MYSTICAL VOICES OF THE BALKANS. THE LEGENDARY CHOIR THE BULGARIAN VOICES ANGELITE WILL SING IN WROCŁAW
5 days ago
2 min read
The Ethno Jazz Festival is honored to invite you to a unique musical event, taking place on October 18th at the Gothic Hall of the Old Monastery in Wrocław. This evening, the legendary women's choir The Bulgarian Voices Angelite will perform for Polish audiences. This is an absolutely unique and exclusive opportunity in Poland to hear a live performance by a group that has captivated listeners worldwide for years, showcasing vocal mastery and unparalleled depth of interpretation.
THE BULGARIAN VOICES ANGELITE
The history of this extraordinary choir is a fascinating musical journey. Although the group's roots lie in a former Bulgarian television choir from the 1950s, their truly international career began in 1987 after a historic performance in Bremen. Shortly after the fall of the Iron Curtain, the group began touring extensively around the world, and since 1995, they have officially performed under the name Angelite, which literally translates to "Angels." Their astonishing commercial and artistic success has been confirmed by multiple nominations for the prestigious Grammy Award in the ethnic music category, ultimately cementing their place on the global stage.
The secret of the Bulgarian Voices Angelite's sound lies in their unique vocal technique, which draws on centuries-old Balkan traditions. The twenty-member choir, currently led by conductor Georgi Petkov, performs works characterized by archaic ornamentation, intriguing dissonances, a lack of classical vibrato, and the interweaving of cries and complex rhythms. Their repertoire is incredibly broad, ranging from traditional folk songs and Orthodox church music from the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries to contemporary compositions. Music critics around the world often emphasize that their voices sound not like human speech, but like a mystical instrument from another dimension.
This mesmerizing style has endeared them to the most distinguished audiences in the world's most prestigious venues. The Bulgarian singers were honored to grace the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony in Oslo with their voices, captivated crowds in Red Square in Moscow, and performed for the Maharaja of India and royal families in the Netherlands and Denmark. However, the choir's work transcends the boundaries of traditional concert halls. Their soulful sounds can be heard in popular Netflix and Disney productions, and even in video games, where the choir collaborated with the renowned Japanese composer Yasunori Mitsuda. Today, the group is experiencing a renaissance on streaming platforms, reaching a whole new, younger generation with folk music.
In their artistic journey, The Bulgarian Voices Angelite have never been afraid to experiment, eagerly fusing tradition with modernity and other cultures. Their impressive portfolio includes projects with some of the greatest icons of world music, such as American vocal virtuoso Bobby McFerrin and the Japanese drum masters Kodo. Their long-standing collaboration with the group Huun-Huur-Tu also proved to be a true phenomenon, where the pure, angelic voices of the Bulgarian women magically merged with the powerful overtone singing of the masters from Tuva, creating an unprecedented fusion of cultures.
