site.btaBritish Conductor Ronen Nissan: Bulgaria's Opera Voices Remain Unique

British Conductor Ronen Nissan: Bulgaria's Opera Voices Remain Unique


Veliko Turnovo, North Central Bulgaria, January 3 (BTA) -
Bulgaria's opera voices remain unique and continue to thrill the
world, Israeli-born British conductor Ronen Nissan said,
interviewed by BTA. According to Nissan, the irregular rhythms
of Bulgarian folk music are the genetic reason for the country's
voices to sound so amazing.

The conductor was visiting Bulgaria at the invitation of
Hristofor Yonov, Director of the Konstantin Kissimov Music and
Drama Theatre in Veliko Turnovo. Working with the orchestra, the
choir and the ballet company of the Konstantin Kissimov
Theatre, Nissan presented the Viennese school of music to
Bulgarian audiences. Works composed by the Strauss family were
performed in Veliko Turnovo, Gabrovo and Troyan, among other
towns.

One of the pieces on the programme was a little known waltz by
Johann Strauss written for the wedding of the Bulgarian monarch
Prince Ferdinand and Princess Marie Louise. It was composed in
1893 and performed during the wedding. The only other time it
was played was in 2000 in Sofia, after which the scores were
entered into the State Archive.

Nissan himself was involved in the search for a forgotten piece
of music. A few Hollywood concertos were played in Veliko
Turnovo under his baton.

Ronen Nissan is known for his arrangements for famous Hollywood
film music, including music for the James Bond movies, his
renditions of classical works by Strauss and Wagner used in
Francis Ford Coppola's film "Apocalypse Now" and by Shostakovich
and Donizetti in Luc Besson's film "The Fifth Element," and his
interpretations of Henry Mancini's theme to "The Pink Panther"
series and of Nino Rota's music for "The Godfather" movies.

In his Bulgarian concerts, Nissan also presented his own
versions of music from the films "Star Wars," "E.T.," and
"Schindler's List."

Born in Israel, Nissan is a British citizen who studied music in
New York and lives in Vienna. He says that the classical style
of the Austrian capital presents a challenge to any musician.

Johann Strauss's music, in particular, is elegant and
hedonistic, it makes you forget about your worries, and that is
why people like it, the conductor said. One of his professional
dreams is to conduct a Bulgarian folk ensemble.