NOT ONLY BIRDS BUT HUMANS CAN ALSO FLY

Not only birds but humans can also fly

Dr. Ksenia Kisselincheva

Lachezar Boyadjiev is a Bulgarian sculptor who lives in the San Fransisco Bay area.  One of his works, called “Angels” has been appreciated by Hillary Clinton and has been installed in the White House. He has studied glass sculpture under the renowned Czech professor Stanislav Libensky, so he fell in love with glass as the only material to work with once for all. He defected to the US in 1986 and has since made San Francisco his home. It’s difficult to enumerate all the high awards he received, among them the Award of Excellence of the Habitat Galleries in Michigan. It is even more difficult to count his solo exhibitions - they range from Cleveland, Ohio to Toronto in Canada, from Hamburg in Germany to Amsterdam in Holland.

His works have traveled across the world in selected group exhibitions covering from much of Europe to China and Japan. Many of his works make part of permanent collections in reputable museums across the US and Canada, across Europe, South America, Asia and Australia.

We are sitting on a bench outside the Fine Arts Academy in the prime of spring with all the havoc of the heavy traffic which effectively muffled the twittering birds. Lachezar is a very spontaneous guy who does not put on airs and is very down-to-earth. I’m testing the ground cautiously, trying not to be too provocative or too indiscreet.

“What urged you to go back to the start of your creative journey, having in mind all your commissions in the US?”

“I did it for sentimental reasons, mainly because I started from here as a student in the Academy of Fine Arts. My father was a photographer and he was at the centre of the art scene of the time. So, I grew up in that atmosphere, which had a tremendous impact on my development as a would-be artist. When I returned here after I graduated in Prague in 1986, I realized there was no freedom of expression whatsoever. So, a Chech friend and colleague wrote to me “Why don’t you come to San Francisco?” And off I went with two suitcases and a bundle of dreams.”

“Was it much harder to assert yourself as an artist there just because you were a foreigner?”

“On the whole, Americans are very open. So, if you are persistent in pursuing your goals, you can make it. At first, I worked for three years at a studio just with my hands - cutting, grinding, polishing glass for art objects. But, after work, I could use the studio to do my own work.”

“Which are the best moments you experienced on coming back?”

“Oh, definitely meeting the people I haven’t seen for a long time. Svetlin Roussev, my teacher from the Academy, opened the exhibition and said some very insightful words about my work. My deep motivation in doing this exhibition in Sofia was to pay a tribute to my father, who helped me discover the artist within myself”.

“Are you planning to exhibit somewhere else round the world?”

“Yes, in China, during the Olympic year. I want to return to the Asian markets. I have already been in Japan twice.”

“It’s a challenge to face up to a completely different artistic sensibility and tradition. I think there is something very exquisite and spiritual about your work which will probably appeal to Asian cultures.”

“I can’t wait to go there. It’s an adventure I’m looking forward to.”

“There is a distinctive feature, uniting all your work - a dynamic energetic quality of spiraling upwards, as if striving to reach the skies. It provokes a peculiar sense of spiritual urge within the viewer, for an instant his soul seems to take to an exhilarating flight.”

“It’s God’s gift to be a kind of a mediator between earthly things and the parallel spiritual worlds, all around us. If I manage to make people feel a spiritual dimension to their existence, I have fulfilled my mission.”

“There is a luminosity, radiating from your sculptures. Does it have anything to do with your personal religious experience?

“It all comes from God and it takes root in my imagination. All my work is a celebration of God and the mystery of Creation. Sculpture is like music in space and for me the best expression of my voice is the combination of monochromatic color with shapes, molded in glass.”

“Lately you have been returning here more often. Every summer you and your family return to your cottage in Balchik on the Black sea. What drives you back to your native land?”

“With advancing age, this sense of belonging grows stronger and stronger. Bulgaria has changed a lot, in some respects for the better. You can express yourself freely, without being punished for it. It is much more part of the global cultural village.”

“Are you planning a show somewhere else in Europe?”

“Probably in Amsterdam again by the end of the year - I love it there because it is definitely one of the artistic capitals of Europe. But, actually I want to expand to more countries - like China, Indonesia, South Korea etc. I’m lucky to feel a citizen of the world.”

“Do you listen to music while you do your drawings in pencil and charcoal?”

“I listen to music all the time, from the moment I wake up to the moment I go to sleep. Especially while I’m at work. I listen mostly to classical music, but at times to jazz or Latino-it depends on what music agrees with my specific vision and mood.”

“How much do you devote to your family – you are a proud father of three boys and a girl.”

“I spend a substantial part of my time with my family. I try to pass on to my children the values I have grown up with. The values that come from my parents, especially my father. I try to teach them to work hard, to be honest and truthful. To do everything to the best of their abilities. And, not necessarily, to expect an immediate return. I’m telling them, “sooner or later, it will come back to you.” I think my personal example matters a lot. So, to be a parent involves a huge responsibility.”

“Are you optimistic about the future of mankind, minding the pile of global problems on the threshold of the 21^st century?”

“Yes, I’m fairly optimistic. There are no problems, only solutions. Solutions to be found with the help of science and technology. Mankind is to be around for much longer.”

Ending my working day on a bright note, I plunged into the traffic nightmare and headed home. All the time I had the feeling I was hovering above the fumes and horns, probably because I have been in touch with a truly creative spirit. A person who is genuine and level-headed and has none of the affectations of a particular breed of artists who seem to always pose for posterity.

Sofia Echo Weekly, 2010

ON PARTING

ON PARTING
Ksenia Kisselincheva

I close the door behind you

And my soul closes too.

Like petals of a water lily

Close  sadly

While the sun vanishes,

A ball of fire

In the coolness of the pond.

The petals of my soul shiver

With the lingering nostalgia

Of every instant shared with you.

I gently squeeze the sap of each sensation 

Like the sap of a birch.

Feelings come and go between the two of us

- sea waves breaking on the shore.

I long to bring you back,

- I scoop my fingers in a hollow,

As if I rescue a birdie, fallen from the tree.

Hellas, the touch of tenderness vanishes.

So, I rush out to my leafy hut,

To get the fire burning,

Roasting on the shreds of my loneliness.

A LIST OF SELECTED PUBLICATIONS of Dr. Ksenia Kisselincheva

A LIST OF SELECTED PUBLICATIONS
of Dr. Ksenia Kisselincheva

1.   “Red Roses for the Green Crow”, a literary profile of Sean O’Casey – The Theatre monthly, 1980, issue 11

2.   “The Drums of the Red Bard”, Literaturen Front weekly, 04.09.1980

3.   “The Solitary Titan”, a literary profile of Eugene O’Neill, Literature Front weekly, 01.01. 1979

4.   “A Comparative Study of Certain Thematic and Stylistic Trends in the Naturalistic plays of Sean O’Casey and Eugene O’Neill”, provided to The Literary Theory magazine, 1986 (unpublished)

5.   “The American Dream in the Modern Tragedy “Desire Under the Elms” presented to a national conference of literary studies in Sofia University, 1986

6.   “The Correlation between Narrative Method and Artistic Vision”, provided to The Comparative Literature journal, 1985 (unpublished)

7.   “Realistic Symbols in Post World War II American Drama”, The Theatre monthly, 1985, issue 12

8.   “Some Specific Features in the Reception of Expressionism in S.O’Casey and E.O’Neill”, Bulletin of the National Centre for Scientific and Technological Information”, 1986

9.    “The Function of Key Repetition in “Desire Under the Elms”, Bulletin of the National Centre for Scientific and Technological Information, 1987

10.                    “Monologue in Contemporary American Drama”, Literary Theory magazine, 1989, issue 2

11.                    “Ernest Hemingway - Reality and Myth”, Mladej weekly supplement, May 1989

12.                    “George Orwell’s 1984-the Evolution of Black Utopia”, ABC Literary weekly,1989

13.                    “All the King’s Men”, a review, ABC Literary weekly, 1989

14.                    “Julian Barnes and the Contemporary Literary Scene”, ABC Literary weekly, 1990

15.                    “Looking Back on the Literary Decade with Graham Swifte”, Panorama magazine, 1990

16.                    “A Serious Game” - Julian Barnes on the Nature of Literature, ABC Literary weekly, 1991

17.                    “True to the Complexities of Life”, Interview with Graham Swifte, ABC Literary weekly

18.                    “By the Fireplace with Julian Barnes”, a program in two parts for the Bulgarian section of the BBC World Service, 1992

19.                    “The British Fringe Theatre”, a program in two parts for the Bulgarian section of the BBC World Service, 1992

20.                    Stefan Tzanev’s “Paranoia” at the Royal Court Theatre, Radio Free Europe, 1992

21.                    Peter Hall’s Production of “The Rose Tatoo” in West‑end Theatre, 1992

22.                    Peter Hall’s Production of Harold Pinter’s “Homecoming”, The Fax weekly, 1991

23.                    Talking to Margaret Drabble, The Literary Forum weekly, 1992

24.                    “Talking to Iris Murdock”, 21^st Century weekly, 1992

25.                    “Three New Musicals in Westend Theatre”, a program for BBC World Service, 1992

26.                    “At the Canal Café Theatre” in London, a program for the BBC World Service, 1993

27.                    “Harold Pinter in Sofia” 21^st Century weekly, April 1995

28.                    “Only Birds and People Can Fly”, a profile of Hristo Boytchev, Spot On magazine, June 2004

29.                    “British Experimental Theatre”, Spot On magazine, July 2004

30.                    “Monologue In Harold Pinter’s Drama”, provided to The Literary Theory magazine 2006 (unpublished)

31.                    “Harold Pinter’s Influence on David Mamet’s Stylized Dialogue”, Proceedings of the 9^th International Conference of the Bulgarian Society for British Studies, volume 2, 2007

32.                    A Review of the Specific use of Pauses and Silences in Samuel Beckett, Harold Pinter and Edward Albee, Proceedings of the 10^th Conference of the Bulgarian Society for British Studies, volume 3, 2008

33.                     „A comparison between “Stephen Hero” and “A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man” (two versions of a James Joyce’s novel)”, Master’s Thesis, Sofia University ”St. Kliment Ohridsky”, Faculty of Western Philologies, April 1974

34.                    "Проблеми в драматургията на Юджийн О'Нийл и Шон О'Кейси", дисертация за присъждане на научната степен "кандидат на филологическите науки", София, дек. 1985 ‑ ян. 1986, Единен център за език и литература, Институт за литература, Секция по сравнително литературознание.

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A SCORPIO

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A SCORPIO

Dr. Xenia Kisselincheva

“It aches my heart letting the grains of gold sift through my fingers”

The grains of gold are the bright kids, Rossy Alexieva discovers at the MENSA intelligence tests across the country. Soon after that, one third of them are blown out of Bulgaria by the winds of opportunity, taking away millions’ worth of ideas in their heads. How shall I present her? As the president of several NGOs? Or, as a colorful character in a couple of popular TV shows? Or, maybe as a tactless, quick-witted Scorpio, who embarrasses others by simply telling the truth? Because she is definitely a larger-than-life personality, which eludes any attempt at pigeonholing of one-dimensional description.

Her father, the solid German-trained doctor secretly prayed for a boy as his first-born. A boy, which will carry on the family line, who will excel in his profession, perhaps in his public contribution too. I think his prayers were answered, though not in an obvious way. A girl was born to the family, but she was endowed with a brilliant mind and strong mettle that are found in the best of men. As she was growing up, she revealed, one by one, the rich spectrum of her talents and abilities. They opened up as petals of a rose on a June morning. At school, she was equally popular with her classmates and teachers, and most of all she was her dad’s joy and pride.

Her name was always mentioned at national math competitions when it was prize-awarding time, her name stood under the most seditious writings in the juvenile periodicals and she was at the heart of club activities, ranging from math through biology to creative writing. She seemed to influence people in a profound way - they were either shocked and denounced her, or they admired her and were ready to join her endeavors. Some of which, naturally, were full of mischief, like leaving the university entrance exam at 10 o’clock and rushing to see a film of Vittorio de Sica. Later, Rossy would challenge the opinions of her professors at the English Department, she admits she owes them a lot, though. Her special favorites among them were Sider Florin, the  famous translator of Jack London’s works and prof. Marco Mincoff, the great Shakespearian  scholar.

It was at that time, that she was unexpectedly struck by “the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune”. Her beloved dad, whom she adored, suddenly died. Alongside with her studies, she had to get a job in order to help with the raising her younger sister. Her first job was as an interpreter at Technoimpex, a foreign trade enterprise. This was the dream job of many English graduates. But not for Rossy, who had an insatiable urge for self-perfection, which, in her words, seems to be typical of creative Scorpios. She knew what she wanted and, not before long, she was a law student at Sofia University where she dared more than once to converse in Latin with her professor in Roman law. But, mind you, there is nothing pompous about her personality.

First and foremost, she is incredibly amusing - even her most serious comments are made with a tongue in the cheek. Madame Scorpio cracks jokes right, left and center, she is an unusual character to whom unusual things happen all the time. For instance, when I arrived at her MENSA office in “Sheinovo” street, she treated me to some chocolate candies in the shape of cigars. Guess what their name was: “Rossy, Clinton’s temptation”! She discovered them at the buffet of the national TV and asked for two dozens of boxes. Then, to the dismay of the bartender and the onlookers, she briskly piled them on top of a TV trolley and whisked it out of the buffet, leaving everybody with the firm belief that she was a desperate chocolate addict.

Do you know what she did when she turned 45? She decided to take part in a “Miss 45” beauty contest. She borrowed her daughter’s tight bermudas and promised her Indonesian husband to be discreet about it all, especially before his colleagues at the embassy. But, to her husband’s mortification, she was the winner in the competition and her photos in teenage bermudas were all over the place! Nobody cared to hear that she impressed the jury mostly with the display of artistic inventiveness and a sense of humor. She performed as a two-faced figure: her present self, represented on the front and her future self on the back, symbolized by the mask of an old Indonesian woman. There is definitely a show woman’s side to her personality, where the performing gusto meets with her extravagant sense of humor and improvisation.

Mrs Sukra-Alexieva was immensely successful in a number of TV chat and quizz shows - Variant-3, “In less than a minute”, “Something out of nothing” and, naturally, she had her crowd of admirers. Once a journalist, who was interviewing Rossy, asked her how she felt as “a star”. To which, Ms Alexieva, known for her quick repartee, replied “I am not a star, I am a whole constellation!” She could spot flattery from a mile and never missed a chance first to enjoy it and then to discard with a mocking remark. “Intelligence is no cure to vanity, as Rossy says, “and celebrities of all walks of life are a living proof of it.”

Unusual characters seem to provoke fate and they make unusual things happen to them. After pursuing a successful career as an interpreter at the Indonesian embassy and a legal adviser at the Red Cross and then the National Library, Ms Alexieva decided to retire at the age of 50 in order to gain the freedom to do her own projects. It turned out a “whole constellation” of projects!

One of them is the “The Friends of Indonesia” club, which she started in 1993 and keeps it going to this day, with regular gatherings on the 17th of each month. Rossy appears to cast a magic spell over the club members when she starts interpreting the subtleties of this exotic culture, they feel like living in a mesmerizing virtual reality, something like a look at the jungle from an elephant’s back. They watch films, learn the Indonesian language, listen to the lulling sounds of citars and ... some of them try to cook spicy Indonesian dishes, consulting from the book, which Ms Alexieva published “Exotic cuisine”.

Rossy’s love of continually testing herself makes her restlessly looking for new venues. Taking part in competitions makes her feel more alive. Up to 1989 she was a member of the tremendously popular “Quick-witted” club and she participated with great relish in a number of intellectual TV games, which kept the audience breathless before the screens. The idea behind that club was very close to that of the MENSA organization, the first one of its kind. The main objective was to encourage people’s ability to be creative and resourceful, to find quick unconventional solutions, without having much initial information.

In 1991, Ms Alexieva passed the MENSA test with extraordinarily good results. Then she was elected on the Executive Board - for the last three years she has been president of MENSA, Bulgaria. At the same time she has served as a chief coordinator of the MENSA-International. She managed to improve the status of the local association by introducing a three-stage membership and gaining one vote for our country in international elections.

At present, Sofia is playing host to the  MECE meeting, that is MENSA for Eastern and Central Europe. This is a special honor for Bulgaria, which had to go through a tough competition with Slovakia, another serious host‑candidate. It is no wonder that Ms Scorpio succeeded in getting the upper hand over her Slovak counterpart, Vladimir Kovar. In such cases, she magically blends her sharp man’s wit with her female charm and vivacity and, true to her zodiac sign, she is sure to get what she wants.

MENSA was founded in 1946 in London by an Englishman Dr. Lancelot Linel and an Australian Ronald Berryl. At present, it embraces 100 countries with more than 110,000 members. There are more than 500 members across the country. Tests are carried out every last Saturday of the month. Bulgaria is ahead in covering a lot of criteria, compared to other member-countries as Greece, France, Italy. The average age is within the range of 20-25 years. People over 30, and most women, are more reluctant to take the risk of failing.

In September 1998, Madame Mensa started an experiment in a Sofia primary school. 80 children were test-selected and are following a special curriculum, tailored according to the lateral thinking system of Edward de Bono, which includes classes in developing thinking techniques.

Rossy is untiring in her public endeavors. For six years, she has been organizing the gatherings of the club of Scorpios, amounting to about 150 members. It turned out that there were quite a few celebrities among them - the magician Astor, the mayor Sofiansky, the education minister Metodiev, the sculptor Stavri Kalinov. Rossy also keeps in touch with cartoonists - you can guess it by the patchwork of cartoons on the walls of the office, most of them with autograghs by the authors. Among many prizes, she won the first award for writing the wittiest cues under Donio Donev’s series of cartoon “The Three Fools”.

Apart from all this, Ms Mensa organized a club of couples of mixed marriages, always spiced with real-life anecdotes, caused by cultural differences.  In a profile, a psychologist made of her personality for a professional fitness test, it is said that “she is hyperactive and is inclined to engage herself in too many activities at the same time.” But, if you ask her, this does not worry her - she usually copes to keep all balls in the air. Because of her lateral thinking, this inspires her to generate more new ideas. As a friend of hers said: “She hasn’t tried to organize only an earthquake yet.”

Rossy still lives with her Indonesian husband on the “Cherkovna” street, where she grew up. She is considered as an “authority” on residential matters by her neighbors and she takes complaints or suggestions from them, whenever she pops out to dig up the green patch in front of the house and to clean it from plastic litter. The stray dogs recognize her straight away and immediately vanish out of sight before she has organized a stray dogs’ cleansing. I forgot to mention that she ran for mayor of Sofia in 1996. As she says “it was a good way to put my friends to the test and most of all it was fun.” It is no wonder that she was the only candidate who, apart from the nominees of the two major political parties, managed to put together a full-staffed team of experts. Let’s hope that more of our politicians will dare sit for the MENSA test or similar tests before they try out their “intelligence” at the expense of the long-suffering electorate.

Sofia Western News Monthly, 1999

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A MP

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A MP

Dr. Ksenia Kisselincheva

“I am the only woman who has survived as a MP for the last ten years. More importantly, I hope my personal and public integrity have survived too”.

We were sitting in the cafe lounge of Bulgarian Parliament - it was on the eve of NATO’s strikes on Yugoslavia and beneath the surface, a nonchalant atmosphere, I could sense the apprehension in the air. A sort of fever was occasionally spilling and heating up the informal discussions of the people, hanging around the lounge. Groups were changing -when the loudspeaker announced that the session would resume. Some of them hurried towards the assembly hall, while others preferred to queue up for another cup of coffee, still others played around with their mobiles, making and receiving calls. For one reason or another, my companion, Elena Poptodorova didn’t have one - perhaps she was better off not getting hooked on it. Most people inevitably realize they tend to indulge in trivial and useless conversations. Before she joined me at my table, I had been watching her talk to two sociologists, doing a survey on the forthcoming local elections. I envied her absorption in what she was doing - she seemed oblivious to the razzmatazz around her.

Her verve and vivacity was very Mediterranean, yet she appeared  to be a good and careful listener. She stayed in close eye-contact with her interviewers, giving them a reassuring nod now and then, her face suddenly lit by a generous smile. Finally, she came over to my table and apologized for making me wait.  “How does a woman feel in the world of diplomacy and politics, traditionally considered in this part of the world to be exclusively men’s territory?”

“As you might rightly guess, it is a tough choice but I have never regretted it. I am the only woman who has survived as a MP for the last ten years. Most importantly, I hope my personal and public integrity have survived too”.

Elena is widely traveled and well informed - she can draw parallels between different cultures when discussing the position of women in society. Scandinavian women are far ahead of all other Western countries in this respect, having proved and proving to be successful in all key areas of government, social affairs and the media on a par with men. While in the Balkans, the maximum a woman can hope for, is to be the deputy of a man-leader or to be entrusted with a socially oriented institution as the Ministry of Health or the Ministry of Education. And when it comes to foreign policy and national security, men are reluctant to accept the presence of women. Elena quotes one of their arguments which makes me laugh. Most men believe that to have a good grasp of national security issues, you must have served in the army.

 “How has Parliament been functioning lately? What is the effectiveness of law adoption and the quality of the laws adopted?”

“The last session was extremely busy and the toughest decisions had to be taken since 1990. We adopted the energy system Act and it was adopted with a consensus among the various parliamentary groups. But there were sharp differences and disagreements when it came to the ratification of the Framework Convention for the minorities. There were even differences within the ranks of the opposition. The concept on national security also provoked a long and heated debate but it was finally adopted”.

Elena thinks that differences and controversy are part of a healthy political climate and she finds our Parliament has done some progress as far as tolerance and effectiveness go. What is alarming, in her opinion, is when partisanship gets the upper hand over national interests. When the parliamentary groups are more concerned with keeping or increasing their electorate rather than taking a responsible stand on a issue. Ms Poptodorova, apart from being a representative from the Euro Left, is a member of the Monitoring Committee to the Council of Europe. Recently, she met in Sofia her colleagues from the Monitoring Committee - there was a certain progress on their recommendations, made during their previous visit. For instance, the progress achieved was concerning the death penalty, the readiness for ratifying the Framework Convention for the Rights of Minorities, the cancellation of the Lustration clause from the Administration Act. But what the Constitutional Court failed to do is to introduce greater consistency in respect to the replacing of the members of the Higher Court Council. Otherwise, every parliamentary majority will be allowed to select the judiciary authority that suits its interests best.

“How about the image of Bulgaria abroad? Have things changed for the better in the last two years?”

“There are certain positive developments due to the stabilization of the financial system and a certain success in dealing with the criminal formations in our economic life. But sometimes the party squabbles prevent from conducting a constructive dialogue among the various political forces. This does not go unnoticed by the diplomatic corps and the international community. The image of Bulgaria cannot be created by a single party or political coalition, it cannot be usurped as its prerogative and merit. The image is created by all political forces, by all institutions, by all citizens of the country.

“How does corruption impede foreign investment?”

“There is no doubt that it is a serious impediment to inward investment. In the West there is an efficient system of supervision and control which acts as a counterbalance of corruption which unfortunately is found even in the richest and most civilized societies and organizations. The scandal in the European Commission and that in the World Olympic committee are only two recent illustrations of this pervasive phenomenon.

“How about the crisis in human values on a personal or public level? Doesn’t their degradation threaten society with chaos and disintegration?

“Yes, this is one of the most serious threats we are facing. The economy can recover within five or ten years if the right decisions are taken, but once humanitarian values have been crushed, it takes generations to make them an integral part of the social fabric.

These values, Elena admits, are the most valuable “dowry” she has received from her family. Decency and respect for others, values which have been cherished and handed from one generation to the next. She is telling me about her great grandfather, who was a MP for Stambolov’s Party and who took part in the creation of the first democratic constitution after liberation from the Turks. And she is, more or less, following in the steps of her grandfather, who was a social democrat. Also, she inherited from her family a passion for learning languages and the arts. Whenever she goes on a business trip abroad, no matter how tight her working schedule is, she always finds time to pop round to a favorite medieval cathedral or an art gallery. The world of politics is so hectic and confusing, so the soul craves for a few ecstatic instants, surrounded by the world of art.          

Sofia Western News Monthly, 1999

          

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A MAGICIAN

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A MAGICIAN

Dr. Xenia Kisselincheva

“How boring life would be without the lure of mystery and magic, without the lure of a beautiful illusion!”

She suddenly stopped juggling with the Chinese rings and jolted them gracefully onto a metal rod. Then she flipped the jeweled turban off her head and let her shiny black hair loose. All she craved for was a short break after the intense and demanding performance. Swaying across the semi-dark stage, she tiptoed down the steps and joined us at the table. She was relieved to be her old self, Dessie Novkova, a Capricorn, 26 years old, an eager pupil of the illustrious Astor. Before sipping her banana shake, she looked questioningly towards the maestro: “Am I getting anywhere?” He gave her a dignified nod of approval and she beamed all over. The young magician was in a special state of mind at the moment, she was getting ready for her first visit to the U.S. in a few days’ time. Dessie or Daisy, as her colleagues called her, was first going to take part in an international festival in Los Angeles, then she would perform at the Magic Castle in Hollywood, where an exclusive cast of world-famous illusionists performed every single night of the year. Dessie had done special preparation for the occasion: a one-man conjuror’s show, involving intricate fire play and an original number, displaying a fairy scene with flowers. According to Astor, the program suits her temperament very well. She would also give a few performances before the Bulgarian colony in Los Angeles.

It all started as a children’s game. When Dessie was around ten, her granny gave her an unusual present - Uncle Astor’s magic box of tricks, which was accompanied with a booklet. The little girl adored the box, she loved practicing and learning the tricks to the minutest detail. Then at bedtime, she would perform them in front of mom, dad, granny and her younger brother. At that time, she had almost lost interest in dolls, hopscotch and the like, she had definite preference for dangerous boys’ games and for molding all kinds of figurines out of clay. Later, at 14, she was keen on entering the vocational school for stone carving and sculpture modeling, which she finished with flying colors.

 During those formative years, Dessie also developed a passion for fashion design and started weaving her own patterns. They slightly reminded one of the traditional Bulgarian patterns on costumes, table cloths and rugs and when she started her own designer’s company, these hand-woven patterns gave a distinctively unique appeal to her clothes. Today, when Dessie is wholly absorbed with her vocation as a magician, her patterns still capture the imagination of other fashion designers, like Svetla Dimitrova, for instance, you can catch glimpse of them as recurring decorations in her collections.

 As Dessie explains, her particular case as far as magic art goes, contradicts in a way the folk proverb “If you can learn by watching, dogs will turn into butchers”. Her mom, who was a sound producer at the TV, first brought her to the Magic Theater of Astor. It was found right behind the Hemus hotel, it was at the bottom of a garden restaurant with folksy wooden sheds and a fountain spurting jets of water over the stone statuette of a young girl. Dessie did not miss a single show, she could see the best of Bulgarian magic art- the great Astor, Orfi, Irko, Corso, Danko...

Last year the best conjurors from the Balkans performed at the Magic Theater in Sofia, after their participation in an international festival. So, one night, a couple of years ago, when Astor was away on a tour, Dessie dared to perform some of his tricks in front a close friendly circle. She used some of his stage props / properties too. On the next day, the magus was back and Dessie expected to be severely scolded. But, instead, he asked her to repeat her performance of the previous night. He realized right away, she had the knack for it and that she had picked up much just from watching.

Then he took up training her on a regular basis and soon she was able to take part in the 5-th National Festival of Magic Art in 1997 at the Army Theater in Sofia. Getting a first prize for women was her first major success! Dessie admits that was probably the most moving instant of recognition for her - she was  uptight and slightly frightened,  aware that she was being watched and assessed by a bunch of over-critical and fussy professionals.

Later on Astor took her on as a participant in most of his shows, when touring the country. He noticed that Dessie was quick in learning new elements, mastering new secrets of the trade.  She presented her teacher’s tricks but with certain variations, in a style of her own. Soon, she was recognized by the elite community of the magicians - big shots like Orfi and Irko did not mind including her with a 10-minute performance in their grandiose shows when touring the country - Sofia, Plovdiv, Bourgas, Sunny beach, Haskovo and so on. She got engagements throughout 1997-1998.

When Astor was asked to prepare the second part of a circus spectacle, which toured round Cyprus, Dessie was also invited to take part. She was an immediate success, an enchantress captivating the foreign audience. When she came back to Sofia, she was invited to take part in a number of TV shows. But it seemed success did not go straight to her head- she organized free shows for children, for she knew they would remember the experience for good/ the rest of their life.

She continually tried to enrich her repertoire-apart from the classical Chinese rings, she included other numbers like “cutting your head”, “a burning handkerchief in a box”, etc. She tried her hand at different genres-tricks, manipulation and illusions. She learnt how to dance step and some oriental dances. Her experience as a designer helped her feel quite at home on the stage. She already has a growing number of fans. For instance, a fan of hers from Plovdiv got truly fascinated with the Chinese rings number. He had them ordered from a magic shop in Britain but he could not work out how to handle them. He implored her to show him, but Dessie would not give away the secret, it was a professional secret for the few God-elected!

And what are her plans for the future? This year in August, she dares “deep diving” on her own, by undertaking a one-woman show in California.  Next year she and Astor are planning to participate in a world festival in the U.S. Dessie intends to prepare a new number, with more manipulations involved. They are, in her words, the most difficult thing to do. There is no deceit in them - it is just a matter of dexterity and skill. As maestro Astor rightly says, it all comes not so much to speed, but to skill.

Who is her idol in the magic art? She has been lucky to watch the very best both at home and abroad. How about the fabulous David Copperfield? “What he does is very spectacular and beautiful, but it is not so hard to perform. It is a matter of a lot of technical contraptions and a lot of money. While with Astor, it is still a mystery for me. I watch him from two centimeters away, but still I can’t work out some of his tricks.”

It is said that Astor’s restaurant has one of the best variety shows in the country. There you can enjoy the full spectrum of acrobatics, juggling, tricks, dancing and pop music, all of the first order. Some clients book in advance to make sure they can entertain their friends or business partners there. And the garden restaurant has a special appeal on cool and clear summer nights. A special appeal, enhanced by the colorful lights, flickering and crisscrossing on the stage of the temple of magic art, complemented by the romantic gleam of the lanterns under the wooden sheds and finally by the lights, shimmering in the whirlpool of the fountain. In the middle of it, you can’t miss the graceful outline of the statuette. It looks as if a bathing girl suddenly turned to stone. At night she bathes in floods of light, while watching, fully absorbed the pageant of mystery, magic and beautiful illusions. Life would be so boring and bland if it is devoid of them. They also remind us of the parallel world of the supernatural, of the inscrutable puzzles of nature, of the miracles of civilization. And most of all, of our mysterious relation to God, who is maybe the greatest wizard of all, manipulating the interminable pageant of the creation.

Sofia Western News, 1999

A RETRO REVIVAL OF THE ORIENT EXPRESS ON THE EVE OF YEAR 2000

 A RETRO REVIVAL OF THE ORIENT EXPRESS ON THE EVE OF YEAR 2000 

      

Dr. Xenia Kisselincheva

If you mention Agatha Christie’s 1974 crime thriller  “Murder on the Orient Express” at any point round the planet, almost one out of five people is bound to respond they have read the novel, seen the screening of it, or, at least have heard about it. It’s no wonder, since the authoress, honored as Dame Commander of the British Empire is matched in popularity only by the Bible and Shakespeare. How does the international film co-production “Death, Fraud and Love on the Orient Express” relate to the classical thriller?

Here is what Mark Ropper, its British director has to say: “This is a contemporary action thriller, taking place on board the Orient Express on the eve of the year 2000. But I have still kept the suspense and the sinister mystery of Christie’s novel. I made it that way between myself and the actors, since I want to be watched by people of all ages across the globe, mesmerized the unfading magic of the train. According to the screenplay, I don’t have a detective like Hercule Poirot, but there is a pervading feeling that there is more going on than actually meets the eye. Besides, I have managed to model one of the characters into something like an investigator who is trying to make out who is on the train and why...”

The film, recently shot and edited in Bulgaria, has gone to the Cannes film festival, awaiting a good response by the audience, the pundits and the film companies. What is it all about? The train, zooming across Europe through the auspicious night, on the brink of the new millennium has been hijacked. Guess who is on board the train in the middle of the night in the middle of nowhere? The two richest and most powerful men in the world / their prototypes might be Rupert Murdock and Bill Gates / have chosen to meet the new rising millennium in the stylish retro atmosphere of the Orient Express. The two blase tycoons are completely unawares of the threat that is creeping on them. The scheme of the international gang of hijackers is simply to take possession of their wealth. As the actor Christoff Waltz, starring as the chief villain, explains the motivation of his character: “I am after their huge wealth and I am at an inch of gaining it”. The Bulgarian actor Christo Shopov who performs in the role of the train’s manager turns out to be in the center of the clash game between the mega-rich hostages and the relentless terrorists.

The greater part of the film has been shot at the Boyana film center in Sofia. A true-to-life copy of the train has been built there, recreating in the minutest details the authentic ambience of the fabulous vehicle. This has been achieved under the guidance of the Italian stage and film designer Giovanni Natalucci. Apart from this reconstruction, the team has been shooting on King Boris’s train in the vicinity of Sofia and Dragoman.  Finally, they were also given the opportunity to do some shooting at the museum of old vehicles at the Central Railway station.

The film co-production is one of the international projects of the British producer Harry Allan Towers and it draws on the resources of talented people from across the globe. Suffice it to mention one of them, the well-known American actor Richard Greco, who stars as a film star and stunts man. With his tongue in the cheek, he loves to comment about his hero in this vein “My mission is to save beautiful girls like Joanna/ i.e. the Bulgarian actress Joanna Bukovska / and kill the wicked ones.”

But Joanna Bukovska, who stars in the lead female part, has her own version of her relationship with R. Greko within the context of the film. “As a matter of fact, I save his life with the help of acrobatic abilities.” Joanna is a charismatic film star, who made a name for herself in the first post-Communist TV series “The Danube Bridge”. While doing her studies at the Theater Academy in Sofia, she has managed to perform lead parts in three co-productions under the guidance of eminent foreign directors.

 That’s what she had to say about her experience of interacting with the director of the Orient Express thriller, tall and blue-eyed Mark Ropper, who has the bearing of a proud Viking: “This is the first director in my working experience  who knows exactly what he wants to achieve and who knows how to go about it. ” She explains further in greater detail:

“He manages very well to bring out  the subdued tension between the characters, both in terms of physical action and  through the gleam in the eye of the characters, when looking at each other. He helped me bring out a touch of Slavic sensibility in my heroine, who is a Russian ballerina. At times, she is a fearless and virtuoso acrobat, while at other times, she can be really romantic and gentle.”

After seeing the film, I made a better sense of what J. Bukovska was driving at. Nadia, her heroine is much more than the action thriller stereotype of  “an iron maiden” , flaunting about her stunningly good looks. “The calculating bitch” who is the lover of one of the moguls unexpectedly falls in love with R. Greco’s hero and displays surprising nuances of her personality.

As director Mark Ropper remarked “The performance of the Bulgarian actors hasn’t been touched by Hollywood, they still have a lot of theatre in them. There is some kind of depth to their interpretation, they seem to bring it up from their stomach. That’s why they have worked so well with the British actors.”

 Then Mark went on to greater lengths about the advantages of an international production, where each national talent invests his own unique shade of color. For instance, the director and some of the actors are British, the script writer is Canadian, the cameraman and the composer  are Italian etc.

 As Peter Jobin, the Canadian-born screenplay writer put it: “It’s a fantastic mixture of people who know what movies are all about. They kind of speak the same language, they immediately grasp what the other person is aiming at. Movie talk is like music, it transcends borders, it is team work and each person is just as important as the next.” Peter also makes it clear that he tries to tell interesting stories and to entertain people.

 He is full of amusing anecdotes about how words get redefined and rearticulated in the process of shooting a film. For example, the director might sometimes get excited or angry, waving his arms around like a conductor, caught up in a frenzy: “Why will this character do that?” The screenplay writer tries to explain, putting the logic of his creation to the test. On some occasions, he prevails over the director, on others, he backs down. Or, suddenly, another person on the team intervenes, and everybody accepts his point of view. Mr. Jobin takes another story out of the bag. “Once, I was woken up by a phone call and I was urgently summoned to the shooting site. When I arrived there, I realized the team people had got into a problem. They were sitting in the retro dining car and they were having a very hot argument. “This scene has to go there! No, it doesn’t have to. It belongs here!” and so on. The actors were sharing their thoughts and I was the guy who listened to them and said: “Well, that’s a great idea. Go on and develop it further. Or, I would say: “It doesn’t sound like that character, he won’t do this. Finally, Mark takes charge of the situation, he has the final say.”

Shooting a movie is a very complex thing, all sorts of difficulties creep up like cockroaches, out of all corners. These difficulties have to be resolved immediately, because of budget considerations. Or, because of the tight  schedule, very often you do the shooting for long hours and you have to finish in four or five weeks. Some people cannot take all the pressure, their nerves crack up. For instance, while shooting the Orient Express, an actress went into a nervous fit and had to go. They were all upset for a while, but they tried to drown their frustration into endless hours of shooting.

Mark Ropper is a straightforward and dynamic person, they all love to work with him. Nobody complained they were suppressed or snubbed by him. At the farewell cocktail at the NDK, he was all over the place. Sipping Heineken, he tried to weigh up his two year experience in Bulgaria:

 “To be honest, when we first came, the Bulgarian side wasn’t prepared for our style of working, like fast multiple camera shooting and others techniques. Since then, they have managed to catch up. Now problems are immediately dealt with, by executives like Evgeni Mihailov.”   

Suddenly, the lights went out. The film started unrolling, accompanied by whistling, booing and clapping of hands. The response was unrestrained and charmingly spontaneous like the one at a pop concert where fans and performers merge into a whole, each making part of the same ritual. The lights went on again and the ritual was over.

Before leaving, I had a last pint of beer with Peter Jobin. He tried to point out the reasons why international film teams felt happy about shooting in Bulgaria:

“Apart from the fine beer and beautiful women, we find here three important things. First, a fine studio that can accommodate building complicated sets, secondly, a countryside which gives us a great variety of choice. And, last but not least, a professional film industry that can back us up quite adequately, like producers, technicians etc., including the good choice of actors, some of them starring in leading parts. So, you can make a movie in the best professional circumstances. This is why we hang around here - we have finished one project and we are about to start working on another in a couple of weeks’ time... ”

Getting away from the razzle-dazzle of the cocktail party, I felt reassured that things were going the right way in filmmaking and international artistic cooperation. In a world, fragmented and divided along ethnic, social and religious lines, this is a bright light in the tunnel. Boyana film center was bought by an American company and now it is a most desirable venue for a cross-cultural creative activity.