Marking thirty years of diplomatic relations between Israel and Serbia, Israeli flute virtuoso and composer Mattan Klein appeared on the main stage of the famed Nisville jazz festival, one of the largest music festivals held in Europe.
The four-day Nisville festival is held in the ancient fortress of Niš and features a variety of musical genres, including jazz, blues, and funk. Some of the world’s most notable artists and musicians have appeared onstage at the festival. This year, 120,000 people attended the different concerts and performances throughout the festival.
This year with the support of the Israeli Embassy in Serbia, the Mattan Klein Quartet performed on the festival’s main stage in front of 2,000 spectators on Friday, August 12. The performance received an additional touch of magic when rain began to fall in the midst of the summer heat. This atmosphere justified the name of the main stage at the festival - Earth & Sky Stage, because the moving music of Mattan Klein was accompanied by rain from the heavens – and the audience loved it.
Israeli ambassador Yahel Vilan said, “Serbia, like Israel, gives music a vital role in shaping its internal and international identity. Therefore, it is important for us to support cultural ties and musical dialogue between the countries. This year we are celebrating the 30th anniversary of our diplomatic relations and are making sure to bring Israeli culture to all corners of Serbia, as in this case to Niš in the south of the country.”