To mark the 340th anniversary of the birth of composer George Handel and the 25th anniversary of the Croatian Baroque Ensemble, a magnificent performance of Handel's oratorio Messiah will take place on March 29, 2025, at the Vatroslav Lisinski Concert Hall. The concert will feature the Croatian Baroque Ensemble, the Ivan Goran Kovačić Academic Choir, and vocal soloists.
For this special occasion, British conductor and harpsichordist Laurence Cummings has arrived in Zagreb. Cummings, long praised by critics as “the most Handelian of all conductors”, is the director of two major Handel festivals—one in Göttingen and the other in London.
Performers:
Alongside the Croatian Baroque Ensemble and the Ivan Goran Kovačić Academic Choir, the concert will feature:
- LAURENCE CUMMINGS, conductor & harpsichord
- NIKOLINA HRKAĆ, soprano
- DINA JULARIĆ IVANČIĆ, alto
- MISLAV LUCIĆ, tenor
- MARIN ČARGO, bass
The Ivan Goran Kovačić Academic Choir was founded in 1948. Over its 75-year history, it has performed some of the greatest musical works, including those by Beethoven, Mozart, and Bach. The choir has also shared the stage with global stars such as Andrea Bocelli and José Carreras, as well as many renowned Croatian musicians. It has performed under the baton of leading conductors both in Croatia and abroad at prestigious international music festivals. The choir’s artistic director is maestro Ivan Šćepanović.
Ivan Goran Kovačić Choir - Photo - https://igk.hr/az/
The Croatian Baroque Ensemble is Croatia’s most significant ensemble specializing in the interpretation of Baroque and early music on period instruments and their replicas. Founded in 1999, it brings together young musicians who are passionate about historically informed performance in line with the spirit and aesthetics of the Baroque era. The ensemble’s director is the esteemed violinist Laura Vadjon.
