In 150 years of its operation and participation in the development of civic society and music culture in the Republic of Croatia, the city of Zagreb and the entire world, the Zagreb Philharmonic Orchestra has kept finding its way to its audience over a century and a half of societal, cultural and political shifts.
EMBRACING YOU WITH MUSIC brings together all the musicians who have enriched the Zagreb Philharmonic Orchestra throughout its history. The hands that play. The instruments in the hands of musicians have become the foundation of the celebratory visual, an expression of gratitude and a hommage of sorts to all the musicians who have comprised the orchestra, to all the stars of the Zagreb Philharmonic Orchestra.
It is through the joint creation of each and every individual and artist that orchestral musicianship may be fully realised. By embracing you with music, the Zagreb Philharmonic Orchestra sends out the message that art finds the way to the heart of the audience. This year is dedicated to their creativity, commitment and love for music and mankind.
Throughout this celebratory season, the orchestra will be conducted by former principal conductors, soloists – artists from the orchestra, and recipients of the Zagreb Philharmonic Orchestra's Young Musician of the Year award who were recognised as exceptional Croatian musicians at the early stages of their careers. We wanted to display a certain boldness and commitment in order to offer our audience a worthy programme imbued with pieces of music that are performed worldwide and those that are part of the Croatian musical heritage, as well as with works by contemporary composers and premieres.
The Surrounded by Stars gala concert, which will be held on the exact day of the 150th anniversary, will bring to mind the first performance on 25 February 1871, which was conducted by the Honourable Ivan Zajc. That concert was held at the Croatian National Theatre, which was then a venue for plays and concerts, along with the Croatian Music Institute. The present home of the Zagreb Philharmonic Orchestra is the Vatroslav Lisinski Concert Hall, which opened in the now distant 1973 with a concert performance by the Zagreb Philharmonic Orchestra.
Our faith in the possible allows us to embrace you with music and invite you to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Zagreb Philharmonic Orchestra and enjoy the carefully curated and prepared programme.
Zagreb Philharmonic Orchestra
