About
In 1879, several enthusiasts of the theatrical arts founded a theatre society that grew and became known in the history of Vidin as the "Vidin Theatrical Charitable Society – Vida". The society became the organizer of theatrical activity in the city, creating a troupe that selected and presented plays and works with an aesthetic and patriotic character to the Vidin audience. All performances by the troupe were charitable, with proceeds going to support education in the city, as well as to support the activities of the "Tsvet" cultural centre. This society, together with the women's charitable society "Razvitie" founded in 1878 and the "Tsvet" cultural centre, played a major role in the development of culture and charity in the city. The first event was a charity ball held on February 19, 1880, to mark the second anniversary of Bulgaria's Liberation. A total of 6,000 grosh were collected. 500 grosh were given to two sick students from Belogradchik, 1,000 grosh were paid for a physics laboratory ordered in Vienna and donated to the Vidin student society, and the remaining funds were provided to the "Tsvet" cultural centre. The years following the Liberation were fruitful for Vidin's culture. One of the main pillars during this period was the Theatrical Charitable Society "Vida". The efforts of its members, most of whom were active in the "Tsvet" cultural centre, were directed towards building their own theatre building. The idea of having their own building existed among the society's founders as early as 1879. The decision was to raise funds through donations and charity performances. Funds for this grand undertaking were collected for over ten years. The Municipality of Vidin allocated 8,000 leva for the construction of the building. Thus, after a loan from the Bulgarian Agricultural Bank was agreed upon in 1889, most of the money for the construction was available and the dream could be realized. Construction began in early 1890, and within just a few months, the building was completed. This was the first building in Bulgaria constructed specifically for theatrical purposes, featuring a stage with metal curtains and gas lamps. In winter, the hall was heated by two large stoves. The greatest achievement of that time was the stage, which had unprecedented dimensions and a specially made curtain. Thus, the Vidin Drama Theatre and the "Tsvet" cultural centre became the largest cultural institutions in the city. The theatre building itself turned into a sort of palace of Vidin's culture. Despite their efforts, the theatrical society and the cultural centre failed to pay off the loan. In 1899, the Municipality of Vidin came to the rescue, taking over the remaining debt of 35,756 leva. In return, it became the owner of the building, but the theatre professionals retained the right to use it free of charge. Under the leadership of Naycho Tsanov, the long-time chairman of the charitable society, an amateur theatrical troupe was formed. Dozens of perform...