Fireworks and concerts counted down to the start of the New 2006 Year. Nightlong celebrations went out on the streets due to the mild weather. Photo by Kameliya Atanasova (Sofia News Agency)
Concerts, fireworks, and an unusually mild winter night heralded the New 2006 Year in Sofia.
Citizens of Sofia, who wanted to celebrate outside the coming of the New Year, went either to the National Palace of Culture or join the crowd at the central Alexander Batenberg Square.
The New Year's concert at the National Palace of Culture featured the Sofia Philharmonic conducted by Naiden Todorov and the Wiener Staatsoper's soprano Charlotte Leitner and tenor Jurgen Sacher, Lia Petrova, violin, and Boris Nedyalkov, cello. Kalman, Lehar and Strauss are on the programme.
The annual concert at the Alexander Batenberg Square is organized by Sofia municipality and the National Television. Dozens of Bulgarian stars will entertain the Sofia citizens in the New Year's Eve, along with the legendary Smokie.
Bulgaria welcomed the New Year at 2200 GMT.