ir theatrical style seems
rather ordinary and traditional to a Western theatergoer. The Satirical
Theater is, nevertheless, the most popular theater in the country;
tickets for its performances are sold out weeks in advance. In addition
to satirical reviews, the theater presents classical satires by Bertolt
Brecht, Nikolai Gogol, Vladimir Mayakovsky, and others. On the
assumption that "people who laugh think no evil," which is an old
Bulgarian proverb, the authorities have tolerated greater outspokenness
on the part of Satirical Theater productions than in the more serious
forms of artistic and creative expression.

FILMS

As a medium of artistic and intellectual expression, Bulgarian films
have lagged behind those produced in other Eastern European countries.
They have received little recognition in the West, where they are
generally considered old-fashioned in story line interpretation as well
as in technical approach. Several attempts at imitation of the
surrealism of Alain Resnais and Louis Bunuel or of some of the other
contemporary Western cinematic directors, have proved failures in the
eyes of the critics at home and abroad.

In common with other communist filmmakers, those in Bulgaria have
concentrated for years on the suffering of the people under Nazi
oppression during World War II. Most of these films about war and
resistance have a propaganda purpose that outweighs any efforts toward
artistic or technical excellence. Since the late 1960s most feature
films have focused on contemporary life and its problems. It is these
films that have shown some experimentation in contemporary cinematic
techniques on the part of Bulgarian directors.

Animated cartoon shorts have been better received by Western critics and
audiences than have feature films. Those designed and directed by Ivan
Andonov, who is also one of Bulgaria's leading actors, have been
acclaimed as outstanding.

MUSIC

Bulgaria is best known in the world of music for several renowned opera
singers it has produced in the twentieth century. The bassos Boris
Khristov and Nikolai Ghiaurov, in particular, rank among the great
singers of all time. A number of other singers are known on opera stages
in Europe and the Soviet Union. The country's five opera companies
provide a good training ground for young singers. The opera repertoire
relies heavily on the classics and on contemporary compositions of
non-Bulgarian origin; there are few Bulgarian ope