Bulgarian actor and puppeteer. Ivan Sivinov’s name is associated with the founding of the Durzhaven kuklen teatur Plovdiv (State Puppet Theatre Plovdiv). He played more than one hundred and twenty roles, the most famous being in the productions Petrushka (1967) by Igor Stravinsky, Dedekivat Rutza (Detective Rutza, 1968), Biala prikazka (White Tale, 1972), Kose Bose (1977), Puk (Puck, 1984), all performed in Plovdiv.

In 1974, he founded Sivina, the first private puppet theatre company in Bulgaria, which is still active. He wrote seven scenarios for the puppet theatre and directed ten productions in Bulgaria and abroad, including Меtamorfozi (Metamorphoses), which has been presented in many countries.

Author, musician, singer, this multi-talented actor participated in many international festivals, including the Bielsko Biala (former Yugoslavia, 1978), Dresden (former GDR, 1984), Los Angeles (United States, 1985). He performed in more than twenty countries in Europe, Asia, Africa, and in the United States. During his lifetime, Ivan Sivinov received many awards, among them the Artist Emeritus Award of Hungary, the Golden Dolphin Award of the Varna Festival, and the title of Honorary Citizen of the City of Plovdiv.

Ivan Sivinov is co-founder of the Bulgarian Centre of UNIMA, for which he worked many years.

(See Bulgaria.)