Perhaps someone would find this helpful. The famous Bulgarian ensemble The Mystery of Bulgarian Voices will have two performances with Lisa Gerrard, the vocal from Dead Can Dance, in Sofia (June 6) and Plovdiv (June 8). The Plovdiv performance will take place at the Roman theatre:
If someone going on the spring RS tour to Bulgaria is tacking on days in the country after the trip, they may be able to take advantage.
Oh yes, Bulgaria! Just 2 related comments:
Last September I attended a performance at the ancient Roman Theater in Plovdiv, in my case the opera "Carmen", performed in French. The experience at that theater, with early evening turning into nighttime, was one of many highlights of the trip to Bulgaria, so I certainly recommend this show too.
While I can't attend a performance of that Bulgarian Women's Choir this June in Bulgaria, I WILL be attending the performance by that same choir TOMORROW evening at the Grace Cathedral in San Francisco, an event presented by the San Francisco Jazz Center! Really looking forward to it.
Oh, my goodness, this is fantastic - both parts of your post. I have never attended an event at the Roman theatre in Plovdiv but hope to do so this year. And to know that The Mystery of Bulgarian Voices is in SF tomorrow is simply wonderful. Enjoy!
Need to share TiaW, I just checked their 2017 US Tour schedule, and very recently on April 14, 2017, they performed in Cambridge, Mass. Did you know that? Their final US stop seems to be in LA on April 28, this weekend.
I had no idea and I am so bummed. I'm not very tightly connected to the Bulgarian community in Mass but I wish I knew about this event. Fortunately, there is a strong chance I would be able to see/hear them in Plovdiv.
Well, I can report that the San Francisco performance of the Bulgarian National Women's Choir was wonderful, and a great success. Grace Cathedral is said to have a seating capacity of 1,300, and it seemed like a full house to me. The choir included 21 women, plus 2 men that participated in a few of the numbers, plus the choir leader. For the first half of the program, the ladies appeared in beautiful traditional costumes from the various regions of Bulgaria. After a brief intermission they returned In matching black gowns, each with a large ribbon, maybe better a sash, around her neck. The music was distinctive and wonderful, with unique Bulgarian harmonies. Through the program, often one, or two, three or four of the ladies would perform, with the choir supporting them from behind. About 18 or 20 numbers in all, as I remember. The response from the audience was wildly positive, with a standing ovation leading to an encore number.
I had purchased a "premier" ticket, which allowed me to sit in the pews in the front part of the Cathedral. The first three rows were reserved for major donors of the San Francisco Jazz Center, which sponsored the performance. So, arriving a little early, I sat in the fourth row. Evidentially these donors more appreciate actual jazz, and they did not turn out in droves. They took the reserved sign off row 3, so I moved up. Then after a while they took the reserved sign off the first two rows, and I ended up seated right in the middle of the front row. I had my little digital camera with me, excellent in low light, and I figured that if no one announced "no photography" I would somewhat discreetly go ahead. That was the case, and I did capture some nice shots of the group, including some lovely portraits of individual singers in mid-note, especially nice when they were in the traditional costumes. It was not quite like Alexander Nevski Cathedral or the Rila Monastery, but certainly was pretty close. Attend a performance if you can! And some of their CDs are available on Amazon.com.
Thank you so much for the wonderful account of your evening with The Mystery of Bulgarian Voices. I pretty much have tickets for the June 8 event at the Roman theater in Plovdiv.... Now I do need to book my flight, too! :)
