Operatic singer Ronald Braus' and guests' traditional concert
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This year's jubilee edition of “Ronald Braus and Guests” has again attracted a large number of visitors on the nearby island of Sv. Andrija near Rovinj
The 15th edition of the “Ronald Braus and guests” evening of entertainment and music will take place on the island of St. Andrew. As usual, this August evening had something to offer to all of the numerous visitors of Rovinj’s most beautiful island –fashion shows, plays, operetta duets, dance performances, jazz and evergreen hits.
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15. THE “RONALD BRAUS AND GUESTS” CONCERT
Life is beautiful when you're not blind…
This year's jubilee edition of “Ronald Braus and Guests” has again attracted a large number of visitors on the nearby island of Sv. Andrija near Rovinj. The reason for this well-attended evening event on one of the most beautiful islands were again stage lights, namely the show which has been taking place every August for fifteen full years thanks to the Rovinj-born Croatian baritone Ronald Braus. In addition to Braus’s resourcefulness – he has been inviting his friends from the world of opera, acting and show business every season – this is a show which is, as a true “red-island” event, sponsored and supported by the Rovinj Tourist Board and the hotel and catering company Maistra. After all, this is one of the reasons why this music and stage event was attended, in addition to the guests from the world of politics – deputy mayor and the president of the Rovinj City Council Marino Budicin and Davorin Flego, as well as the deputy county prefect Viviana Benussi, by the director of the Tourist Board Odete Sapač, and also by many representatives and employees of the largest tourist company Maistra, which offered its Baron Hütterott castle terrace, specially decorated for the occasion, as the venue of the concert.
However, as the etiquette and tradition require, performers received the audience’s greatest praise. And the performers were outstanding – the show was opened by Rovinj’s living legend, painter Bruno Mascarelli (whose upcoming September exhibition will be set at the Heritage Museum), continuing in Volosko with Ljubomir Kuntarić, the author of some of the most beautiful “old songs”, from Nina to the evergreen Autobus Calypso, U nedilju Ane and Ta tvoja ruka mala, and with ever-young and joyful Opatija-based singer and artist Beti Jurković (who once had the opportunity to sing alongside Louis Armstrong). These three mature artists were the principal stars and the greatest surprise of the evening.
However, none of this would have happened if the stage was not graced by those whose proverbial voices reach far and wide. And the young mezzosoprano Ivana Srbljan has proved that her voice will reach even farther and wider. Her voice, as well as her beauty, youth and elegance, captured the hearts of the audience, and her interpretation of Bizet’s Carmen had them on the edge of their seats. Professor Antun Stašić’s violin performance drew similar emotional reactions and even a few tears. Sadly, in addition to the tears shed for the beauty of the performances, there were also tears of grief and parting. This was also an occasion for Roni Braus and his guests to sing goodbye to the magnificent Arsen Dedić and the operatic singer Krunoslav Cigoj who passed away the day before yesterday. The heart trembled for the first time during Kostadinka Velkovska’s rendition of Dedić’s Moderato Cantabile, and again during Braus’s potpourri dedicated to the Krapina Festival, where the famous Croatian tenor often performed. The audience had the opportunity to hear the “manifold soloist” – the mixed choir Gimpl from Ravna Gora, performing several cover songs, as well as the star that never fades – Jasna Zlokić, with audience joining her in the rendition of Skitnica (“Wanderer”), the song that made this native of Vela Luka familiar to all generations. Braus, who hosted the event himself, this year for the first time without Mila Elegović, shone in the duet with Srbljen, performing the song Život je lijep (“Life is beautiful”) from the musical Dundo Maroje, and also with the final song to bid farewell until the next year - Tu T'en Vas (“You’re Going Away”).
