STA, 11 June 2019 - The annual international music festivals Imago Sloveniae and the Summer in Old Ljubljana will kick off Tuesday evening with a concert celebrating the 15th anniversary of the Ljubljana-based Forum of Slavic Cultures, which connects Slavic nations in culture, arts, education and science.
Under the title Slavic Rhapsody, the concert will present Slavic folk music and its echoes in music by featuring segments of operas, symphonic and choir music by composers such as Antonin Dvorak, Bedrich Smetana, Marjan Kozina, Stevan Mokranjac, Jakov Gotovac and Alexander Porfiryevich Borodin.
Music will be performed by the Symphonic Orchestra of the SNG Maribor theatre, the choirs of the Serbian and Croatian public broadcasters. Soprano Alina Yarovaya, tenor Aljaž Farasin and violinist Nikola Pajanović will perform solos.
The pieces played at the concert reflect a unique duality, originating in folklore but at the same time being far removed from its origins by way of composers' upgrading of the music. It shows how regional folklore is transformed into music representing a nation, Imago Sloveniae has said.
It is no coincidence that a lot of the music featured stems from Romanticism, the time when many nations started developing their national identities and striving for independence, the organisers also said.
The concert will take place in Congress Square, but in case of rain, it will be performed in the nearby Slovenian Philharmonic Hall.
The programme for both festivals is here, while if you want to see what else is on in town this week check out what’s on in Ljubljana…
