Dubrovnik is renowned as a cultural capital, with its streets, squares, famous fortresses, and palaces bustling with numerous events during the summer. For the ninth consecutive year, the summer festival season opens with the Midsummer Scene Festival, which this time promises a cultural sensation at Lovrijenac Fortress. For the first time since its establishment, the festival will feature a specially prepared musical. From June 22nd to July 6th, visitors can expect an exciting performance of "Around the World in Eighty Days" and other captivating stage productions. This year's festival program once again puts Dubrovnik on the cultural map of Europe, offering business guests the opportunity to spend a pleasant summer evening under the starry Dubrovnik sky, enjoying theatrical sensations.
The musical "Around the World in Eighty Days" premieres for the first time in Croatia
Midsummer Scene Festival 2023 will open with the premiere of the musical "Around the World in Eighty Days," specially written and composed for this occasion. It is a world premiere of a new musical adaptation of Jules Verne's classic novel. The musical brings plenty of entertainment, romance, and adventure through performances of can-can dancers, balloon flights, a train accident, elephants, and catchy melodies in the enchanting ambiance of Lovrijenac Fortress. The thrilling journey around the world in the company of Mr. Phileas Fogg and his servant, Passepartout, during 95 minutes, guarantees a delightful experience for all visitors.
The adaptation and direction are created by the award-winning English playwright and director Sean Aita, while the music is composed by the French actor and composer Leo Elso, who recently performed in the musical "The Grinning Man" in London's West End. He is also the avatar of Benny Andersson in the spectacular ABBA concert Voyage. The musical will be performed in Dubrovnik thirteen times until July 5th. Due to high demand, the organizers encourage early ticket purchases.
In addition to this extraordinary musical, which will undoubtedly thrill the Croatian and international audience, Lovrijenac will host a spectacular closing of this year's festival. On July 6th, the premiere of the solo musical "Love is Fair" (Stories from My Street) by Goran Karan will be performed.
A special musical treat for classical music enthusiasts will be the concert by three world-renowned pianists, PIANO MANIACS TRIATHLON, featuring Matej Meštrović, Matthew Mayer, and Antonija Pacek. The concert will take place on June 30th at the Rector's Palace. This year, as a special event, on July 7th, in collaboration with the Marin Držić Home, the Midsummer Scene Festival will present the English translation of Marin Držić's play "Novela od Stanca" (The Novella of Scent) translated by Filip Krenus.
Dubrovnik as a cultural destination
Midsummer Scene is a project of the Dubrovnik Tourist Board and the City of Dubrovnik, produced by Brilliant Events Dubrovnik and Honey-Tongued Theatre Productions Ltd. London. Over the past nine years, more than 100 performances have been staged as part of the festival, and the Dubrovnik Tourist Board supports and promotes the festival in its presentations worldwide. "This festival means a lot to us. The initiative itself partly came from the Dubrovnik Tourist Board about ten years ago. The festival complements everything the Tourist Board does. Culture is a significant factor in Dubrovnik's tourism. Unlike the rest of Croatia, Dubrovnik is not just a leisure destination but a cultural destination!" - said Miro Drašković, the Director of the Dubrovnik Tourist Board.