In the Bulgarian city of Pernik, the second half of January saw the staging of the international festival of masquerade games Surva 2026—one of the largest events dedicated to intangible cultural heritage in South-East Europe.

One of the largest operations in recent years targeting the illegal trade in cultural heritage has unfolded in Bulgaria — the country where police first uncovered artefacts that became the key to a Europe-wide and Balkan-wide investigation.

Varna hosted the long-awaited premiere of Antonín Dvořák’s opera Rusalka – staged for the very first time on a Bulgarian stage. At the conductor’s podium stood the world-renowned maestro Pavel Baleyev, greeted by the audience with prolonged ovations.

One of the most significant events in Bulgaria’s classical music calendar — the “Musician of the Year 2024” award ceremony — has taken place, honouring the country's leading artists in the field.