The workshop “Producing Classical Music” took place in Dubrovnik as part of the EU project #synergy: Sharpening the capacities of the classical music industry in the Western Balkans. From 14th to 16th September, the project partners had the opportunity to exchange experiences in the production of their festivals and to discuss the challenges they face in carrying out their projects.
The first part of the workshop was moderated by the maestro Tomislav Fačini and included a discussion about different productions in Dubrovnik, covering both the public and non-governmental sectors, with a focus on the production practices of the Dubrovnik Summer Festival, experiences of Culture Club Revelin and the Epidaurus international music and art festival.
In her presentation, pianist and artistic director of the Epidaurus Festival, Ivana Marija Vidović, spoke about the festival's production and the very idea of starting the festival, with a special reference to this year's program. In addition, Vidović emphasized that organizing such projects in ambient locations is a great challenge, but that imagination is the most important, more important than knowledge.
The director of Culture Club Revelin Vlado Raunig spoke about the music productions of CC Revelin, which was according to the choice of the world's most influential electronic music and clubbing magazine - DJMAG has chosen among the 25 best clubs in the world. Raunig shared the experiences of working with the most diverse types of artists and the daily challenges in equipping a multifunctional space for various types of concerts and events in such a special location, pointing out that the more time and money was invested in analyzing how to achieve the best sound system inside the fortress.
Nikolina Putica, the coordinator of the music programme of the Dubrovnik Summer Festival, spoke about the production of music events at Croatia's oldest cultural festival. Discussing the challenges, she emphasized during the 70 years long tradition DSF have found locations that have been proven to be the best for concerts, such as the Rector's Palace or, two large open locations - in front of the Church of St. Blasius and in front of the Cathedral, but they have all have their own technical requirements and challenges.
In the second part of the workshop, project partners presented the problems they face when organizing and producing their festivals.
The workshop was conveniently held on the island of Lokrum, which is one of the more special ambient locations of the Dubrovnik Summer Festival, where various musical and dramatic productions have been staged during the festival's long tradition.