Antiphonus Enseble is opening 10th International Choir Competition in Zadar Cathedral!

On Thursday, May 19, at 9 p.m., the Antiphonus Ensemble is to open the 10^th jubilee International Choir Competition in Zadar with a concert in St Anastasia’s Cathedral.

The manifestation of amateur choir competition is almost always opened by performances of professional ensembles. This year, it is the ensemble led by maestro Tomislav Fačini that enjoys an excellent reputation in the national classical music scene and is also one of the most estimable ambassadors of Croatian music in Europe.

The ensemble that has recently enchanted us in St Francis’ church with its performance of St John Passion by Johann Sebastian Bach, in a concert of the Zadar Concert Season, on this occasion arrives to Zadar in a completely different arrangement in order to present the Zadar audience its interpretations of the works by Croatian and Italian masters of Baroque and contemporary music.

Consisting of Ana Jembrek and Monika Cerovčec (sopranos), Martina Borse (alto), Ivan Bingula and Siniša Galović (tenors), Tomislav Fačini (bass), Vlatka Peljhan and Helga Korbar (violins), Pavle Zajcev (cello) and Franjo Bilić (harpsichord and organ), the ensemble will perform sections of Parnassia Militia by Vinko Jelić, Sacrae Cantiones by Ivan Lukačić, Selva morale & spirituale by Claudio Monteverdi and Ubu by Marko Ruždjak.

The Opening Ceremony will also include the performance of the Academic Choir of the University of Zadar, conducted by Tomislav Košta, the artistic director of the Competition. The Choir will perform the Croatian national anthem Lijepa naša domovino.

The competition starts on Friday, May 20, at 11 a.m. and at 6 p.m., when eighteen choirs from Slovenia, Sweden, Poland, Latvia, Estonia and Croatia will compete for the Golden, Silver and Bronze Abbess Čika’s Cross in the Croatian National Theatre Zadar. The competition continues on Saturday at 11.30 a.m., while the finals, award ceremony and the competition for the Grand Prix of the City of Zadar start at 7 p.m. the same day. The competition results will be based on the judgement of the International Jury composed of the president Jasenka Ostojić (Croatia) and members Tomislav Fačini (Croatia), Marko Vatovec (Slovenia), Zapro Zaprov (Macedonia) and Marta Kierska-Witczak (Poland),

More than 600 singers will invigorate the town squares with their song. After the competition performances, the choirs will also perform in promenade concerts in the People’s Square, the Roman Forum and the Sea Organ.

The following weekend, Zadar will be turned into a real capital of choral music by this manifestation.

Entry to all events is free of charge.