Nightlife and Entertainment
Those looking for a taste of seaside hedonism, Bulgarian style, should head for the the numerous discos which line the beach below the Sea Gardens. Unfortunately, most are only open for the summer season, but a few remain in business at other times of year. Frequent name changes make individual recommendations impossible, though. Other rave events and occasional gigs take place, but the venues change with alarming frequency, so you'll need to rely on local knowledge, or have a go at deciphering the fly-posters. For some of the best live jazz in Bulgaria, try Club Stage , on the first floor at Tsar Boris I 24. The club plays host to an impressive line-up of local and international artists, while the home-grown Varna Big Band always draws a crowd. There's a small cover charge for non-members. The Opera House , on pl. Nezavisimost (box office: Mon-Fri 10.30am-1pm & 2-7.30pm), is Varna's main cultural institution, with operatic and other musical performances put on year-round. Many other major events, including orchestral concerts, take place in the open-air theatre ( Leten teatar ) in the Sea Gardens; the modern Festival Hall ( Festivalen kompleks ) on Slivnitsa 2; or, on occasion, the Palace of Sport and Culture out on bul. Knyaz Boris I. All the above are pressed into service during the annual Varnensko lyato , or "Varna Summer", featuring symphonic, operatic and chamber music (mid-June to September), which attracts some of the world's finest orchestras and companies. The Varna Summer also comprises the Varna jazz festival , and an international film festival (both usually in August). A complete schedule and advance tickets are available from the ground floor of the Festival Hall itself. Throughout the summer months, the area around the entrance to the Sea Gardens is given over to a variety of fairground rides and stalls, completing the seaside holiday atmosphere. The cinema in the Festival Hall shows the best range of first-run and cult films, most of which are shown in their original language, with Bulgarian subtitles. The smaller Mustang Cinema, next to the restaurant of the same name on bul. Varnenchik, shows less recent Hollywood blockbusters, again with Bulgarian subtitles. For children, there's a puppet theatre at ul. Dragoman 6, although it takes a summer break in July and August.
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