At the 66th Dubrovnik Summer Festival renowned pianist Ivo Pogorelić, with the Zagreb Philharmonic Chamber Studio conducted by Zoltán Kocsis, performed Frédéric Chopin’s Piano Concerto No. 2 in F minor, last night, 23rd August in the Rector's Palace Atrium. Béla Bartók’s Divertimento for String Orchestra and Pyotr I. Tchaikovsky’s Serenade for Strings in C major were also on the programme.

The introduction into a unique musical evening at the 66th Festival was the Divertimento for String Orchestra, a piece Béla Bartók composed at high point of his strength and one of his brightest and most approachable scores. Pogorelić’s coming in front of the audience with Chopin’s Piano Concerto No. 2 in F minor followed. After the orchestra's introduction of the theme, the melody is taken over by the piano, and that is where a monologue begins, a magnificent domination of the soloist and his performing art. An ideal composition for an excellent maestro, the piano „king“ as he is called by the media and audiences worldwide, Ivo Pogorelić. Reminding the audience of his artistic value, accompanied by virtuosity and unique style, maestro was awarded with ovations. After Chopin and the intermission, Tchaikovsky followed. Tchaikovsky's former teacher Anton Rubinstein, finally showed the enthusiasm he carefully withheld in the past by declaring the Serenade Tchaikovsky's best work which was once more brought to life in the best way by the Zagreb Philharmonic Chamber Studio conducted by Zoltán Kocsis.

This unique, memorable concert evening was sponsored by Bajadera and the new partner of the Festival, Kraš. The concert was attended by a great number of prominent people from public life including Hungarian state secretory for culture Péter Pál Hoppál.