On the 1st of July, Ljubljana was a proud host of a huge opera production of Giuseppe Verdi’s Aida which was produced by the Festival Ljubljana and co-produced by the Slovenian Philharmonic Orchestra, Slovene National Theatre Maribor, and the Croatian National Theatre Split. Famous and world-wide beloved Verdi’s opera was the opening performance of the 67th Festival Ljubljana on Ljubljana’s central square Kongresni trg Square which provides beautiful views of Ljubljana Castle. The production was so huge that the whole Kongresni trg Square and its adjacent Zvezda Park were completely closed down for the event.
Director Dražen Siriščevič, who originally set this particular Aida in 2014 in Split’s Diocletian Palace, this time exclusively adjusted and incorporated the performance into the scene and needs of the Kongresni trg Square. The spectacular opera with magnificent ballet scenes, marches, triumphs and mighty choirs, included more than 400 performers. For additional excitement, there were 11 Lipizzaners from the Lipica Stud Farm included in the performance. The horses were wearing microphones so that their sounds contributed to the magnificent atmosphere of the event that was seen by more than 4000 opera lovers.
Verdi’s Aida is certainly one of the most famous and most frequently performed operas not only in the composer’s opus, but also throughout the whole opera history. Thus, the Ljubljana Festival’s opening was the most anticipated cultural event of the year. Ljubljana Festival every year with its carefully selected programme of varied genres significantly contributes to the summer cultural scene in Ljubljana that is very attractive also for congress and business guests to Slovenia’s capital. During the festival, the Ljubljana gets richer for numerous ballet and opera performances, musicals, chamber and symphonic orchestra concerts, art colonies, workshops and many more.
Throughout the summer up to September the Slovenia’s capital is hosting many of the biggest musical names famous around the world. The 67th Ljubljana Festival includes: flamenco dancer María Pagés, bass guitarists Marcus Miller and Stanley Clarke, the modern dance company Aterballetto, the theatre Teatro Regio Torino with Verdi’s La traviata, the Shenzhen Symphony Orchestra featuring Day Lin, the Seongnam Philharmonic Orchestra with violinist Sergej Krilov, the Munich Radio Orchestra and the Bavarian Radio Chorus with Ivan Repušić as their conductor, a concert of operatic arias with baritone singer Thomas Hampson and soprano singer Elena Mosuc, Mahler’s 2nd Symphony with soprano singer Valentina Farcas and mezzo-soprano Bettina Ranch, two Russian musicals Ongin’s Demon and The Master and Margarita performed by the LDM Theatre, Novaya Scena from Sankt Petersburg, prima ballerina Svetlana Zakharova with friends, the Slovenian Philharmonics Orchestra conducted by Charles Dutoit and numerous other artists.
