An evening dedicated to the work of Violeta Bahchevanova and Vasil Stoychev

04.11.2023; 16:00; “Sofia” Gallery

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On the occasion of November 1, the Day of the People’s Awakeners, the Bulgarian Cultural Institute London is pleased to invite you to an “Evening dedicated to the work of Violeta Bahchevanova and Vassil Stoychev”.

With the special participation of: Dessislava Stoycheva & Alissa Atanassova

A program of the event:

Film Screening: “If You Do Exist”

Presentation of the book “The Theatre Can Live Without Any of Us”

Film Screening: “Kaloyan”

You will also have the opportunity to enjoy a glass of lovely Bulgarian wine.

The Actors Violeta Bahchevanova and Vassil Stoychev

The two actors met for a first time in the Theatre Academy (VITIZ current name NATFIZ) in Sofia, Bulgaria, where they successfully passed the entrance exams and enrolled in the actors’ course of Prof. Filip Filipov. After graduation, they worked together in the Drama Theatre in Burgas, in “ Ivan Vazov” National Theatre  and in “ Theatre 199” in Sofia. They toured around Bulgaria and abroad, with all of these theatres and also participated in recitals based on the works of various Bulgarian poets.

Bahchevanoa and Stoychev have numerous recordings in the Bulgarian National Radio, performances in the Bulgarian National Television productions, as well as feature films. They toured with poetic performances in Bulgaria and abroad, such as “The Volcanoes in Mexico are Smoking” based on the book by Liliana Stefanova, “ And My Bulgaria Travels” based on the poems of Damian Damianov and others.

Vassil Stoychev filmed the tours of the National Theatre in Moscow, Leningrad, Warsaw, Bucharest, Prague, Thessaloniki,  Leibzig, Berlin, Vienna, Belgrade and in the USA. These documentaries were shown on Bulgarian National Television with him as an author, cameraman and director.

Violeta Bahchevanova also took part in movies, such as “Golemanov”, dir. K. Ilinchev, “Under the Yoke”, dir. Y. Yankov, and other films.

Her singing talent was demonstrated not only in many of her theatre productions, but also during her participation in the TV show “Studio1” where she sang the song “The theatre actors are fading away”.

Vassil Stoychev became famous with his very first major movie role where he portrayed the Bulgarian tsar Kaloyan in the film “ Kaloyan,” dir. Dako Dakovski. After that he took part in a number of Bulgarian and foreign films, such as: “ Hedgehogs Are Born without Spines” dir. D. Petkov, “Under the Yoke” dir. Yanko Yankov, and many others.

His voice can be heard in many recordings of the Bulgarian National radio and also as a dubbing artist in many foreign films and TV series, such as: “The Bold and the Beautiful” ; “Dragon Friend”; “Lady and the Tramp”; “ Winnie-the-Pooh” ; “Rango”; “The Simpsons”; “The Smurfs” and other films. The last recordings of his voice are in the trailer of the film “To be Lost on Purpose” dir. Chris Zahariev; and the recording of the famous poem “The Bulgarian Language” for Bulgarian National Television programme “Reading Vazov Again”

In the 1970s and 1980s, despite their busy schedules, the two of them dedicated time to teach in the National Academy for Theatre and Film Arts.

In 2001, Violeta Bahchevanova wrote a book, “The Theatre Can Live Without Any of Us” published by InfoDar. In 2021, a second edition of her book was published, just a few months after her death. The publisher Mr. Stefan Nedkov added a section including memories, words, and stories by more than 30 colleagues and friends of the two actors.

During their careers the two actors received numerous awards for their achievements: Meritorious artist; People’s artist, letters, medals, etc. In 1992, Violeta Bahchevanova was nominated for the “Askeer” Award for Best Female Lead for her roles in “Top Girls” by K. Churchill. In 2015, she received award “St. St Cyril and Methodius” ( this award comes with a specially crafted  necklace)  for her exceptional contribution to culture and arts and Vassil Stoychev received the medal “Simeon The Great.”

In 2013, the two actors together received the highest award of the Union of Bulgarian Actors – the “Ikarus” award for exceptional contributions to Bulgarian theatre. In 2015, imprints of their palms were left on the “Wall of Fame” in front of Theatre 199.

Till the end of their lives, they enjoyed the warmth of the families of their two daughters, 4 grandchildren and one grand grandson. Vassil Stoychev passed away on 15 July 2020, and Violeta Bahchevanova passed away soon after him- on 23 August 2021.

Dessislava Stoycheva is a daughter of Violeta Bahchevanova and Vasil Stoychev. She is an actress, a lecturer in Art Management and Leadership at the National Academy for Theatre and Film Arts ( NATFIZ) in Sofia, a consultant of the British Council Going Global Partnerships Programme.

Dessislava Stoycheva also graduated in Acting for Drama Theatre from the National Academy for Theatre and Film Arts. Later on she completed a PhD in Theatre and Film Arts. She received British BTEC Professional Award in Business Impact and ROI Measurement (EDEXCEL diploma.)  She is Certified Project Manager by the International Project Management Association /IPMA/

Her major roles in theatre include : Gillian in Marriage Play by Edward Albee, 199 Theatre, Doris in “Same Time Next Year” by Bernard Slade, Theatre 199, The Girl in “Nerves for Love” by K. Topalov, Theatre 199, the Girl in “Viva Academia” by K.Topalov in the Youth Theatre in Sofia, several parts in “Les Indes Galantes” by J.P. Rameau, the Girl in ‘Fiesta” by M. Iskrenova in STMF Atelier 313, Natasha in “The Lower Depths” by Maxim Gorky, Matilda in “Caviar and Lentils” by Scarnicci and Tarabusi, in The Girl in  “Dangerous Adventures for sweet voice heroes”  in Drama Theatre, Vratsa and other roles.

She participated also in the feature films: “Warming Up Yesterday’s Lunch”, “Eva on the Third Floor”, “ The Smiles of the hedgehogs”, “Lily’s Vacation”, “Stolen Life”, “Sofia Residents in Excess”, “Men ne me mislete” (Do not think about me) “Lazhite v nas” ( The Lies Inside Us)  “Sofia at Home” and others.

In 2005 she was one of the founders of the Stage Arts Management MA programme in the National Academy for Theatre and Film Arts ( NATFIZ) and since then she has been a guest lecturer, teaching Arts Management and Leadership in the Academy.

Since 1982 she has been working in the British Council as a manager of the international local, regional and global programmes in arts and education, leading programmes and teams in more than 70 countries.

She is author of the books “Management of Innovative Theatre Projects” and “ The Actors, the Managers and the Skills of the Future”.

Alissa Atanasova Atanasova is a Bulgarian actress, known for her role as Petya Dubarova in the film “Petya of My Petya” . For this role she won the award for Best Supporting Actress of the Vasil Gendov Film awards in 2022.

She was born on 26 July 1989 in Sofia, the daughter of actors Desislava Stoycheva and Atanas Atanasov and granddaughter of actors Violeta Bakhchevanova and Vasil Stoychev.

Her brother Yassen Atanasov is also an actor.

In 2013 she graduated from NATFA “Krastyu Sarafov” with a degree in Acting for drama theatre in the class of prof. Plamen Markov.

For 4 seasons she has been part of the troupe of MGT Zad Kanala, and in the meantime she has acted on the stages of Satirical Theatre “Aleko Konstantinov”, Drama Theatre – Plovdiv, Theatre Workshop “Sfumato”, and National Theatre “Ivan Vazov”.

He also participates in performances with HaHaHa Impromptu Theatre.

She has roles in Bulgarian and foreign productions.

Since 2018 she lives in Berlin, Germany.

In Germany, her biggest role to date is in the series Hollgrund, which airs on ARD Mediatek and on Netflix DE/AU/SCH.