The Ohrid Summer Festival is on now, turning the UNESCO World Heritage city into a cultural Mecca with a long list of exceptional concerts, recitals, artists, exhibits, shows and plays at venues throughout the town. Celebrating its golden jubilee this year, the organizers have pulled out all the stops to make it an exceptional gathering of artists from around the world.
The festival showcases great performers from over 20 different countries from the Balkans, around Europe and as far away as Brazil. Highlights include performances by the Russian National Orchestra, a French Chopin evening commemorating the composer’s bicentennial, and a Europe Day concert by the Baroque Orchestra of the European Union.
The list of native Macedonian performances read like a Who’s Who of the performing arts, with appearances by the Skopje Drama Theatre, the Macedonian National Theatre, the Skopje Youth Chamber Orchestra, the Macedonian Philharmonic, and the Orchestra of the Macedonian Opera and Ballet, as well as an equally impressive list of soloists.
The City of Ohrid is an ideal setting for this kind of event. Its long cultural tradition and rich collection of historic structures provide exciting venues for just about any kind of performance. The Antique Theatre, built about 2000 years ago, provides the largest stage and stunning views of the lake and surrounding mountains. The important medieval Church of St. Sophia is one of the main chamber music venues. The historic site of St. Clement’s Church of St. Panteleimon, birthplace of the famous Ohrid School of Slavonic literature and culture, is a uniquely appropriate place to host artistic installations and performances.
The Ohrid Summer Festival started modestly in 1961with a single concert in the St Sophia church. Over the years the festival has grown in both size and international acclaim. Today, it is one of the most prominent festivals in Europe and an enchanting way to spend a few days on the shores of magical Lake Ohrid.
Information:
Ohrid Summer Festival
str. Makedonski Prosvetiteli 4
6000 Ohrid
Macedonia
tel: +389 (0)46 261 304, +389 (0)46 262 304
email: contact@ohridskoleto.com.mk
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