by damjana simončič, june 2003

This year's 51st Ljubljana summer festival will take place from July 6 till August 21. There will be 43 concerts of classical music, performed by 2000 artists coming from 22 countries and performing at 10 different concert cites. The Programme Guide is available at the Križanke Box Office and promises some really outstanding events this year.

Besides the usual festival venues, like the unique outdoor Križanke complex, designed by the greatest Slovenian architect Jože Plečnik, the Ljubljana Castle facilities and various churches, as well as the Gallus Hall in Cankarjev dom in case of bad weather conditions, some concerts will take place also in the recently completely restored Grand Union Hall. The magnificent hall in the art nouveau style has excellent acoustics and will host some of the most prestigious events, like the gala concert of operatic arias (July 8), performed by the world renowned soprano Violeta Urbana, who regularly appears at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York City and the Scala Theatre in Milan. She will be accompanied by the Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Janos Aleks.

At the gala opening of the Festival (July 6) the Scala Theatre Philharmonic Orchestra from Milan will perform under the baton of its chief conductor Riccardo Muti, for the very first time in Slovenia. For his inaugural concert in Ljubljana the Maestro had chosen two symphonies: Mozart's Jupiter Symphony and Brahms' Symphony No. 2. The concert will take place at the Gallus Hall.

There will be few other highlights of the festival: the world famous Polish composer Krzysztof Penderecki will conduct the Sinfonietta Cracovia Orchestra (July 7) in the performance of his Concerto Grosso for three cellos and orchestra; the work was premiered in Tokyo two years ago. The soloists will be Tatyana Vasilyeva, David Gerringas and Boris Andriyanov.

Of particular interest will be the Slovenian premiere performance of the »Requiem« by Hector Berlioz, marking the 200th anniversary of composer's birth ( July 14th). The performers will be the Zagreb Philharmonic orchestra, The Ivan Goran Kovačič Academic Choir from Zagreb and the Slovenian tenor Ivan Lotric(.

The city of Saint Petersburg celebrates its 300th anniversary this year: the Orchestra of the Marinsky Theatre and the world famous conductor Valery Gergiev will enrich the celebrations by bringing to Ljubljana (August 5) some of the famous Russian music: Prokofjev's Second Symphony and Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto with the soloist Vadim Repin.

Among chamber ensembles we have to mention the appearances of the Kremerata Baltica Chamber orchestra with the soloist and artistic leader Gidon Kremer (July 16), the United Europe Chamber Orchestra under Massimo Colombo (July 21) and the Royal Chamber Orchestra of Wallonia with the conductor Georges Octors (July 20). There will be five piano recitals and two piano duos concerts; among smaller chamber groups the Baroque Trio and Trio Lorenz are promising interesting musical evenings.

For opera lovers the Festival offers two performances by the Maribor Opera House: "I due Foscari" (August 18) from the early Verdi period and Puccini’s classic "Tosca" as the closing event of the 51st Ljubljana Summer Festival (August21).

Besides concerts there will be also the traditional Artistic Community with interesting exhibitions at Križanke and at the Castle galleries.

Home | Search | Contact Us | Services

Copyright © 2003, Wagner & Associates and Ljubljana Life Magazine.
All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.