The event calendar of the Bulgarian EU Presidency in London kicked off tonight with an art exhibition and jazz concert in the heart of Westminster.

An exhibition, titled The Land of Roses, opened at the 12 Star Gallery, Europe House. Consisting mostly of art from the collection of the Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and curated by Prof. Chavdar Popov, the exhibition featured paintings by some of Bulgaria’s most prominent painters of the latter half of the 20^th century, among which DechkoUzunov, GenkoGenkov, Nikola Manev, and David Peretz. The exhibition preview was attended by a number of ambassadors, government officials and members of the houses of Parliament, artists and academics.

The event was opened by H.E. Mr. Konstantin Dimitrov, Ambassador of Bulgaria to the Court of St. James, who presented the Bulgarian Presidency’s core priorities and underscored Bulgaria’s confidencethat the negotiations between the EU and UK will continue to develop constructively to achieve a close future partnership between Europe and Britain. Welcome addresses were also delivered by Lord Callanan, Minister of State at the Department for Exiting the European Union, and by Ms. Christine Dalby, acting head of the EC Representation in London.

The exhibition preview was followed by a grand concert at St. John’s, Smith Square, one of London’s finest baroque churches completed in 1728. The former church, now concert hall, which has seen Pierre Boulez and Daniel Barenboim conducting the BBC Symphony Orchestra,Claudio Abbado and the London Symphony Orchestra, Nigel Kennedy and Plácido Domingo, now hosted the Vienna-based Bulgarian jazz duo – The Wladigeroff Brothers, who presented their newest album, The Rag Waltz Time. The concert also featured The London Bulgarian Choir and closed on a festive note with Beethoven’s Ode to Joy, performed in English and Bulgarian.

Photos: Jamie Smith Photography