This year, Krešimir Starčević will collaboration with the renowned
Croatian bass-baritone Krešimir Stražanac (strazanac.com). Their first
joint project is dedicated to two composers who were born in the 1873 and whose
150th birth anniversary is being celebrated this year – Sergei Rachmaninov
and the Croatian composer Blagoje Bersa. From their rich oeuvre of compositions
for voice and piano, the musicians interwoven songs and romances written
in German, Croatian, Italian and Russian, along with three piano pieces
played by Starčević. They will peroform some of Rachmaninov’s most popular and
performed romances, such as Night is mournful, In the silence of the secret
night, Do not sing, my beauty, to me, Vocalise, Dream, Spring Water and
others. Unlike Rachmaninov’s, Bersa’s songs are almost never performed,
therefore Stražanac’s and Starčević’s selection of his songs will be probably
the first contemporary performance of these beautiful compositions.
The first concert will take place in the Church of St. Lovro in PETRINJA,
on July 6, as part of the 4th Piano Memorial Ranko Filjak, and
the second in the Church of St. Krševan in ZADAR, on July 9, as
part of the 63rd Music Evenings in St. Donatus Festival.
A concert tour in Brazil will follow in August, during which
musicians will also perform few works of Croatian female composer Dora
Pejačević, on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of her death:
• SÃO PAULO (August 20)
• BRASILIA (August 27)
• GOIÁS (August 29)
Performances in September include:
• SAMOBOR (September 24) – Samobor Music Festival
• VIENNA (September 26) – Croatian Music Festival in Vienna
Project will continue in 2024 with concerts in:
• ZAGREB (January 14) – Croatian National Theatre
• POŽEGA (January 18) – Požega Music School
© Antonija Jurin Starčević