Le Mystère des Voix Bulgares and Giovanni Sollima are no new names for the regulars of the International Festival Wratislavia Cantans. Until now, they have performed in separate projects, though. The combination of the unusual Bulgarian voices and unpredictable artistic personality of the Italian cellist and composer will be a unique event, especially given that most of the program will be devoted to one of the main themes of this year's festival: improvisation.

The choir Le Mystère des Voix Bulgares has been founded over half a century ago, and for more than thirty years it has enjoyed outstanding international reputation. The distinctive sound of the ensemble is a result of cultivating the native, Bulgarian tradition of group singing, rooted in folk polyphonic singing. The repertoire of the choir consists, above all, of works composed in the spirit of this tradition, whereby it is vital to remember that in Bulgaria “folk” equals “national”. A sharpness of rhythms, depth of expression, uncommon harmonies that approach the concept of dissonance and consonance different than the rest of Europe, determine the unique character of this type of singing. Polyphony is also something else than what we are used to: a bundle of voices, inextricably intertwined, impossible to be analysed in terms of the counterpoint as perceived in northern Europe. This music exists only in its fullness; removing any element destroys the whole.
Giovanni Sollima is an artist whose musical interests range from the beginning of cello music in the early baroque (the artist plays a beautiful instrument made by Francesco Ruggieriego in 1679) to contemporary heavy metal. As a performer, he is characterized by extreme precision and confident intonation; Yo Yo Ma called Sollima “fearless”. As a composer, he is often inspired by historical events which he likes to animate by discovering the emotional side to the stories recorded in the annals. The works of the Italian make a significant contribution to the modern cello repertoire. As an artist who can embrace any style or genre, he obviously does not avoid improvisation, important in both contemporary music and jazz. In Wrocław, Sollima will engage in improvisation with the choir and present pieces composed especially for the occasion, making use of the distinctive sound of Le Mystère des Voix Bulgares.