The Croatian coast is full of events in the summer season, but informing the public is still not well-organized. ”Even we do know about some event in advance only if our participation in it is announced,” Anastasija Jankovska and her colleague Niksa, actors from the Croatian National Theater in Split, joked.
Every joke has a kernel of truth. Visiting Croatia as a tourist, I’ve never caught any show, opera, or movie theatre, even though I didn’t have a language barrier. Therefore, now as a local, I asked a local expert in the field of art about upcoming events in 2021 and created a list. Hopefully, it will help you to be at the right time at the right place.
- Sibenik
There are two prominent places to go for cultural evenings in Sibenik. It’s two city fortresses – Tvrdava Sv. Mihovila and Tvrdava Barone. Cinema Wednesdays and Saturdays have already started at the Tvrdava Barone on the 23rd of June. It will continue till August, 28th. A program is international (available here). Subtitles are put in Croatian and English. You can buy a ticket at the entrance of the fortress on the same day from 8:30 pm.
Tvrdava Sv. Mihovila will host several great music events this season. Tickets are not yet sold out to the concerts of Rade Serbedzija, Vlatko Stefanovski&Trio V3, Vojko V, Daleka obala, Vanna, Asaf Avidan, Mostar Sevdah Reunion, Let 3, Nino Belan&Fiumens sviraju Davole, TBF + ZO. It’s a good possibility to plunge into Balkan musical culture enjoying live concerts in this historical place. Tickets are available online here.
- Trogir
Moondance festival in Trogir took place even last summer and it’s with us in this summer season. An inevitable price for this kind of stability during hard pandemic times is a covid permit needed (to see details here). Moondance music festival will settle as usual in the fortress of Kamerlengo and last from the 30th of July to the 1st of August. Tickets will be distributed online through websites for Croatian and international guests.
- Split
The summer cinema on the main city beach Bacvice already started in June. Movies are playing in the open air every evening at 9:30 pm. Movies come from different countries, for example, the Netherlands, Greece or Sweden. Subtitles are in Croatian and English, thus it is accessible to broad public. This kind of entertainment can be also combined with travelling from Split, because distributing company ‘Kino Mediteran’ has several locations on the island of Brac, Hvar, Vis, and some others. You can buy tickets by clicking this link.
‘Splitsko ljeto’ is literally the Split summer festival that will take place for the 67th time. The festival starts traditionally on the 14th of July on the Peristil square in the center of Diocletian’s palace. The program includes opera, drama pieces, ballet, and music concerts. Tickets will be on sale from the beginning of July.
For opera, you will probably go to Peristil. ‘Aida’, a Split summer trademark, is usually played there amidst columns and sphinx brought from Egypt. Besides, Mascagni’s ‘Cavalleria rusticana’ and Verdi’s ‘Nabucco’ and ‘Lumbardi’ are planned for this season.
Ballet and drama shows will be performed at park Sustipan. Therefore, keep in mind that Sustipan is not only the best city park for families and a nice place to see a sunset in Split, but also a cultural place with vibrant nightlife. Apart from the Split summer festival, there will be a mini-fest known under the name ‘San Sustipanske noci’ (San Sustipan nights). Within this fest, two famous Croatian singers Josipa Lipac and Gibonni will give concerts on the 14th and 15th of July accordingly.
Ballet and drama programs are quite diverse. For ballet, one show is prepared by French choreographer Thierry Malandain and another show – by Croatian ballet dancer Aaron Kok. A helpful thing to know before going is that both artists turn from classic to less conventional and more modern dances. Don’t hold onto a classic ballet; let them broaden your look!
The theater program includes troupes from all over Croatia. Every national theater will bring some piece to a Split summer festival – Osijek, Varazdin, Rijeka, Dubrovnik. They will perform ‘Oedipus rex’, ‘The Cherry Orchard, ‘Anna Frank’s Diary’ and other shows. Also, Split summer will host one show prepared by the Israel troupe.
For musical events, you can ask either on the square in front of the Croatian National Theater (Hrvatsko nacionalno kazaliste – HNK) in Split or in the Mestrovic Gallery. The square in front of HNK actually attracts by its closeness to the old city and the first two concerts they will take for free. Trombone quartet will please the public by ‘Queen’ covers, while the guitar quartet will perform classic maestros. In the Mestrovic gallery Tonci Hulic’s pop-mass ‘Missa Mediteranea’ will be held.
- Split surroundings
Solinsko ljeto (Solin summer) festival will last one week from the 27th of July to the 2nd of August. The program consists mostly of music concerts and drama shows. One day there will be a children’s show as well. Events will be held in different places across the Solin as Gaspic Garden, Amphitheatre, and Tusculum garden. Tickets can be bought right at the place of events an hour before the beginning (to know more here).
Omis FDK, that is, the Dalmatian Klapa Festival, began last week of June. ‘Klapa’ is a multipart singing, one of Dalmatian folk traditions included in UNESCO’s Intangible cultural heritage list. You can meet the tradition on the Stjepan Radic square (Trg Stjepana Radica) in Omis on the 4th of July at 9:00 pm (for more info here).
- Dubrovnik
72nd Dubrovnik summer festival starts with an opening ceremony on the 10th of July. Dubrovnik festival presents a set of theater shows, musical concerts, and masterclasses. For example, Ivana Kuljeric Bilic will hold a percussion workshop. Petrit Ceku will offer a guitar masterclass from 18 to 24 July. For those who prefer listening to music, a festival will offer Croatian Radio and Television Choir, Lindo Folklore Ensemble, and several classical concerts.
In the meantime, you will also be able to visit eternal Shakespeare’s ‘Hamlet’ or modern Croatian shows like ‘Mata & Kata’, M. Drzic’s ‘Grizula’, I. Salevic’s ‘Lion house’ and others. Several events for children are announced for August. You can learn a full program of the Dubrovnik summer festival on its updated website.
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