Great names of Croatian opera were accompanied by Varaždin Chamber Orchestra conducted by Tomislav Fačini and directed by Krešimir Dolenčić.

Italian composer, violinist and organist, Giovanni Battista Pergolesi (1710 – 1736) is considered to be one of the most important early authors of opera buffa (comic opera) precisely due to 'La Serva Padrona'. Even the story about the origin of 'The Maid Mistress' is comical. Pergolesi created it as a two act buffa intermezzo of his opera seria 'Il prigioner superbo' which got lost while 'La serva padrona' became a stand-alone work and became famous worldwide. This season at the Dubrovnik Summer Festival Pergolesi's 'The Maid Mistress' was performed together with Telemann's 'The Schoolmaster', short comic cantata about rigorous schoolmaster who is teaching singing a group of relatively indifferent children.

Renowned Croatian bass-baritone, Giorgio Surian, revealed his talent and the affection for the opera singing as a ten-year old boy.  He continued his education at the Academy of Music in Ljubljana. His debut was in 1974 in the Croatia National Theatre in Rijeka as Padre Guardiano in La forza del destino. Since then, Surian gave voice to more than 160 characters, performed worldwide and became singer at the prestiguous Teatro alla Scala in Milano. He cooperated with many renowned artists such as Alfi Kabiljo, Placido Domingo, Jose Carreras and Marilyn Horne. His perfomances trilled the audiences as well as critics. Together with Surian soprano Valentina Fijačko will perform. She is the winner of many awards and has cooperated with many orchestras as a soloist and was a singer in the Croatian National Theatre in Osijek and Split, and had successful performances in Zagreb and Rijeka Opera Houses. At the press conference on August 3, besides giving short description of the opera, Fijačko emphasized what a great pleasure is to be frequent guest at the Festival.

Varaždin Chamber Orchestra continues the long tradition of orchestral music in Varaždin and continues appearing extensively on Croatian and international stages with great success. The Varaždin Chamber Orchestra is renowned for its cooperation with many eminent conductors such as Dešpalj, Horvat, Kranjčević and others.

Conducter Tomislav Fačini studied at the Hans Swarowsky Academy in Milan and at the Karlsruhe High School of Music. He's the winner of numerous awards in Croatia and abroad, among which are the Rector's Award, the City of Zagreb Award, two prizes of the Croatian Composers Society, and both 2nd and Special Prize at the Antonio Pedrotti  International Conducting Competition in Trento (1996).

Krešimir Dolenčić directed more than 50 dramas and operas in Croatia, Slovenia, U.S., Germany, Great Britain and China. In 2000 at the International Art Festival in Shanghai he directed Verdi's Aida with 2300 participants and than later in Beijing with 2800 participants at the stage, as a largest opera performance ever. Dolenčić was an assistant lecturer at the Academy of Dramatic Arts in Houston and London. On August 3, at the press conference Dolenčić didn't hide the satisfaction with the team of artists who work at this project. He said that this is one of the 'lighter' operas that should attract younger audience.

Audience will have another opportunity to enjoy the opera tonight, August 6.