THE RITE OF SUMMER

Even though more than ever confined by our financial framework, we have once again taken on the „adventure“ of creating, better said, celebrating „the Rite of summer“ for eighth consecutive year. During this period, the Summer Nights festival shall enrobe the city of Rijeka in completely different attire. In the period from 28^th of June till 21^st of July 2011, Rijeka Summer Nights’ repertoire shall present the most beautiful and the most popular performances that have already been performed, as well as some new, interesting and attractive events of various genres and expressions.

Witnessing the increasingly difficult position and the treatment of theatre and art in our society, we want to use Rijeka Summer Nights’ repertoire as a sort of detachment from a reality that creeps upon us daily, and try to give our audience the pleasure of a relaxing and yet dedicated artistic repertoire.

Through 14 different events in 28 performances and 11 ambiences, we shall cling to only one notion; elation and unison in the artistic creation.

Between the grand opening ceremony with performance by Compagnie Trans Express – Tambours de la muerte on Karolina Riječka Pier and the closing ceremony at the Pontoon – Molo longo, the main feature shall be the premiere of a Croatian play Baba Jaga Laid an Egg by Dubravka Ugrešić. This project has everything going for it – excellent script by one of Croatia’s most successful writers (adaptation by Ivor Martinić), respectable team of authors under the leadership of Ivica Buljan and a fascinating cast headed by Ana Karić, Milena Zupančić, Alma Prica and Olivera Baljak.

This year, Rijeka Summer Nights shall also present one of the most popular plays of HKD Theatre – the play Acting Hamlet in the Village of Mrduša Donja by Ivo Brešan and the must-see Lukretia or One Could Say a Hog by Croatian drama of Croatian National Theatre Ivan pl. Zajc.

As part of our musical repertoire, we shall be performing last year’s double award-winner Cavalleria rusticana with a refreshed cast and new guest appearances. The audience of Rijeka Summer Nights shall also experience the dance performance Othello in the coproduction of Bitef Theatre from Belgrade and Grad Theatre from Budva, choreographed by Maša Kolar and Zoran Marković.

Musical repertoire of this year’s Rijeka Summer Nights was designed with the intention of pleasing a variety of musical preferences, starting from classical music and jazz over to world music concerts. Rijeka Summer Nights’ audience shall be able to enjoy concerts of Belfast Food, Rijeka Philharmonic Orchestra – performing some of the most beautiful serenades, jazz concert by Jasna Bilušić, Zagreb Philharmonic Orchestra – Experience Genuine Cuba - Salsa filarmonica, as well as an organ recital dedicated to the master of musical romance, Franz Liszt’s 200^th birthday and finally, a concert by the Opera choir of Croatian National Theatre Ivan pl. Zajc – Le sacre de l'ete.

In cooperation with Pula Film Festival and Videomarket Trade from Rijeka, film-aficionados shall have the opportunity to see three films from the international repertoire and the Europolis repertoire.

And so it is my great pleasure to invite you, dear audience, to join us in our path to the Rite of summer 2011.

Nada Matošević Orešković,

General Manager of Croatian National Theatre Ivan pl. Zajc