

As the verses of the Hymn to Liberty were sung, the Libertas flag was raised last night, 10 July in front of St Blaise’s Church making the 74th Dubrovnik Summer Festival was officially opened, until 25 August when it traditionally ends.
This year’s grand opening ceremony was directed by the Festival’s Assistant Artistic Director for Theatre Saša Božić based on a script he co-wrote with theatre artist Nataša Dangubić. Alongside the Dubrovnik Symphony Orchestra, under the baton of maestro Tomislav Fačini, performing were the Libertas Mixed Choir, Dubrovnik Chamber Choir, Pro musica Mostar Academic Choir, Blasius Choir, as well as Slavenko Prizmić, Ivan Kušelj, Antun Puljizević and Matija Slomović fanfares, Vicko Dragojević and Marko Šilje on mandolins, and the youngest singers Marijeta Bošković and b. Part of the grand opening ceremony are also the Festival Drama Ensemble, acting students from the Academy of Dramatic Arts in Zagreb and Split, Lero Student Theatre, Kolarin Theatre Troupe, Linđo Folklore Ensemble, and Lazareti Dance Studio. The ceremony was broadcast live by the Croatian Radio and Television.
After the ceremony, Dubrovnik citizens and their guests enjoyed the fireworks show which was spectacular this year, judging by their delighted comments and earnest reactions.
In the upcoming 46 days, the Festival will bring its local and international audience some 70 theatre, music, dance, folklore, and other events with the first one being Lightness of Youth exhibition opening tonight, 11 July at 9 pm in the Sponza Palace atrium featuring a cycle of works by the Croatian painter and graphic artist Fadil Vejzović. The first premiere of the summer, Ivana Lovrić Jović’s Look How Lokrum Brushes Its Teeth, will open the theatre programme tomorrow, 12 July while the music programme starts on 13 July with pianist András Schiff at the Rector’s Palace.
Tickets for all Festival programmes are available on the official website www.dubrovnikfestival.hr and on the ticketing service www.ulaznice.hr, as well as at the box office at the Festival Palace (Od Sigurate 1 Street), which is open every day from 9.00 am to 9.30 pm. Tickets can also be bought at the Festival box office in Vukovarska St during the week from 10.00 am to 5.00 pm.