Last night, the Zagreb Philharmonic Orchestra thrilled a happy audience with their Christmas concert featuring music by Rossini, Cilea, Mascagni, Verdi, Bizet, and Puccini. The orchestra was conducted by Luka Vukšić, with the magical voices of popular soprano Darija Auguštan and tenor Filip Filipović. The Children’s Chamber Choir of Pavao Markovca Music School joined the Philharmonic and opera singers in a finale of favorite Christmas carols.
Auguštan and Filipović sang outstanding arias, and their duets were flawless. The Philharmonic’s delighted the audience with powerful performances of Mascagni’s Cavalleria Rusticana Intermezzo, Overture to Rossini’s The Thieving Magpie, and the Bizet / Guiraud Carmen Suite no. 1.
The program included:
- Gioachino Rossini: The Thieving Magpie – Overture
- Francesco Cilea: Adriana Lecouvreur – Ecco respiro appena…Io son l’umile ancella
- Giuseppe Verdi: La traviata – Lunge da Lei, Alfredo’s aria, G. Verdi: La traviata – Parigi, o cara, duet of Violetta and Alfredo
- Georges Bizet / E. Guiraud: Carmen suite no. 1
- Gioachino Puccini: Gianni Schicchi – O mio babbino caro, aria Lauretta
- Gioachino Puccini: La boheme – Che gelida manina, Rodolfo aria
- Gioachino Puccini: La boheme – O soave fanciulla, Rodolfo and Mimi duet
- Pietro Mascagni: Cavalleria Rusticana – Intermezzo
- Giuseppe Verdi: Otello – Ave Maria Aria Desdemona
- Adeste Fideles (Come All Ye Faithful) – Arrangement by Croatian Composer Stjepan Mihaljinec
- Narodi se nam (It’s Born to Us) – Arrangement by Croatian Composer Nikica Kalogjera
It was an evening of exceptional music. The lovely encore was Silent Night, Holy Night written by Austrian Roman Catholic priest Josephus Franciscus Mohr.
Merry Christmas! 2️⃣5️⃣👼🎄🌟