On the square in front of the St. Tripun Cathedral, the 18th edition of KotorArt Don Branko's Days of Music opened. The program of the ceremonial opening had the thematic title "Art of Remembrance", on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the devastating earthquake in Montenegro and the entry of Kotor on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Don Branko's Days of music was opened by the Minister of Culture Aleksandar Bogdanovic, who emphasized the incredible significance of the KotorArt festival as a unique event in our country.
"Impressive is the fact that this year's KotorArt festival brings together four program units, numerous participants from different countries, conventional, as well as programs that examine the boundaries of the genre. All of this has given a special quality to this festival, which, among other things, has become a kind of workshop for music, stage and theoretical researches. This is exactly what KotorArt makes as a brand of Montenegrin culture, raising it above the atrophied festival retrospectives. And at tonight's opening, we will have the opportunity to get acquainted with one original piece, which is the result of the artistic search in the field of music, whose creators and performers are Montenegrin artists of the younger generation. What distinguishes the music segment of KotorArt, Don Branko's days of music, from the music festivals in the environment, which are dominantly based on artistic music, is a creative and productive dimension, that is, ordered pieces by composers from our area, whose premiere performances are just before us," he said.
The Ministry of Culture has recognized the great importance of KotorArt even this year, which, Bogdanovic said, will always be a practice, bearing in mind the importance and quality of the program.
"Expressing my satisfaction gained from the revelation of the unknown and unrepeatable, with a feeling of friendly affection, I would like to once again remind you about the willingness of the Ministry of Culture for any form of cooperation in the further development of KotorArt, primarily in the field of international affirmation of Montenegrin culture. Furthermore, because this festival established a good practice of cooperation, both domestic and foreign artists, as well as young talents with world-renowned artists. In the end, I would like to thank all the artists, producers and organizers and wish them successful festival days, and to the audience, new excitement and new discoveries, to which KotorArt already has used. In that name, we remember Don Branko Sbutega tonight and once again announce the beginning of this artistic festival with his words "Let the bells ring", concluded Bogdanovic. The CEO of KotorArt Ratimir Martinovic also greeted the public.
"I sincerely believe, and I teach my students and share it with everyone I know, that the only real, sustainable and long-lasting way is the one on which we maintain gratitude and astonishment to the moment of life, the one way in which in everything we see a good chance for progress. Victories and defeats do not exist, as the great Nikola Tesla says, neither life nor death exists. There is no time, but only countless moments out of which most of them, unfortunately, pass by us," stressed Martinovic, and emphasized that when you stop admiring and giving thanks, you stop living a dedicated life, which is the only guarantee of quality at that moment.
Meanwhile, during the last evening, the compositions that the Festival ordered from the author were premiered. Therefore, Ivan Marovic wrote the composition "Kotor 1979", while Nina Perovic composed the piece "Views". At the opening, the Festival Orchestra of KotorArt was conducted by Julio Maric, and sopranos Marijana Sovran, Oliver Ticevic, Milica Milanovic and the hip-hop band “Who See” performed.
Text by CdM, on July 15th 2019, read more at CdM
