaria in One Dress,” the project presented an impressive artistic installation made from thousands of hand-crocheted squares created by more than 400 women from different parts of Bulgaria.
Each crocheted square carries a piece of history and the personal work of its creator, while together they form a shared image of Bulgaria. This is what transforms “The Bulgarian Dress” from simply a work of fashion into a symbol of unity, memory, and the connection between generations.
The stage narrative was complemented by music, theatre, dance, visual art, and contemporary multimedia technologies. The scenography and visual environment created a striking contrast between the ancient architecture of the Ancient Theatre and the contemporary artistic interpretation of Bulgarian tradition.
The choice of September 6 for the presentation of the performance carried a powerful symbolic meaning. On the day when Bulgaria celebrates its Unification, hundreds of women from different parts of the country came together through their work to create a single shared piece — a dress that became a symbol of unity.
Thus, on the stage of the Ancient Theatre, “The Bulgarian Dress” brought together fashion, music, folklore, theatre, and contemporary technology to tell a story about Bulgaria — about its beauty, traditions, and memory, but also about the strength of people to create together.
