The 60th Dubrovnik Summer Festival traditionally held from the July 10th until August 25th will open this evening. The lifting of the Festival flag will mark the beginning of this music-drama manifestation which will last for 47 days. The festival will gather more than 2000 artists from all over the world and more than 70 drama, music, dance, art and opera performances will be held on around 10 different locations in the renaissance town of Dubrovnik.
The opening ceremony will be directed by noted and well known theatre director Dora Ruždjak Podolski who successfully managed to round up the opening ceremony in 2005 as well. The Zagreb Philharmonic Orchestra, the oldest orchestra in Croatia, the noted German soprano Nadja Michael, the Festival drama ensemble and the folklore ensemble Linđo, Dubrovnik choir and the opera choir of the Croatian National Theatre in Split will perform.
The drama program of the 60th Festival will be opened by one of the most famous and noted theatre directors of today, Peter Brook, with his adaptation of Shakespeare’s sonnets “Love is my sin“ performed by the French theatre Theatre des Bouffes du Nord on fort Lovrjenac on the 12th and 13th of July. On the 24th and 25th of July the audience can see another international play, “Orgy of Tolerance“ by Jan Fabre. This project under Fabre's lead is the first international co-production of The Dubrovnik Summer Festival, and it was acted out already in Jannuary 2009 in Santiago (Chile), New York, Paris, Antwerp, Dusseldorf, London and Tokyo.
The Festival drama ensemble will present two premiers – “On the Terrace“ by Ivo Vojnović, directed by Joško Juvančić, and Shakespeare's “Hamlet“ directed by Ivica Kunčević. The play „ On the Terrace“ will mark the 80th anniversary of Vojnović’s death, who wrote many famous drama plays. The leading roles are played by the fathers of Croatian actors Tonko Loza, Mišo Martinović, and Milka Podrug Kokotović, and the role of Hamlet will be acted out by young actor Luka Dragić with his partner Mirna Medaković who will play Ofelia.
The repertoire will contain some reprisal plays, such as “The Miser“ by Ivica Kunčević, and “Arkulin“ by Krešimir Dolenčić. One should certainly point out the correlation with the Split Summer which made the exchange of two plays possible: the Festival’s audience will have the opportunity to enjoy Bartelett's play “My child“ directed by Nenni Delmestre, and the viewers in Split will welcome “The Voices from the Mountains“, whose premiere was last year on the Festival in co production with ADU, who will also join us this year due to the showing of a project by Joško Ševo “Do you speak Croatian?“ as a homage to Ivo Vojnović. This year's repertoire also includes Držićev's „Epitaphio“ by Davor Mojaš.
The music program is framed by opera gala with Zagreb Philharmonic Orchestra and solists Nadja Michael and Zoran Todorovich on July 11th in front of the st. Blaise's Church and also by Beethoven's 9th Symphony performed by Philharmonia of the Nations and Academic Choir Ivan Goran Kovačić under the direction of Justus Franz on the day of closing.
Dubrovnik Symphony Orchestra, Varaždin Chamber Orchestra, HRT Symphony Orchestra, and numerous recitals will complete the jubilee program of the Festival. This year's Dubrovnik Summer Festival will also contain performances of famous artists from all over the world, and between them, we would like to highlight one of the most appreciated violinist Vadim Repin who will held a concert in impressive Rector's Palace Atrium.
Concerning piano masters, Austrian veteran Paul Badura Skoda will perform two times. On his first concert, he will play with Wiener Konzertverein Chamber Orchestra. The second performance of the famous artist will be on the concert piano, but also on Walter fortepiano – Neven Frangeš emphasized.
The opera “Acis and Galatea“ under implementation of G. F. Handel will also be presented to the public and performed by Festival Opera Ensemble and Croatian Baroque Ensemble. Dance admirers will have a chance to enjoy chamber ballet after motives Voris Vian called “The Plumber“, but also in other numerous performances by Croatian folklore ensembles.
Other program of the Festival, as previous year, offers interesting events such as presentation of the winner of the 56th Pula Film Festival, the exhibition of photographs by Damil Kalogjera titled “Festival moment“. Visitors of the Festival will also be able to enjoy the “Time Machine“, exhibition by Davor Lucijanović which enlivens more or less forgotten performances from the rich history of the Festival, art workshop “Greek drama“ by ADU students and also the exhibition of posters “Memories on paper“. Program plus presents superior jazz/world fusion band Djabe and special guest – ex guitarist of the band Genesis, Steve Hackett, known as one of the best British composers and guitarists.
The Festival is supported by the Ministry of culture, City of Dubrovnik, Dubrovnik County, and general sponsor VIPnet.
For more info and programme visit www.dubrovnik-festival.hr