Megan Long (Patsy, left) with Ken Jones, Daniela Bisenius, Mark Braun and Phil Martin.
Being part of the musical Always Patsy Cline, is by far one of the most fun and exciting productions I have ever been part of, and let me tell you why. Growing up back home in Bucharest, Romania, when I was just a teenager in 1982, my father brought home from Germany a record of Patsy Cline music. The first song that caught my attention was Walking after Midnight, because of its bluesy feel. Her voice was perfection to me. Even though I knew nothing about her, or that she was no longer living, I felt the need to connect with her through her music. I picked up my violin and played along with the record. It was all I could do back then. Little did I know, that one day I would come to the U.S., and I would be part of a show about her life! But now I am here, and I feel honored to be part of such a great show.
The cast consists of only six people, of which four are the musicians, and I strongly believe that each and everyone of us has done Patsy justice. We all love her, and therefore every note we play or sing is done with great respect and admiration. It is always very difficult to play someone so well-known and loved by so many people, because there are no substitutions. But I do believe that Megan Long’s portrayal, with her incredible voice quality and stage presence, honors the artistry of Patsy Cline. The show is also enhanced by Kate Brown who plays Louise Steger. Kate has an incredible ability to make each show new and fresh through her intelligent and very creative improv skills. Music Director Ken Jones is a musician who brings a wealth of experience with musical theater and I am honored to work with him. From the very first rehearsal he knew exactly what he needed from us in order to make it sound not just well together but also authentic in style. With us are also the wonderful Mark Brown (steel guitar) and Phil Martin (drums), both outstanding musicians, and very established country and blues players.
Always Patsy Cline is a show about the friendship between two women: one is an American treasure and the other is her good friend who loved her deeply. The show is loaded with Patsy Cline’s most memorable songs and I guarantee, you will be smiling for a long time.
-Daniela Bisenius, Fiddle
Daniela Bisenius. Photos by Trademan Photography.
DANIELA BISENIUS (Fiddle) was born in 1965 in Bucharest, Romania. Her parents, both professional pianists, started her on violin at the age of five. Her talent was soon recognized and she was enrolled at the prestigious Music School Geoge Enescu where she began studying with Dinu Cristea and later with Valeriu Rogacev. After graduating in 1984 she joined her father and brother in Germany, where they were both employed with major symphony orchestras and major opera houses. At 19, she won the position with the Staatsphilharmonie Ludwigshafen, making her the youngest person ever to win a position with that orchestra. A series of orchestral and solo engagements followed including Frankfurter Opera, Munick Philharmonic, Bayerisches Rundfunk and RTL Luxembourg. She continued her studies at the Musikhochschule Saarbrucken where she studied with Russian teacher Valerie Gradov. She also attended Violin Master Classes in Nice, France with Henrick Szering and Gerarld Poulet. In 1988 she came to US, where she was awarded full scholarship to University of Iowa and studied with Prof. Leopold La Fosse. Here she appeared in a televised Master Class with Issac Stern. She then performed as an orchestra member with many professional orchestras including Naples Philharmonic, Phoenix Symphony, Lyric Opera of Chicago, etc. Daniela has shared the stage with many great stars over the years such as Natalie Cole, Luther Vandross, Smokie Robinson, Kurt Elling, and many others.
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