THE FESTIVAL NIGHTS IN LJUBLJANA OLD TOWN BEGIN…
The summer season of Imago Sloveniae will be traditionally rounded off on 23 and 24 August with the 36th edition of the International Festival Nights in Ljubljana Old Town – the largest street festival of ethno and jazz music in the capital, which will unfortunately be held on a much reduced scale this year due to drastic cuts in public co-financing.
Concerts will be held in the New and Upper Squares, dance events will take place under Plečnik’s arcades in Ljubljana’s market square, and festival concerts for the youngest (and even those a little older) will be held in the Ljubljana Zoo. As is traditionally the case, all events will be free of charge for visitors, as one of the main goals of the Imago Sloveniae Foundation is to bring quality cultural content to the widest possible range of Ljubljana’s citizens and visitors.
This year, the Nights in Ljubljana Old Town will offer a less extensive, but no less high-quality, internationally flavoured programme. 11 events will take place in 4 venues, carefully placed in the magical summer ambience of the city centre, featuring more than 70 artists from 5 countries.
OPENING CONCERT: ČOMPE 30 YEARS + KATALENA
This year’s International Festival Nights in Ljubljana Old Town will open with a diptych from the top of Slovenian ethno on Friday, 23 August 2024, at 8 pm on the main stage in the New Square. The unique Čompe, celebrating 30 years this year, and the timelessly cult Katalena will play a double concert.
Čompe, a six-piece band from Ljubljana formed in 1994, is one of the more unconventional Slovenian ethno bands, weaving their offbeat original music around the lyrics of Slovenian poets. They need no introduction to the Slovenian audience, you can expect a great ethno cabaret, a proclaimed tunefulness, a relaxed and entertaining concert that is at the same time much much more than that. The central place belongs to the diatonic accordion and the varied vocal interpretation of Janez Škof, which shows a successful fusion of poetry and music.
Katalena, which has been performing in its original line-up for over 22 years, has performed in virtually every club, concert hall or festival stage in the country, and has also travelled extensively, with performances in the USA, Israel and much of Europe. The fundamental premise of its work is a belief in the timelessness of traditional music, which, according to its members, is still alive in the younger generations of today – not as a long-lost object, but as a vital tradition. Katalena seeks to revitalise this musical heritage with its own fresh energy, while discarding its ideological connotations and allowing its playfulness and infectious rhythms to prevail.
UPPER MARKET
On Friday, those who like to indulge in jazz harmonies will have the opportunity to listen to the internationally active quintet (Slovenia, Germany, Russia) of our Berlin-based young composer and trumpeter Maj Kavšek, who will present his new debut album Galaterna. An ensemble from which we can rightly expect an exceptional concert.
On Saturday, Gornji trg will offer a more traditional programme. Katja Šulc, a singer and musician who skillfully intertwines poetry and traditions of other cultures with melancholic softness, will present her latest album West Wind Blow From Your Prairie Nest. The artist’s fifth solo album draws inspiration from the culture and poetry of North American indigenous peoples. Genre-wise, it ranges between contemporary folk and Americana, presenting precious indigenous beliefs, testimonies and values through a blend of tradition and modernity. The evening will be closed with Belgian folk dance music in a lively atmosphere by the Slovenian-Belgian ensemble of top musicians with excellent string players (Klemen Bračko, Deyan Muc, etc.), Soteska Pop Up Band.
PLEČNIK’S DANCE ARCADES
Under Plečnik’s arcades on the Adamič-Lundrovo Embankment, a special musical and visual experience is about to take place: the oldest folklore group from Italy, VAL RESIA, founded in 1838, will perform. The 25-member musical ensemble with dancers will present the rich Rhenish cultural tradition in typical folk costumes from the 18th century. The group presents the typical music and dance of the Ressians, who live in the north-east of Friuli Venezia Giulia, Italy. Don’t miss this unique event!
For all dance lovers, there will also be evenings of salsa, bachata and tango.
A MUSICAL FAIRY TALE FOR CHILDREN
A special mention should also be made of the project we are preparing in cooperation with the Slovenian Philharmonic, the Ljubljana Zoo and the Vita Insurance Company, entitled Peter and the Wolf in the Zoo. A lively and sparkling concert performed by the Slovenian Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra will present Sergei Prokofiev’s popular musical fairy tale to young listeners and their companions at the Ljubljana Zoo. The concert will be performed three times, on Friday 23 August in the afternoon and on Saturday 24 August in the morning and afternoon. In case of bad weather, the Saturday concerts will be postponed until Sunday 25 August.
INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM
The main programme line-up of the festival will also be linked to the International Symposium, which will be held during the Night in Ljubljana Old Town in cooperation with the Institute of Musicology of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences, the Department of Musicology of the University of Ljubljana and the Hungarian Institute of Musicology HUN-REN, on the theme In a New Disguise: Folk Music and Dance Revival Movements. The symposium, which is open to the public, will take place at the City Museum from 22 to 24 August.
The festival will also take place in case of rain, as free raincoats will be available for visitors to enjoy the evening’s events without any worries.
You are cordially invited!
