Following the success of their previous appearance, Balkalar return to Mittelfest with Ballate da paura (Spooky Ballads), a new concert that explores the darkest and most fascinating aspects of Balkan folk tradition. Amidst legends, omens, nocturnal creatures and ancient superstitions, the trio crafts a musical journey in which the boundary between reality and imagination dissolves. These ballads, handed down through generations, recount collective and intimate fears, transforming them into a musical heritage of surprising vitality. With their unmistakable style – which combines ethnomusicological research, instrumental virtuosity and narrative power – Balkalar give a new voice to a repertoire in which fear becomes story, ritual and memory. And when fear changes its rhythm, the concert gives way to celebration: the audience is invited to join in and dance to these ballads, transforming what frightens us into a shared gesture of energy, connection, and liberation.