Another challenging, but successful Festival season
The Dubrovnik Summer Festival brings to a close yet another successful Festival season, despite ongoing challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic, holding over 47 Festival days – from 10 July to 25 August – 76 drama, music, dance, folklore and other programmes at 16 open-air and site-specific locations in Dubrovnik as was concluded in today’s press conference ahead of the formal closing, which was held in the Marin Držić Theatre. The Croatian Minister of Culture and Media Nina Obuljen Koržinek, City of Dubrovnik Mayor Mato Franković, Dubrovnik-neretva County Prefect Nikola Dobroslavić and the Dubrovnik Summer Festival leadership: Executive Director Ivana Medo Bogdanović and Artistic Director Dora Ruždjak Podolski spoke at the press conference.
Orlando Awards for best artistic achievements at the 72nd Dubrovnik Summer Festival presented to artists
The winners of the Orlando Award for the best achievements in the drama and music programme of the 72nd Dubrovnik Summer Festival, as well as the Grand Prix Orlando, were announced by the Croatian Radio and Television today, August 25, at an awards ceremony held at the Marin Držić Theater in Dubrovnik.
Petrit Çeku reaches guitar heights in the last Rector’s Palace concert of the Festival season
Guitar virtuoso and true artist Petrit Çeku, held a guitar recital last night, 23 August in the Rector's Palace atrium where he confirmed his status as a festival audience favourite, enchanting everyone with excellent playing that reached the very heights of guitar performance. Long applause wrapped up the last festival concert at the Rector’s Palace for which the evening programme – consisting of pieces by Bach, Mozart, van Beethoven, Listeš, Barrios and Villa-Lobos – was specially and carefully chosen.
Spectacular opera gala for Festival finale
International opera stars, coloratura soprano Diana Damrau and bass Nicolas Testé will be sharing the stage with the young tenor Roko Radovan and the Croatian Radio and Television Orchestra, an indispensable part of the final Festival concert, this time under the baton of the beloved maestro Ivan Repušić in an opera gala on Wednesday, 25 August at 10 p.m. in front of the Cathedral. After the concert a short closing ceremony will be held, formally closing the 72nd Dubrovnik Summer Festival.
Petrit Çeku’s guitar recital with a repertoire tailor-made for Rector’s Palace
The guitar virtuoso and festival favourite Petrit Çeku returns to the 72nd Festival, after holding a guitar masterclass earlier in July, with a guitar recital set for Monday, 23 August at 9.30 p.m. in the Rector’s Palace atrium. On the evening programme chosen just for the Rector’s Palace are pieces by Bach, Mozart and Beethoven in the first half with Listeš, Barrios and Villa-Lobos in the second half of the recital.
A big round of applause for “Lion House” at last night’s premiere under Minčeta
The second drama premiere at the 72nd Dubrovnik Summer Festival is the play Lion House, based on an eponymous Ivan Salečić novel which sees Dubrovnik as a place where burdened history and burlesque transition clash. Aadapted for stage by Marijana Fumić and directed by Aida Bukvić with performances by the always brilliant Festival Drama Ensemble, Lion House premiered last night, 20 August on the playground under Minčeta Fort.
A strong and compelling performance of Bach and Messiaen
The Harlequin Art Collective chamber ensemble consisting of flutist Dani Bošnjak, trombone player Alan Bošnjak, vibraphonist Šimun Matišić, accordion player Stjepan Vuger and soprano Marta Schwaiger performed Johann Sebastian Bach’s collection of canons, fugues and other pieces based on a single musical theme titled Musikalisches Opfer or The Musical Offering and the song cycle Poèmes pour Mi by Olivier Messiaen last night, 19 August at the Bunić-Kaboga Summer Villa in a concert sponsored by the Caboga Stiftung foundation.
Dubrovnik Symphonists and Goran Filipec under the baton of Eduardo Strausser impressed the large festival crowd in front of the Cathedral
The Dubrovnik Symphony Orchestra under the baton of the Brazilian maestro Eduardo Strausser and the piano virtuoso Goran Filipec held a magnificent concert, sponsored by Kraš, last evening 18 August and with a brilliant performance of pieces by Franz Liszt and Robert Schumann impressed the large festival audience gathered in front of the Cathedral.
On Sunday another Linđo festival performance in front of the Cathedral
To the delight of the audience, the Linđo Folklore Ensemble will be performing once again at the 72nd Dubrovnik Summer Festival, on Sunday 22 August at 9 p.m. in front of the Cathedral.
Messiaen’s Poems for Mi by Harlequin Art Collective at Bunić-Kaboga Summer Villa
The unique ensemble with a new and unusual sound, the Harlequin Art Collective is composed of flutist Dani Bošnjak, trombone player Alan Bošnjak, vibraphonist Šimun Matišić, accordion player Stjepan Vuger and soprano Marta Schwaiger. Supported by the Caboga Stiftung foundation, the five virtuosos will be performing Poèmes pour Mi by Olivier Messiaen on Thursday, 19 August at 9.30pm in the Bunić-Kaboga Summer Villa.