The basic feature of Dubrovnik Summer Festival is the ambience approach, implying the use of more than 70 different open-air venues.
The unparalleled beauty of the streets, squares, gardens, palaces, islands and medieval fortresses of Dubrovnik thus becomes an equal co-author together with the world greatest musicians, dancers and actors. More than 2000 artists from more than twenty countries from all continents took part in the Festival this year.
Rich and attractive culture program includes more than 70 performances which you will be able to see and listen on magnificent ambient stages inside the City walls, but as well as on the island of Lokrum, fortresses Lovrjenac and Revelin, „the mystery among and under two mysteries“ bathing spot Šulić… This year Festival gained another new location Medarevo, among wooden colossuses besides the new hospital.
Love tragedies, knights and see mermaids, last year’s great hits; Ondine, Equinox and Don Quijote, directed by the most famous Croatian directors like Krešimir Dolenčić, Joško Juvančić and Ivica Kunčević, performed by the Festival Drama Ensemble, will be performed this year as well. After 20 years, in drama program, we are facing great theatre challenge – The Greeks, which are at the same time the basis of this years premiere program. Premiere of Eshil’s Oresteia, directed by Ozren Prohić, will be performed at the foot of the Minčeta Fort, as well as the premiere of Aristophanes’s The Birds under the title THE BIRDS.hr, directed by Paolo Magelli, which will be performed through ambience of Medarevo location.
We do not expect anything less from drama guest. Belgian director, set designer, choreographer and great artist Jan Fabre with ensemble Troubleyn will perform the premiere Quando l’uomo principale ė una donna, and from 10 – 18 July the international workshop will take place under the title „Jan Fabre’s Working Methods“ for professional dancers, actors, choreographers and directors.
Dubrovnik Summer Festival is the place where each year famous world artists encounter each other, but at the same time realization of the first encounters of young artists happens as well – “stars” and potentials. On the opening, considering the musical program – overview of the heritage, Primović’s Euridice performed by those who are the future of the Croatian scene. The return of the traditional guest – Zagreb Philharmonic Orchestra, whit its former General Manager of the Festival, master Vjekoslav Šutej and our famous Monika Leskovar. Russian Symphony Orchestra with old, but new Tchaikovski, just reconstructed unperformed symphony. In the year of Mozart, we will listen to the Mozart in the interpretation of Shlomo Mintz, James Galway and London Mozart Players, Don Giovanni in freshly prepared performance of Artis Quartet, off course on the newest old piano Walter, just renovated in Salzburg. The piano Walter is going back to home – to our city. The instrument will vivify Malcolm Bilson, the master of genuine but fresh interpretation. Purcell’s Dido and Eneas in living fresh version of New London Consort. Three Croatian composers Brkanović, Cipra and Papandopulo, performed by Festival Drama Ensemble, give us the great pleasure, foreign masters’ interpreters.
Overview in advance of Gidon Kremer, the old friend of the City, from Bach towards contemporary works. The jazz future represents the Next Generation Orchestra from Monterey and its magnificent present, Gonzalo Rubalcaba, one of the biggest piano players of today. There are to many names to mention them all and all of them will make the City the living place of live art creation – in this, our moment. Choirs, orchestras, master singers and players, even when they remember they look forward – into the future.
The dance program will include the appearances of ensembles Lado from Zagreb and Linđo from Dubrovnik, presenting the Croatian folk heritage, as well as a guest performance of the Croatian National Theatre under “Maestro” B. Papandopulo, N. Fabrio and Lj. Gvozdenović.
The Midnight Program will present the Festival return visitors such as the Cellomania Quartet, young cello players leaded by the conductor Valter Dešpalj, Italian Gunther Sanin Quartet from Verona consisted of musicians which pose great experience and various interests regarding the style and genre, violine player Pavel Berman which is famous by his unique style – the mix of soveregin technique and delicate interpretation and piano player Ivana Marija Vidović, young guitar player Petrit Ceku and the Classic Buskers which have a knack of communicating their passion for classical music in two of the best ways possible – virtuosity and laughter.
Dubrovnik Summer Festival on August 18 and 19 organizes international symposium about ambience theatre under the title “The Ambience Theatre and Cultural Memory”. Based on rich experience, the speakers will talk about possible development directions of the ambience theatre.”
Expecting first week
57th Dubrovnik Summer Festival will maintain the principle of excellence and ambience. This year’s grandest exhibition is taking place on 11 July 2006 is Matko Trebotić’s Homage to the City. The exhibition is conceptualized for the Sponza Palace, thus accentuating the ambience concept of the Festival.
At the Ruđer Bošković Square on 11 July the music program of the Festival will be opened by Zagreb Philharmonic Orchestra, leaded by the conductor Vjekoslav Šutej. Dance folk ensemble Lado from Zagreb on 12 July will present repertoire of folk dances and songs from Croatia, among which will be two premieres: Dances of the island of Hvar and Međimurje Song and Dances. On 13 July at the Revelin Fort Terrace, the Monterey Jazz Festival Next Generation Jazz Orchestra will take place. On 14 July, under the Minčeta fortress the premiere of the Aeschylus’s Oresteia, directed by Ozren Prohić, will be performed in which for the first time in Greek drama people are those who will judge Orest and Elektra and not the Gods. On 15 July in the Rectors Palace listen to the famous Slovenian mezzosopran singer Marija Lipovšek accompanied by the piano player Anthony Spiri. On 15 July in the midnight program, the Festival will take part with Zlatko Bourek’s puppet play St Blasius, Blaise, Vlaho in co-production with the Marin Držić Theatre. The irresistible verses of Luko Paljetak, Bourek’s superb puppet art and the excellent ensemble guaranteed a wonderful theatre event in Mostar on Matrica Hrvatska days in Mostar. All of you who are not able to attend the premiere of the Eshil’s Oresteia, on 16 and 17 July, you can watch the repeats, while on 17 July in the midnight program, Celloamnia Quartet, leaded by the bandmaster Valter Dešpalj will fulfill the Atrium of the Palace Sponza by Mozart’s, Matz’s and Tchaikovski’s sounds of violoncello.
Dubrovnik Summer Festival, as the most prominent institution in Croatia and prestige European festival, accomplishes great business results in cooperation with intern and foreign companies. Besides exclusive program, which we expect, the general sponsor Vip and Dubrovnik Summer Festival offer new service of receiving the newest information about the program and interesting happenings of the Festival via SMS messages – Dubrovnik Summer Festival INFO.
INA, sponsor of the drama program, Mazda official car of 57th Festival, Croatian Post, Croatia Airlines, Perpetuum Mobile d.o.o (iSite3 project)…confirmed their presence in this cultural event by their sponsorship.
