Valeri Petrov facts for kids

Valeri Petrov (born Valeri Nisim Mevorah; 22 April 1920 – 27 August 2014) was a very popular Bulgarian poet, writer for films and plays, and a translator. He was of Jewish background on his father's side.

Early Life and Education

Valeri Petrov was born in Sofia, the capital city of Bulgaria. His father, Nisim Mevorah, was a lawyer who later became Bulgaria's ambassador to the USA and a representative to the United Nations. His mother, Mariya Petrova, taught French in high school.

Valeri Petrov went to the Italian School in Sofia and finished in 1939. He then studied medicine at Sofia University, graduating in 1944.

Languages and Translations

Valeri Petrov was very good at many languages, including Bulgarian, English, Russian, German, Italian, and Spanish. He was so skilled in English that he translated all the plays and poems of William Shakespeare. Many people in Bulgaria consider his translations to be the best. He likely also knew French, because his mother was a French teacher, and Hebrew.

Poet and Playwright

When Valeri Petrov was just 15 years old, he published his first book of poems called Ptitsi kam sever ("Birds Northwards"). In this book and others, he used his mother's last name, Petrov, or other pen names. He did this because of the difficult times during World War II in Bulgaria.

He wrote many famous poems like Palechko ("Tom Thumb"), Na pat ("En route"), Juvenes dum sumus, Kray sinyoto more ("By the Blue Sea"), and Tavanski spomen (A Reminiscence from an Attic). He also wrote a series of poems called Nezhnosti ("Endearments").

In 1978, Valeri Petrov wrote a children's musical called Button for Sleep. He is especially famous for his amazing translations of all of Shakespeare's works into Bulgarian.

Journalist and Public Service

In 1944, during World War II, Bulgaria changed sides and joined the Allies. Valeri Petrov worked at Radio Sofia and then as a writer for the newspaper Frontovak ("Front Fighter"). After the war, he helped start a funny newspaper called Starshel ("The Hornet") and was its assistant editor from 1945 to 1962. He also worked as a doctor in a military hospital and at the Rila Monastery.

From 1947 to 1950, Petrov worked in the Bulgarian office in Rome, Italy. He was a press and cultural attache, which means he helped with news and cultural events. During this time, he traveled to the United States, Switzerland, and France for different meetings.

He also worked as an editor at a film studio and a publishing house called Balgarski pisatel. He was even a representative in the Grand National Assembly, which is like a parliament. From 2003, he was a member of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, a very respected group of scientists and scholars. He held left-wing political views throughout his life.

Death

Valeri Petrov passed away on 27 August 2014, in a Sofia hospital after having a stroke. He was 94 years old.

Works

Valeri Petrov wrote many books, screenplays, and plays. Here are some of his notable works:

• 1944 — Naroden Sad ("People's Court"), a collection of poems
• 1945 — Stari neshta malko po novomu ("Old stuff in a somewhat new way"), a series of poems
• 1949 — Stihotvoreniya ("Poems"), a book of poetry
• 1956 — Screenplay for the film Tochka parva ("Item One")
• 1958 — Kniga za Kitay ("A Book about China"), travel notes
• 1958 — Screenplay for the film Na malkiya ostrov ("On the Small Island")
• 1960 — V mekata esen ("In the Mild Autumn"), a poem that won an award
• 1962 — Improvizatsiya ("Improvisation"), a play he wrote with Radoy Ralin
• 1962 — Poemi, a collection of poems
• 1962 — Screenplay for the film Slantseto i syankata ("The Sun and the Shadow")
• 1965 — Kogato rozite tantsuvat ("When Roses Dance"), a play
• 1965 — Afrikanski belezhnik ("An African Notebook"), travel notes
• 1966 — Screenplay for the film Ritsar bez bronya ("A Knight without an Armour")
• 1970 — Na smyah ("In Jest"), funny poems
• 1970–1971 — Translations of Shakespeare's Comedies, two books
• 1973–1974 — Translations of Shakespeare's Tragedies, two books
• 1977 — Byala prikazka ("A White Fairy Tale")
• 1978 — Kopche za san ("A Dream Button")
• 1981 — Screenplay for the film Yo Ho Ho
• 1986 — Pet prikazki ("Five Fairy Tales")
• 1990 — Selected Works, two books

Honours

A place in Antarctica called Petrov Ridge is named after Valeri Petrov to honor him.