Croatia's Accession to the EU Celebration
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Rovinj celebrated Croatia’s entrance into the European Union with the festive revelation of the restored painting “The Abduction of Europa,” which was created based on Paolo Veronese’s original from the end of the 18th and begin
Program:
10 a.m.
Rovinj City Hall:
Unveiling of the restored painting „The Rape of Europa“ by Paolo Veronese (end of the 18th and beginning of the 19th century)
Presentation of the multimedia project called «Artist (n) @ work» by Jadranka Kalenić
11.15 a.m.
Marshall Tito Square:
Concert by the Norwegian wind orchestra „Dröbak Musikkorps”
Golden Cape - Punta Corrente Park Forest:
Aquatlon Race
7.30 p.m.
Marshall Tito Square:
Performance by the Rovinj Brass Band and Rovinj Majorrettes
8 p.m.
Little Pier:
Welcoming rowers Robert Barbieri and Riccardo Cuzzolino listed in the Guinness Book of World Records in their attempt to cross the Adriatic Sea on a kayak
8 p.m.
Marshall Tito Square:
Entertainment Program: Performances by the Feedback, Trio Evolution and Dream Projectbands
Promotion of Rovinj wines and olive oil
7 p.m. to 12 midnight
Mali škver on the Riviera:
An Evening in the Spirit of the Rovinj Tradition of the „Batana“ Eco-Museum
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Rovinj Marks Entrance into the European Union with “The Abduction of Europa”
Rovinj celebrated Croatia’s entrance into the European Union with the festive revelation of the restored painting “The Abduction of Europa,” which was created based on Paolo Veronese’s original from the end of the 18th and beginning of the 19th century.
The painting, which will be hung in Rovinj’s City Hall, was presented by Dr. Visnja Bralic from the Restoration Institute in Zagreb, who said that the painting is a copy of one of Veronese’s most famous paintings. The original can be found in Doge’s Palace in Venice.
“The painting symbolizes the migration of civilizations towards the West, which was, already at that time, a separate European country in the eyes of the Greeks. Thus, the myth about the abduction of the Phoenician princess Europa by the white bull, which was de facto Zeus, to the Island of Crete served as a source of inspiration for many artists – sculptors, painters, narrators and poets,” said Bralic.
Marino Budicin, the mayor of Rovinj, who discovered this monumental painting, thanked everyone who helped put “The Abduction of Europa” on the wall of Rovinj’s City Hall, which was built in 1308. Thus, the painting has become the co-patron of the town along with its two patron saints, Saint Euphemia and Saint George. Inside the City Hall, aside from the presentation of the cult painting, “Ode to Joy” was performed by soprano Antonia Pucek and tenor Sergio Preden to the musical arrangement by composer Massimo Brajkovic and piano music by Massimiliana Brajkovic. Also, the multi-medial project titled “Artist(n)@work” by Jadranka Kalinic was presented, which was created as an artistic travelogue video project.
The evening hours were reserved for sport and entertainment. Italian kayakers Roberto Barbieri and Riccardo Cuzzolin rowed from the Italian town of Grado to Rovinj for eleven hours in order to present mayor Marino Budicin with a letter from the mayor of the town of San Dona di Piave, Andrea Caresel, in which he congratulated Rovinj and Croatia on their entrance into the European Union. The evening program started with a parade by Rovinj’s majorettes and members of the Brass band. On the main stage groups Feedback, Trio Evolution, and Dream Project performed, while Riviera Square was reserved for a traditional Rovinj evening presented by the Batana Ecomuseum.
