Exhibition, Funds and Collections

The permanent exhibition of the house museum opened on 25 March 2005. It is situated in the donated part of the house and consists of documentary exposition with notable facts about the life and career of Pancho Vladigerov and an authentic reconstruction of his study and his favourite recreation spot.

The documentary exposition is situated in the biggest room of the house – the living room of the Vladigerovs. It consists of six vertical panels and four big window displays, tracing chronologically the most important stages of Vladigerov’s life and career.

The main subjects of the exhibition are:

  • Place of birth, family, childhood
  • Education in Germany and early works
  • First recognition for the young composer
  • Establishment as a composer. Biggest achievements of the creative young genius
  • Theatre music. Vladigerov’s creative collaboration with the famous German director Max Reihnardt
  • Large-scale stage works. Opera and ballet
  • Years of creative maturity and performance maturity
  • International concerts and public activity. Beloved teacher and pedagogue
  • The composer’s last years of active career, recognition and high esteem

The centrepiece of the exhibition is the original manuscript of the Vardar Rhapsody – the composer’s most popular, most loved and performed work, which has established itself as a hymn of Bulgarian music.

About 7,000 (seven thousand) archive units are stored today in the House Museum Pancho Vladigerov’s fund and are divided into the following collections:

  • manuscripts
  • orchestra materials
  • posters, programmes and photos
  • personal archive and letters
  • personal book, music and music scores library
  • personal belongings

The archive’s content and the signs it bears demonstrate the exceptionally meticulous and pedantic collecting and sorting of the materials by Vladigerov himself. The Maestro kept everything connected to his career, to the art of music, to his public activity and his teaching career, with the feeling of self-respect and respect to the art he dedicated his life to, as well as with the exceptional responsibility he is destined to bear.