The rich and challenging season of the Cantus Ensemble invites you to try "Something completely different" from autumn

Summer heat alternates with storms, nature reveals itself in all its capriciousness, and the Cantus Ensemble is already thinking about autumn! The new concert season has been announced, and through five concerts and a series of guest appearances in the country and abroad, it brings a rich musical harvest - full of challenges - that is not to be missed!

Cantus Ensemble has a long history of developing successful artistic collaborations with several related ensembles in Europe and the world. One of these ensembles closed the concert season behind us - Turning Point from Canada, and another will open the new one before us - the Association for New Music from Cologne ensemble - KGNM. "Ka-Ge-eN-eM + Ce-A-Ha-De-eS = NEW MUSIC!" is the winning formula of the first concert of the new season, which will be held on 9th October 2023, conducted by the artistic director of the Cantus Ensemble, Berislav Šipuš. The program features individual as well as several joint performances by Cantus and KGNM members, among others, the composition Kiborg by Zlatko Tanodi (on the occasion of his 70th birthday), as well as a new work by the young Croatian author David Batinić.

The second concert, called "Marathon" scheduled for 27th November will be held "with a little help from our friends", with an association with the famous hit by The Beatles, according to the idea of Berislav Šipuš to bring together a few friends, musicians and composers, who have, in different ways, contributed to the work of the Cantus Ensemble in the past years. The great Polish composer and pianist Zygmunt Krauze as well as the famous Italian composer and flutist Roberto Fabbriciani, are to arrive in Zagreb. The program also includes the works of "several friends", including premieres of compositions by Nicola Sani, Mauricio Sotelo and Vinko Globokar, the first performance of Introit Et Oratio for cello solo by Berislav Šipuš as well as the composition Memorie for female voice and ensemble by academician Frano Parać on the occasion of his 75th birthday.

One of several tasks of the CA in its diverse activities is the promotion of our contemporary music heritage. "Homemade is best", says CA and thus announces the third concert of the season, booked for 5th February 2024, at which the works of Stjepan Šulek (110 years since his birth), Natko Devčić (110 years since his birth) and Krešimir Šipuš (10 years since death) will be presented. The title of the concert has the addition "Solo – Tutti" which indicates that in several compositions the musicians of the Cantus Ensemble will present themselves as virtuoso soloists. The program will include, among other things, a performance of Requiem for a narrator, six cellos and a big drum by Milko Kelemen (100 years since his birth), but also a new piece - Concerto for cello and ensemble by the young Croatian composer Danijela Bošnjak.

Another agenda in the activities of the CA is to perform works by composers of the 20th century, whose compositions we rarely have the opportunity to hear on our concert stages. In this regard, CA's mission is truly "a story without an end" or "Neverending Story", as stated in the title of the concert that will take place on 18th March 2024, under the direction of the permanent conductor of the ensemble, Ivan Josip Skender. Schönberg, Nono and Boulez are truly the fundamental composers of contemporary music of the 20th century, and Croatian composers Neven Resnik and Tibor Szirovicza will join them with new works.

The fifth and last concert of the season is planned for 27th May 2024 and it brings, as the title announces, "Something completely different"! Anthology compositions by Luciano Berio (Circles) and Karlheinz Stockhausen (Goldstaub from Aus den sieben Tagen) will surround the new composition Around Circles for female voice, dancer, actress, three harps, three percussionists and electronics by Berislav Šipuš.

All concerts are held in the Small Hall of Vatroslav Lisinski starting at 8:00 p.m. Tickets are available at the box office of the Lisinski Hall as well as online at ulaznice.hr