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On the occasion of Statehood Day, a ceremonial concert was held at the Croatian National Theatre in Zagreb, bringing together numerous distinguished guests from the political, public, and cultural spheres. Among those in attendance were the Speaker of the Croatian Parliament, Gordan Jandroković, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Croatia, Andrej Plenković, ministers, Members of Parliament, and many prominent public figures. The concert marked the culmination of a day-long Statehood Day programme and was dedicated to Croatia’s cultural, musical, and literary heritage.

The ceremony featured performances by the Symphonic Wind Orchestra of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Croatia and the Ivan Goran Kovačić Academic Choir, under the baton of conductors Josip Hrastić and Ivan Šćepanović. The programme was directed by Krešimir Dolenčić. The evening was hosted by Bela Grah and Luka Slišković and broadcast live on the First Programme of Croatian Television, the First Programme of Croatian Radio, and the HRTi multimedia platform.

The programme offered a selection of some of the most significant works of Croatian patriotic music and poetry. Audiences enjoyed outstanding performances of the “Ode to the Land” from Jakov Gotovac’s opera Mila Gojsalića, performed by mezzo-soprano Emilia Rukavina; “Bože čuvaj Hrvatsku” by Đani Maršan and Drago Britvić, performed by Bela Grah; “To je tvoja zemlja” by Alfi Kabiljo, performed by tenor Domagoj Dorotić; the “Romance of Zrinski” from the opera Nikola Šubić Zrinjski, performed by baritone Ljubomir Puškarić; “Ave Maria” from the rock opera Gubec Beg by Karlo Metikoš and Ivica Krajač, performed by Renata Sabljak; “Dajem ti srce” by Zrinko Tutić and Zlatan Stipišić Gibonni, performed by Ružica Maurus; and the “Hymn to Freedom” by Ivan Gundulić and Jakov Gotovac.

Alongside the musical programme, actors Luka Slišković, Lana Ujević Telenta, Bela Grah, Ružica Maurus, and Ivan Grlić recited works by some of Croatia’s greatest literary figures, including August Šenoa, Antun Gustav Matoš, Drago Ivanišević, Silvije Strahimir Kranjčević, and Nikola Miličević. Particular emphasis was placed on commemorating the 150th anniversary of the birth of Vladimir Nazor, with performances of his poems “Croatian Kings” and “The Croatian Language”.

The patriotic atmosphere was further enhanced by projections of photographs of exhibits from the exhibition In the Beginning There Was a Kingdom, which marked the 1,100th anniversary of the Croatian Kingdom at the Klovićevi Dvori Gallery last year. Through a harmonious blend of music, poetry, and visual art, the ceremonial concert fittingly commemorated one of the most important national holidays of the Republic of Croatia.