The 69th edition of the Split Summer Festival was presented today at a media conference held at the Croatian National Theatre in Split. From July 14th to August 14th, on ambient stages in Split, at the Split National Theatre, and in Vrlika, across 14 different locations, ensembles from the Split National Theatre and guest artists will perform 24 opera, drama, and concert titles. Alongside nine art exhibitions and literary events, these form the program of the 69th edition of the longest-running and largest theatrical festival in Split and one of the largest in Croatia. In addition to numerous guest performances and several reprisals by the Split Theatre, the production by the Split National Theatre ensemble will feature three premieres.
At the beginning of the conference, the new Festival Director and the Intendant of the Split National Theatre, Vicko Bilandžić, and Zvonimir Akrap, a member of the OTP Bank Management Board, signed a sponsorship agreement, continuing a collaboration that has lasted for more than three decades. "I look forward to the Split Summer Festival, as well as the upcoming theatre season, and OTP Bank will be with you every step of the way," said Zvonimir Akrap, a member of the OTP Bank Management Board, during the signing of the agreement. "Having a bank in our region that understands culture and is aware of the importance of art for its clients, not only declaratively but also on a very concrete sponsorship level, is truly a good feeling, not only for me as the Intendant but also as a citizen of Split," said Intendant Bilandžić.
Mario Negotić, the Head of the Administrative Department for Social Activities of the City of Split, expressed full support for the Theatre and the Split Summer Festival, including additional funding and approval for necessary employments. Alijana Vukšić, the Director of the Split Tourist Board, wished luck to the new management team of the Theatre and the Festival. She said, "I have no doubt that our long-standing successful collaboration will continue. I wish the Theatre many visitors, both domestic and foreign."
The new Director of the Music Program, Ivana Srbljan, presented the musical component of the Festival. She said, "This year's Split Summer Festival will be a national festival led by the Croatian national artistic representation. The guiding principle was to gather some of the most significant and renowned Croatian artists of all generations and present them to the Split audience, including artists of Dalmatian origin whose artistic work has left a significant mark on the world and Croatia. Our excellent ensembles, soloists, choir, and orchestra of the Split Opera will also participate. We will open the festival with Giacomo Puccini's veristic opera 'Tosca,' conducted by maestro Ivo Lipanović, featuring national champions Kristina Kolar and Lucian Batinić, as well as the principal of the Zagreb Opera House, Domagoj Dorotić, as protagonists. I believe we couldn't have wished for a better lineup. We will also have 'Ero the Joker' with a partially new cast, which we will perform in Vrlika and on the new stage at the bay of Bene on Marjan Hill. The Opera Gala, in my opinion, is equivalent to an opera program, although it is a concert featuring two foreign soloists and some who have not performed in Split before, along with national champion Ivica Čikeš as the star of the program, conducted by our maestro Veton Marevci. A concert delight in the Vestibule, which will open the concert program, will be the performance by Sonja Runje and Edin Karamazov with a repertoire of early music. The final concert will be a joint performance by bass Ante Jerkunica, who has had a brilliant career and performed on numerous major world stages, including the Metropolitan Opera, and Martina Filjak, the queen of Croatian piano stage. Exceptional Hungarian cellist Elemér Duka and his Gipsy Chamber Orchestra will perform Hungarian and Gypsy music in an innovative way. The Sanctus Domnio mandolin ensemble from Split, the acclaimed Papandopulo Quartet, an exceptional ensemble, a solo recital by Orest Shourgot in the Split Cathedral, and young pianist Mia Pečnik, who will acquaint us with the repertoire of classical masters, are part of the program. There will also be the Kalamos Quintet, a wind ensemble composed of our exceptional musicians, a jubilee concert by the 'Šufit' vocal group, and the brilliant jazz performance by Dan Costa. From classical and early music to contemporary music, jazz, and vocal groups, I hope to satisfy diverse tastes and preferences of the audience."
Ivan Plazibat, the Director of the Drama Program of the Split Summer Festival and the Split National Theatre, said, "The premiere play 'Innkeeper' is directed by guest director Samo M. Strelec from Slovenia. It will be performed in the courtyard of the old Split Gasworks (Plinara), and we have great plans for the future with him. The text is by contemporary Austrian playwright Peter Turrini, based on Goldoni's 'Mirandolina.' It will be a play about 21st-century Split, about tourism in today's world of capitalism. The lead role will be played by Petra Kovačić Botić, alongside colleagues from the ensemble, both experienced and new names. In our reprisal program, we have Paolo Magelli's 'LysistRATa' and 'Laughter and Tears of the Old Split' directed by Goran Golovko. When selecting drama guest performances, we aimed to present the best of independent production from Croatia and the region. Thus, we have the theatre companies PlayDrama, Sanja Milardović's small wonders, Flex KunstTeatar, and a play from Montenegro, 'Anna Karenina,' by the Prazan prostor drama studio. These plays have been showcased and awarded at numerous festivals. Such a combination, I am confident, will result in an interesting and high-quality program."
The Ballet Program was presented by Vicko Bilandžić: "The ballet premiere 'Dora and Slava,' choreographed by French choreographer Martin Chaix to the music of Dora Pejačević's symphony, will be thematically linked to two great Croatian artists at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, Dora Pejačević and Slava Raškaj. As an introduction, two choreographies by our ballet artists, Aris Hirono and Aaron Kok, will be performed, and the play will take place on the new summer stage at the Bene bay. It is the perfect opportunity to open this new scenic space in a magical environment. There we will also perform our magnificent performance of 'The Great Gatsby,' choreographed by Leo Mujić. As a guest performance, in collaboration with the consortium of Croatian National Theatres K-HNK, we will present the highly acclaimed play 'Decadance' by one of the world's most prominent choreographers, Ohad Naharin, produced by Zagreb Croatian National Theatre. Due to technical requirements, it will be performed on the stage of our theatre. In collaboration with the Multimedia Cultural Center, we will have the performance of 'Gore' by the Zagreb Dance Ensemble, which will be held at Plinara.