Varna Jazz Days 2026: Antonio Forcione opened it, Ida Nielsen billed to close
Varna Jazz Days 2026 was programmed for 25 October–29 November on the Filial stage: Forcione and Erdoğan opened it, Ida Nielsen was billed to close it.
Varna Jazz Days 2026 was programmed from 25 October to 29 November, with every concert on the “Filial” stage of the Stoyan Bachvarov Drama Theatre, BNR Radio Varna reported. Guitarists Antonio Forcione and Cenk Erdoğan opened the festival, and Prince’s former bassist Ida Nielsen was billed to close it. The programme aims to show “the many faces of jazz”, says the festival’s artistic director, trumpeter Neyko Bodurov.
Who played on the opening night?
- 19:30 — acoustic guitar virtuoso Antonio Forcione and Grammy winner Cenk Erdoğan presented their joint project “Storytellers”, in Varna for the first time, according to BNR. Erdoğan was once Forcione’s student: “Fate brings them together again after years,” Bodurov told the radio. Critics call Forcione “the Jimi Hendrix of the acoustic guitar”, Moreto.net wrote.
- 21:00 — Italian alto saxophonist Gaetano Partipilo and his Boom Collective, mixing nu jazz with drum and bass, hip-hop and ambient textures. Moreto.net notes that Bulgarian audiences know him from projects with trumpeter Paolo Fresu, producer of his album “Daylight”, and from his work with Nicola Conte.
Bassist Ida Nielsen, who played in Prince’s bands, was billed to close the festival on 29 November. See the Ida Nielsen listing on Varna Now.
Why is the festival in autumn?
Bodurov told BNR Radio Varna that the festival deliberately takes place outside the summer season to fill the quiet autumn months. “We are looking for our own festival identity, to be different from the other music festivals in the city,” he said. His wider goal is to grow Varna’s local jazz scene, so that people can hear quality music at home “without travelling to Romania, Greece or Serbia”. The festival is run by a small team: Bodurov and his partner Velyana Kostova do most of the work themselves.
What does it mean for Varna’s cultural autumn?
The festival overlaps with the CineLibri book-to-film festival at the Festival and Congress Centre, so Varna has two international culture festivals running outside the tourist season. For other concerts and shows, see what’s on in Varna in November.
Sources
Frequently asked questions
Who played on the opening night?
Antonio Forcione and Grammy winner Cenk Erdoğan at 19:30, then Gaetano Partipilo's Boom Collective at 21:00 on 25 October.
Who is Ida Nielsen?
A Danish bassist who played for six years in Prince's bands New Power Generation and 3rdeyegirl; the programme billed her to close the festival on 29 November.
Why is the festival in autumn?
The organisers deliberately hold it outside the busy summer season to fill the quiet autumn months.
