Varaždin's rich cultural summer programme once again stretches into autumn, with the annual Varaždin Baroque Evenings, which starts on September 23, 2016. Full programme here.
The stereotype of Croatian tourism is sun, sea, the gorgeous Adriatic coast and a plethora of stunning islands to explore. And with good region, for the Croatian coastline is one of the most spectacular in Europe, and the country's coastal tourism is enjoying a financial boom, with record numbers passing through the airports of Split and Dubrovnik.
But there is another side to Croatia's tourism, and one which continues long after the last beach has emptied, with the autumn nights drawing in. Continental Croatia may not have the draw of one of the cleanest seas in the world, but it more than makes up for it in terms of cultural offerings, and Croatia away from the beach is a diverse adventure in areas such as gastronomy, culture, adventure tourism heritage and tradition.
One of the cultural leaders is the city of Varaždin, which is located close to the capital Zagreb, as well as Slovenia, Austria and Hungary, thereby offering a large catchment area for those in search of culture. The annual Špancirfest has just ended, one of the most creative and artistic in Croatia, with some 400 acts perfoming from concert venues to street corners, bring the pedestrianised Baroque old town to life. Check out TCN's visit to the opening night.
And while many coastal tourism resorts are now beginning to wind down their operations for the season, with one eye on the vineyards and olive groves for imminent harvest, the opposite is true in Varaždin, and next month sees the 46th Varaždin Baroque Evenings, a rich programme of classical music which has been an important part of the city's lifeblood since its inception in 1968, as the official website explains:
"The idea about the festival that would consolidate Varaždin's rich tradition and history in culture, music and education – particularly in music, was born in 1968 on the occasion of the 140th anniversary of the Music School Varaždin. A group of Croatian musicians and cultural public workers decided this tradition could be best illustrated by the festival Varaždin Baroque Evenings that would consolidate and present the richest and the most extensively preserved heritage: musical, architectural, horticultural, visual, literary and educational. In the year 1971, the first three-day-long festival was held, at that time one of the few in Europe, specialized in this type of music in Europe. At that time musicologists and musicians were extensively discussing the ways of performing this music – whether to use the contemporary instruments and existing ensembles or using instruments and sorts of ensembles from the past times. Europe had renovated architecture and instruments; among the corpus of ensembles and orchestras there were artists profiled in Baroque music. The leading countries in the mentioned aspect were England, Germany and France."
This year's programme is now available, and the festival traditionally has a partner country, with Spain taking the honour this year.
46th VARAŽDIN BAROQUE EVENINGS PARTNER COUNTRY – ESPAÑA / SPAIN
Friday, September 23 Varaždin Cathedral, 8.00 p.m. Festival opening Ensemble LA RITIRATA Artistic leadership: Josetxu Obregón Programme: A. Caldara: The Cervantes Operas Entrance ticket fee: 250 HRK / 33 EUR
Saturday, September 24 Trakošćan Castle, Knight's Hall, 11 a.m. Concert accompanied by baroque coffee Ivana Lazar, soprano; Igor Paro, vihuela de mano; Zoran Kelava, storyteller Programme: Don Alonso Mudarra Fantasies and Sonnets Entrance ticket fee: 100 HRK / 15 EUR
Auditorium of the Croatian National Theatre in Varaždin, 6.30 p.m. Ensemble LE TENDRE AMOUR Programme: La Matrone D`Ephèse – Houswife from Ephesus, baroque comic opera Entrance ticket fee: 150 HRK / 20 EUR boxes and parterre; 75 HRK / 10 EUR balcony
Ursuline Church of the Birth of Christ, 8.30 p.m. Jordi Savall, viola da gamba Programme: Les Voix Humaines, recital Entrance ticket fee: 250 HRK / 33 EUR
Sunday, September 25 Varaždin Old Castle, 11 a.m. Concert accompanied by baroque coffee Ensemble CAMERATA GARESTIN Programme: Croatian music heritage; T . Cecchini, I .Lukačić, I. Šibenčanin Entrance ticket fee: 50 HRK / 7 EUR
St. Nicholas's Church, 8.30 p.m. Raquel Andueza, soprano & ensemble LA GALANIA Programme: Yo soy la Locura 2 – I am foolish 2 Entrance ticket fee: 100 HRK / 15 EUR
Monday, September 26 St. Florian's Church, 7 p.m. Darko Pleli, organ OCTET DONUM, leadership: Višeslav Jaklin Concert in cooperation with Heferer organ building workshop Programme: Spanish Evening Music Entrance ticket fee: 50 HRK / 7 EUR
Tuesday, September 27 Varaždin Old Castle, 9 p.m. Night concert under candles accompanied by baroque cuisine MORE HISPANO – VICENTE PARRILLA TRIO Programme: Improvisations on Spanish & Italian Renaissance & early Baroque harmonic patterns Entrance ticket fee: 100 HRK / 15 EUR
Wednesday, September 28 Great Concert Hall of the Croatian National Theatre in Varaždin, 7 p.m. Concert accompanied by a Flamenco Ensemble LA TERCIA REALIDAD Artistic leadership and baroque violin: Jorge Jiménez Programme: Duende-El Sarao – An Elf-Evening party Entrance ticket fee: 75 HRK / 10 EUR
Thursday, September 29 Franciscan Church of St. John the Baptist, 8 p.m. Ensemble LA TEMPESTAD Varaždin Music School Chamber Vocal Ensemble Artistic leadership: Silvia Márquez Programme: Di tante sue procelle – Of so many storms Entrance ticket fee: 75 HRK / 10 EUR
Friday, September 30 Auditorium of the Croatian National Theatre in Varaždin, 7 p.m. Ensemble ANTIPHONUS Coproduction: Varaždin Baroque Evenings and Croatian National Theatre in Varaždin Programme: H. Purcell: Dido and Aeneas, opera premiere Entrance ticket fee: 100 HRK / 15 EUR boxes and parterre; 50 HRK / 7 EUR balcony
Saturday, October 1 Trakošćan Castle, 11 a.m. Concert accompanied by baroque coffee Ensemble REGINA IBERICA Programme: Es el amor, ay, ay – This is love Entrance ticket fee: 100 HRK / 15 EUR
Varaždin Cathedral, 8 p.m. CHORUS ANGELICUS CATHEDRAL CHOIR CROATIAN BARQUE ENSEMBLE Conductor: Anđelko Igrec Programme: J. S. Bach: St. John Passion Entrance ticket fee: 75 HRK / 10 EUR
Sunday, October 2 Great Concert Hall of the Croatian National Theatre in Varaždin, 7 p.m. VARAŽDIN CHAMBER ORCHESTRA Pavao Mašić, harpsichord, clavichord, positive organ and artistic leadership Programme: J. S. Bach, C. Ph. E. Bach, W. F. Bach, J. Haydn Entrance ticket fee: 75 HRK / 10 EUR In collaboration with the VBE Patrons' Club
Monday, October 3 Ursuline Church, 7 p.m. MONIKA LESKOVAR, violoncello Programme: A selection from Bach’s Suite for Solo Cello Entrance ticket fee: 100 HRK / 15 EUR
Tuesday, October 4 City Hall, 7 p.m. Festival awards ceremony Varaždin Cathedral, 8 p.m. Concert of the awarded pupils of the Varaždin Music School Varaždin Chamber Orchestra Entrance free
Sunday, October 9 Varaždin Cathedral, 6 p.m. THANKSGIVING MASS
CONCERTS OUTSIDE VARAŽDIN:
Church of St. Jacob in Prelog Greek Catholic Cathedral of the Holy Trinity in Križevci Regina Iberica
Batthyany Castle in Ludbreg Krapina Festival Hall Croatian Baroque Ensemble
Church of St Mary of the Snow in Belec Saint George's Church in Sveti Juraj na Bregu, Lopatinec Vocal Octet Donum, Višeslav Jaklin, organ
Church of St. Martin in Varaždinske Toplice Marko Đurakić, organ
Church of St. Mark the Evangelist in Vinica Silvia Márquez, harpsichord
The Church of Blessed Virgin Mary Queen of Holy Rosary in Remetinec, Novi Marof CTS Project choir, South Korea, dr. Hak Won Yoon, conductor
For more information on the festival, visit the official website.
