Opening Ceremony in the Theatre

In the late afternoon, the ceremonial part of the ECoC opening will be held in the CNT Ivan pl. Zajc.

The programme includes short music and stage performances and welcome speeches, attended by high-ranking officials from Europe and Croatia – representatives of the EU Commission, ministers of culture of European countries, representatives of previous and future European Capitals of Culture, ambassadors, the diplomatic corps and more.

This part of the programme features the Rijeka Putokazi, Mr.Lee & IvaneSky, Diana Haller, members of the CNT Ballet Ensemble, Kristina Kolar, Robert Kolar, Domagoj Dorotić, Rijeka Opera Choir, Rijeka Symphony Orchestra, a string quartet of musicians from the Rijeka Symphony Orchestra, and musicians that are part of the Rijeka super band Ri-Val.

The poet Moya Cannon (reciting the poem Song of Imbolc) and harpist Kathleen Loughnane (accompaniment on the Irish harp) are arriving from Galway to perform as part of the programme. The poem Song of Imbolc was specially written for the spring portion of the Galway 2020 programme and will be performed live in Rijeka for the first time.

As part of the programme, speeches will be delivered by the Rijeka 2020 Company Director, the Mayor of Rijeka, the Prefect of the Primorje-Gorski Kotar County and Minister of Culture of Republic of Croatia.

Also, EU Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth Mariya Gabriel will address the audience via video message and the Vice-President of the European Commission for Demography and Democracy Dubravka Šuica will deliver a speech and present the Mayor of Rijeka with a European Capital of Culture plaque and Melina Mercouri plaque awarded by the European Union for an extraordinarily prepared programme.

Upon the completion of the ceremonial portion of the evening, the dignitaries will also attend the central opening programme in the Rijeka Port.

Opening Ceremony in the Theatre

Start: 5:00 p.m.
Duration: 90 minutes
Hosts: Leonora Surian Popov and Edi Ćelić

1. “Our Beautiful Homeland”, Croatian national anthem
Performed by the vocal group Putokazi

2. “Nije dobro”, song
Performed by MR.LEE & IVANESKY

3. Speech by Mayor of Rijeka, Vojko Obersnel

4. G. F. Händel: “Dopo notte”, aria from the Baroque opera “Ariodante”
Performed by: Diana Haller (mezzo-soprano) and the Rijeka Symphony Orchestra; conductor: Kalle Kuusava

5. Speech by the Director of Rijeka 2020, Emina Višnić

6. Ivan pl. Zajc: “Nikola Šubić Zrinjski”,
finale of the opera “To battle, to battle!”
Performed by: Kristina Kolar (soprano), Domagoj Dorotić (tenor), Robert Kolar (baritone), the Rijeka Opera Choir and the Rijeka Symphony Orchestra; conductor: Zoran Juranić

7. Speech by the Primorje-Gorski Kotar County Prefect, Zlatko Komadina

8. “Lace”, a sequence from the ballet on Pag lace by choreographer, Maša Kolar
Performed by: members of the ballet ensemble of the CNT Ivan pl. Zajc

9. Speech by the Minister of Culture of the Republic of Croatia, Nina Obuljen Koržinek

10. “Song of Imbolc”, poem
Performed by: Irish poet Moya Cannon, accompanied by Kathleen Loughnane on the harp

11. Zoran Juranić: “An Opera after Kamov”, Prologue to the Opera
Performed by: Diana Haller (mezzo-soprano), Rijeka Opera Choir and the Rijeka Symphony Orchestra; conductor: Zoran Juranić

12. Video message by EU Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth Mariya Gabriel and awarding of the European Capital of Culture title;
The title will be presented to the Mayor of Rijeka, Vojko Obersnel by the Vice-President of the European Commission for Demography and Democracy, Dubravka Šuica

13. Speech by the Vice-President of the European Commission for Demography and Democracy, Dubravka Šuica

14. From “Ode to Joy” to “Rijeka Dearest”
based on the works of Ludwig van Beethoven and Damir Badurina, arrangement by Frano Đurović
Performed by: Kristina Kolar (soprano) and the String Quartet of the Rijeka Symphony Orchestra

15. “My City”
Performed by: RiVal Group