Austria long ago earned the right to be deemed one of the world’s leading players in classical music and opera. Musicians from all over the world dream of performing there. In Bulgaria’s case, however, there is something of an unofficial exchange programme going on. At least so it would seem from both countries’ classical music scene recently.

Ladies first
One of the highlights of this cultural exchange came in May 2008 when the Vienna Opera House chose Bulgaria violinist Albena Danailova (33) as its female concertmaster. Danailova was the first female solo artist to take such a position in the opera house’s 140-year history.

Her success put her alongside some of Bulgaria’s most prominent musicians who long ago won acclaim from international audiences. Such is the case with violinist Vasko Vassilev at the Royal Opera House in London, Svetlin Roussev at the French Radio Symphony Orchestra, Vesko Panteleev-Eshkenazi at Concertgebouw and Micho Dimitrov at the Big Orchestra of the Radio Netherlands.

In an April 2009 interview with Bulgarian National Radio (BNR), Danailova said that her selection was a gradual process for her, given her previous appointment as concertmaster at the Bavarian Opera House. "It gave me the experience necessary to reach the position in Vienna. This is a wonderful orchestra, one of the best in the world. The standard is very high and with every performance I have to prove I’m worthy," she said.

To get there, however, she needed a bit of luck because the Opera House traditionally hires male artists. "I did not expect it to happen because this orchestra is an exclusively male formation. Then I learned they had changed policy and that for about eight years now women have performed there," she told BNR. Danailova, however, was also following in her parents’ footsteps; both teach at Sofia’s Pancho Vladigerov Music Academy.

Soprano singer Krassimira Stoyanova is another success story and a good example of Austrian-Bulgarian cultural ties and mutual recognition. In October this year, Stoyanova was bestowed with the title Osterreichische Kammersangerin by the Vienna State Opera, the highest honour granted to opera singers by the Austrian government.

It was a well deserved title because Stoyanova has been touring world opera stages since 1995 when she made her professional debut at the National Opera House in Sofia.

Since than she has been a regular performer at venues such as the Metropolitan Opera, Carnegie Hall, the Royal Opera House Covent Garden and many others. Her relationship with the Vienna Opera House dates from 1998 when she made her debut there as Micaela in Georges Bizet’s Carmen.

Chief conductor
Proof that cultural exchange works both ways is the appointment of prominent pianist and conductor Alexei Kornienko as chief conductor of Bulgaria’s National Philharmonic Orchestra in October this year.

The orchestra was without a chief conductor for quite some time with several artists acting as guest conductors. Hence the news of Kornienko’s appointment was more than welcome. Moreover, Kornienko has been working with the orchestra since 1995, often visiting from his Vienna home where he has his own orchestra. He has also toured as a guest performer with some of Europe’s most distinguished companies such as the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra London and the Moscow Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra.

Now he has the chance to conduct six concerts in Sofia. The first took place on October 1 when the Philharmonic Orchestra had its season-opener. The repertoire for the season, however, was already compiled when Kornienko took the job, so he will have to wait until next season to make his own list.

Judging from his record one can assume that Kornienko will bet on Beethoven and Brahms because he has proven one of the most dynamic interpreters of their works.  

In an interview with Bulgarian National Radio, Kornienko said that he felt like "an Austrian with Russian roots", a reference to his native country. After a promising career in Moscow he moved to Vienna in 1990 where he currently lives with his wife,  acclaimed violinist Elena Denisova. Besides being a world-renown conductor, Kornienko is also a recognised pianist which he will show in Sofia by performing solo.