Concert season – a gem of the season 17/18
Dear music lovers,
The Opera orchestra concerts have always been the events in which real lovers of classical music find their greatest joy. After the rich and successful programmes of previous seasons, it is even higher that we are raising our standards! Owing to the enthusiasm and rapid development of our orchestra, we have a great pleasure to present another rich musical season.
Guided primarily by highest artistic criteria, we have created a programme that will enable you to listen to some of the most famous works of symphonic literature, world premieres of new works composed especially for our orchestra and some less performed works that are definitely worth knowing.
It is the masterpieces of classical music that will be the highlight of this season. Thus, at the very beginning of the season, on the 29th of September, we will be able to listen to one of the most popular Beethoven’s symphonies – The Ninth. Maestro Zoran Juranić, always our dear guest, will be joined by the absolute star pianist of the Croatian and world fame, the young Aljoša Jurinić, in the performance of the Piano Concerto No. 2 by Sergei Prokofiev. However, the beginning of the concert is reserved for I. pl. Zajc and his Fiuman Rhapsody.
Already on the 31st of October we have the programme for the occasion of the All Saints’ Day, namely, Mozart’s Requiem. For this special occasion we are presenting a special conductor! Philipp von Steinaecker, one of the leading conductors of the younger generation, will be conducting our ensemble for the first time.
Maestro Yordan Kamdzalov, who enchanted us last season with his interpretation of Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony, is returning on the 22nd of December. He will be conducting the monumental Fourth Symphony (Romantic) by Anton Bruckner. This is a unique opportunity to listen to a performance of a Bruckner’s symphony in our theatre after more than 40 years!
In January we have definitely the most intriguing concert of the season, namely, two artists in front of the Rijeka audience for the first time and two musical pieces that have not been preformed in this city before. The Korean conductor with the Vienna address TaeJung Lee will be conducting our orchestra performing the most popular composition by A. Copland, Appalachian Spring. The soloist of the evening is Petrit Çeku, a charismatic guitar virtuoso who will be performing in the Concerto for Guitar and Orchestra by M. Castelnuovo-Tedesco. The second part of the concert is reserved for the popular Dvořák’s Eighth Symphony.
Underline March in your calendar, as we have no less than three concerts not to be missed. On the 5th of March there is a Super gala Concert with a number of great singers (Lucio Gallo, Yusiv Eyvazov, Kristina Kolar and Rossana Rinaldi) and two conductors (Marco Boemi and Ville Matvejeff). On that occasion we will be presenting our last two CDs that are published by well-known international recording companies. Once you have enjoyed the most beautiful opera arias, already on the 20th of March there will be our main guest conductor Ville Matvejeff with the world premiere of a piece by Dubravko Polanović, written especially for our orchestra. Next to the orchestra and chorus it is Ivana Srbljan, our excellent Opera soloist, who will perform this musical work composed on the poetry of I. G. Kovačić by one of the most talented composers of the younger generation. There will also be a masterpiece of the classical literature, namely, Beethoven’s The First Symphony that will conclude our two-year mini-cycle of Beethoven’s odd-numbered symphonies. We will open the concert with one of the most popular works of E. Grieg, Peer Gynt, Suite No. 1.
Easter time will bring us our exclusive guests from Ljubljana. It is our great honour to be able to welcome in Rijeka the Slovenian Philharmonic (28 March) with Rossini’s Stabat Mater. Next to Maestra Martina Batič, there will be star singers as Kristina Kolar, Diana Haller, Dario Bercich and the American tenor Michael Spyers. Not to be missed!
The spring concert of the 22nd May we can especially recommend to all lovers of good music and … those still to become so! Listen to the Brahms’ Violin Concerto and the Sixth Symphony (Pathetique) by P. I. Tchaikovsky with Maestro Pavle Dešpalj and our regular guest violinist Marco Graziani. What more can you wish for?
But, that is not all! Next to all the above mentioned there are the unavoidable New Year’s concerts, this year in a completely new attire and under the baton of Maestro Yordan Kamdzalov! Get the palms of your hands ready!
The winter festive mood will be enhanced by the Opera chorus with their Maestra Nicoletta Olivieri, who are preparing the traditional Christmas concert for you.
We are also pleased to announce a concert in February with a classical and popular programme, when the Josip Kaplan Young People’s Chorus will perform with the Opera orchestra under the baton of Maestro Tomislav Fačini. The national principal soloist Mirella Katarinčić Toić with her guests and Maestro Igor Vlajnić as the orchestra conductor will give her farewell concert on 21st of June. It will be the occasion to remember all the great roles and famous arias that our prima donna has so masterfully performed in the last 40 years!
But, that is not all! We have not forgotten the lovers of chamber music. The main accent here will be on classical works performed by renowned chamber music groups as the Rijeka Piano Trio Tartini and the Zagreb Quartet. The vocal recital of 18th November is the occasion to listen to our soloists Anamarija Knego and Ivana Srbljan accompanied by Nicoletta Olivieri on piano in the duets by the most famous women composers of the nineteenth century. At the concert of 31st January you will have the opportunity to listen to string and win ensembles of the Opera orchestra in an interesting musical duel! It is the first time that we will welcome the Ars Longa Early Music Ensemble and will be able to enjoy the grandeur of Baroque music played on the original instruments. We are also reminding you that you will be able to listen to all chamber concerts from comfortable chairs in the theatre stalls!
We have chosen only the best for you. You can do the same!
Petar Kovačić, Opera Director