KotorArt 2023: The Festival Shaking Kotor and Celebrating Our Musical Heritage!
Get ready, because from July 13 to August 13, Kotor turns into the epicenter of culture and music! The 24th edition of KotorArt brings a spectacle you simply cannot miss. This year, the festival is even more powerful with the premiere performance of the Montenegro Festival Orchestra, composed of young talents scattered across Europe, who will open the event on Montenegro’s Statehood Day, July 13, at the square in front of St. Tryphon Cathedral.
Bridges of Music and Celebrating Strauss The opening event titled “Bridges of Music” celebrates 200 years since the birth of the legendary Waltz King, Johann Strauss II. This event not only pays tribute to the great composer but also promotes Montenegrin and regional musical heritage of that era through contemporary expressions of prominent Montenegrin composers. Compositions by Nina Perović will be performed, combining gusle, the female vocal group Đude, symphony orchestra, electronics, and video art, alongside a piece by Milivoj Pićurić that merges traditional klapa singing with symphony orchestra.
Festival as a Guardian of Heritage and Artistic Experiment KotorArt is not just a festival; it’s a cultural galaxy! With 82 programs from 12 countries, including 38 main events, the festival is a true artistic bombshell. Under the patronage of UNESCO, the Municipality of Kotor, and the Ministry of Culture, supported by 80 partners and sponsors, the festival preserves the memory of Don Branko Suboteg and Darinka Matić Marović, awarding a prize in their name to the world-renowned composer Aleksandra Vrebalov.
Stars on Stage and Breathtaking Premieres The festival will feature world-famous artists like Miloš Karadaglić, trumpeter Alison Balsom, pianist Gabriela Montero, Andrej Gugnin, the Janoški Ensemble, Italian jazz diva Karima, and the Western Balkans Youth Orchestra. Particularly exciting is the premiere of the music-theatre piece “Walpurgis Night” directed by Mirko Radonjić with music by Nina Perović, along with a rich program for children, debates, and literary evenings.
City of Kotor and Erste Bank as Guardians of Culture The Mayor of Kotor, Vladimir Jokić, emphasizes that KotorArt is not just a festival but the heart of the city’s and region’s cultural life. The city is ready to be an even stronger pillar for the event that brings the most significant world artists. Erste Bank’s Communications Director, Dragana Crvenica, highlights that the partnership with the festival is part of their mission to support culture as a mirror of society’s values.
Why is KotorArt Important? KotorArt is where tradition meets the new, where classical mixes with iconoclasm, and artists come as friends to support Montenegro’s unique and fragile artistic scene. This year, the premiere of the Montenegro Festival Orchestra, performing the national anthem on Statehood Day, further confirms the festival’s significance.
If you love music, art, and a great atmosphere, KotorArt is the place to be this summer! And if you’ve been before, you know it’s a festival to remember. So, what do you think — can KotorArt get even bigger and more important? Or has it already reached its peak? Drop a comment and let the public voice be heard!
