I Love Being Social -Worm

I like cultural events and try to go out on as many of them as possible, especially now when there are two weeks only to the beginning of school left. But the week I have had was heavily culturally burdened.

It all started Wednesday before the last. I went to poetry reading and performance of the poem book of a famous to my friend poet! I was not familiar with her but as it turned out she was pretty good and famous to my friend N who is a PhD at my/ our Sofia University http://uni-sofia.bg/ . It was even cuter when I understood that the whole reading would take place in my favorite library I spent my student years at - the English and American Studies library at Sofia University http://sites.uni-sofia.bg/english/facilities.html! It is an amazing place to me and I just love the atmosphere. I take every chance to get back there! I even chatted with the librarians who turned out they remember me! YAY!

Two days later I took Andrew to ballet! Well, actually I bought the tickets and later on Andrew paid me the money so it is dubious who took whom. Anyway, we together with my apartment mate went to the opening of the ballet season, part of the National Opera and Ballet http://operasofia.bg/ and watched Swan Lake by Tchaikovsky http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fl1OGWfkErg&NR=1. It was breathless!!! So much beauty at one place I don't remember seeing soon!It was even more special to me because that was the first performance during which I was at the other part of the stage! For the 7 years I danced ballet, I never took a seat to watch any ballet performance! You know, as a student it was a way too expensive for me, now that I work I can think of it! And there were - among a bursting hall at the National Opera and Ballet - first entry in this building. It does not look fascinating outside, but inside it is sooo luxurious and well decorated! Really special!

We spent the weekend together laughing, reading and cooking - he prepared potato soup for me, one of the best soups I have ever eaten! Will tell you some other time how yum yum it was. Now let's just stick to today's topic! ;)

On Monday, I was invited to Edward Albee meets students gathering by a professor of mine but could not make it!

Two days, later on Wednesday, I went to the performance of his play the Goat: or who is Silvia? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Goat,_or_Who_is_Sylvia%3F staged for the first time in Bulgaria. I know, the title might sound weird to you (Edward Albee is part of Theater of Absurd Movement (I think this explains everything)), as it was for me too, but the play and the acting itself were very very good!
There were no tickets sold for this very first performance. There were only invitations! And I got one through my friend S. who works for America for Bulgaria Foundation. Members of this foundation and members of the US Embassy in Sofia were the only present! And me! And Albee!
Right after the play there was a cocktail, again only for chosen people and I was invited to join! Woo hoo! So, guess my astonishment when I found myself surrounded by the Ambassador, the Deputy chief of Mission and the Press Atache all from the Embassy, my friend S. and me chatting over a glass of wine for favorite books, movies and music. They are fascinated by Bulgarian chalga, pop-folk тrashy music, compared to what is country music in the States! As I told them, it is a matter of time to start disliking it, when they get to know the actual lyrics they will get sick of it!! Never mind, I was really agitated by this Hrissy-meets-the-stars party that I did not notice all the courtesies apparently the Press Atache had been making towards me all the evening long. Is that true?? I still doubt!! He was just polite to everyone! But as S. said later, "this Vincent (as his name is) was hitting on you!" Hmm, weird, even gross I may say - he is in his 50s, if I am not mistaken! Enough!

To have a great party two days later. Another friend of mine, M., came back to Sofia for a week and we were all to a party on Friday to celebrate it! She lives in Italy but came back for some dentistry-related things, because as she says: "I bought the ticket to BG the night before the flight, and although it is expensive, it still costs me less to come back to BG rather than going to an Italian dentist!" What the heck is that in terms of prices?? For whatever reason she was back it was good to meet her as we did the next evening too!!!

today, on Sunday, I just came back from another spectacular performance - this time opera! I was invited by Andrew's parents to join them to opera - I don't really like opera that much, just like Andrew's mom, but since his father and Andrew himself really appreciate it (they are both musicians so I guess there is some truth in their real admire :D), we were more or less accompanying them! We watched Lohegrin by Wagner http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8J7Jhx93s9w&feature=fvw . The excerpt I linked is actually the famous Bridal march or simply known as "Here comes the bride" which turned out to be from this opera! I always thought that the part played for the entry of the bride is by Mendelsohn but as his parents put lit on later - when a bride enters Wagner is played, when she exits - Mendelsohn. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l7_m1om82o4 Actually, to me both of these hymns are usually played and I personally think they are very close in melodies! Maybe I am wrong, may be they are close to me because I kept listening to them this evening! I don't know!! Either way, they are beautiful melodies and I had a wonderful night during this 4 hour-long opera performance! Furthermore, there were subtitles and thus I could get the actual singing and the whole story! Plus, I could get some of the words because singing was in German! The performance was special for one more reason - 101 years ago on this very date was the first performance of opera in Bulgaria! Interesting, isn't it? We have had an opera house for a century now!

Look what a heavy culturally bound schedule I had!! I am aware that I will not be able to do that again in two weeks because my classes start but by that time there are at least two parties on the list!! Actually, I deeply hope they turn out to be more than two indeed! I am such a social worm (derived from book worm) ;)