The Bulgarian National Folk Ensemble

Established in Sofia, Bulgaria’s capital, during 1954, the Bulgarian National Folk Ensemble rose to prominence as one of the nation’s foremost vocal groups once conductor and composer Kiril Stefanov was appointed artistic director in 1956. The ensemble converted authentic folk songs and dances into polished stage presentations and issued numerous recordings across subsequent decades. After Le Mystère des Voix Bulgares sparked American interest in Bulgarian music in 1988, several of those earlier sessions received U.S. release, among them the 1990s album The Magical Voices of Bulgaria.