Dubrovnik Summer Festival

Dubrovnik Summer Festival

The Dubrovnik Summer Festival is recognized as the major producer of top-quality events in Dubrovnik, as Croatia’s leading cultural institution, and as one of Europe’s five most distinguished cultural festivals.


The Festival will traditionally take place from 10 July to 25 August this year. During the 47 days of the Festival’s 74th edition, the audiences will have the opportunity to enjoy a carefully selected programme comprising the Festival’s own productions and top guest performances featuring some of the best Croatian and international artists. More than 70 theatre, music, folklore and other events, with participation of around 1,000 artists, will be held on over 20 site-specific locations in Dubrovnik.

The Vision

Relying on the City’s and its own rich and living heritage, the Festival promotes its site-specific program policy, combines tradition and modernity, and connects local, national, and international creativity. This is a place where people gather together to exchange ideas and create new projects.

Four theatre premieres and varied music programme at the 74th Dubrovnik Summer Festival

The music programme opens on 13 July with the performance of the renowned Hungarian-born British pianist András Schiff. Festival music programme also includes performances of these artists:the most popular fado singers, Mariza; Zagreb Soloists, who will perform with clarinettist Marija Pavlović; Maxim Emelyanychev, one of the best Russian conductors of the younger generation who will perform as pianist alongside the outstanding Russian violinist Aylen Pritchin; virtuoso cellist Nicolas Altstaedt who will perform with the Dubrovnik Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Pavle Zajcev. The Dubrovnik Symphony Orchestra will also perform with soprano Josipa Bilić, under the baton of Valentin Egel. The performance of piano trio comprised of Marco Graziani, Latica Anić and Krešimir Starčević is aperfect occasion to enjoy top chamber performance of Croatian musicians. Other artists that will perform are: the award-winning guitarist Krešimir Bedek; German cellist Eckart Runge with pianist Martina Filjak and saxophonist Gordan Tudor; a world- renowned singer Marko Mimica. The Festival’s closing concert in front of the Cathedral will include the performance of the Croatian Radio and Television Symphony Orchestra and guest soloists.


This season’s rich theatre programme includes four new productions: the first premiere this summer, Look How Lokrum Brushes Its Teethdirected by Paolo Tišljarić. It is based on the eponymous novel by Ivana Lovrić Jović. The second premiere this season, Twelfth Night, or What You Will is directed by one of the most popular Polish theatre directors, Grzegorz Jarzyna. This season’s third premiere, a monodrama by the actor and director Dražen Šivak, Masks, is a play and a project that brings to life the tradition of commedia dell'arte and presents it to wider audiences. The fourth theatre premiere of this Dubrovnik Summer Festival is The Melancholy Women of Ragusa, a project by the Festival’s Artistic Director Dora Ruždjak Podolski.


In addition to premieres, this year’s theatre programme includes repeat productions from previous seasons such as The Enchanted Forest, musical stage piece for children based on the eponymous novel by Sunčana Škrinjarić, directed by Lea Anastazija Fleger, with music composed by Frano Đurović. Last year’s successful production of Blood Wedding, directed by Franka Perković Gamulin will have three performances this summer. Lovers, directed by Aleksandar Švabić, will be performed by the Festival Drama Ensemble. Mara and Kata, a project by Saša Božić in collaboration with actresses Nataša Dangubić and Doris Šarić Kukuljica, will make the audiences laugh the fourth season in a row at Kazerma. The Croatian National Theatre of Split will perform their praised ballet The Great Gatsby, directed and choreographed by Leo Mujić. An indispensable part of the Festival programme, the Linđo Folklore Ensemble will give four performances this summer. The entire festival program you can check here. Some events are even free.:-) If you're interested in the artists you can find out more about them on their website. Also, you can check the different venues and decide where to go. Dubrovnik offers beautiful venues and we are sure you will enjoy the space and the events.