Composer Ennio Morricone, opera singer Jessye Norman and tenor José Carreras, are some of the artists whose performances have opened one of the best known festivals in Southeast Europe, the Ohrid Summer Festival.

In addition to a 49-year-long tradition and a history of staging some of the world's biggest music and theatre names, the location of the festival based in the scenic city of Ohrid, with its 2,000 year-old ancient theatre and close to the 11th century Saint Sophia Cathedral, delights fans from all over the world.

The first festival was held in August 1961 when the voice of Ana Lipsa Tofović, the primadonna of the Macedonian opera , opened the event with pieces by Handel, Mozart and Beethoven.

In the years that followed, as the festival became established as a concept, it began hosting international stars. Older art lovers remember the Golden Gate Quartet, Juilliard Quartet, as well as one of the most famous violin players of the time, Russian Leonid Kogan and American soprano Martina Arrojo.

The 1970s and 1980s saw a host of international stars take the stage: Mstislav Rostropovich, Salvatore Accardo, Victoria de los Angeles, Katia Ricciarelli. The festival's increasing popularity also attracted the Munich Chamber Orchestra, the Virtuosi di Roma Chamber Orchestra, the George Enescu Chamber Orchestra, as well as the Lithuanian Chamber Orchestra.

The theatre element of the Ohrid Summer Festival is a special segment of festivities, both because of the quality of the plays that are featured, and the city's authentic and original setting. Hundreds of plays have taken place in the ancient city - from the Church of Saint Sophia to Emperor Samuil's Fortress, at a religious site called Plaosnik that dates back to early Christian times.

When in 2001 the city's ancient theatre was excavated the Festival began to attract even further international attention. This historic finding created a grand new location with a very special atmosphere that has since been used to stage all of the festival's main events, including performances by José Carreras, Maya Plisetskaya's Imperial Russian Ballet, and most recently, Ennio Morricone.

The theatre is located at the foot of Samuil's Fortress, and was built in 200 BC. It is still unclear how many people it used to seat, as only the lower section of the theatre is preserved. However, it is written that the ancient building was used for theatre performances. After the Roman conquest of the town, it was turned into an arena for gladiator fights.

The archaeologists found numerous sculptures and reliefs still preserved. Scientists were especially interested in two relief tablets that depict the God Dionysus and the muses - patrons of poetry and theatrical plays.

The theatre has a perfect location: the two hills that surround it keep it protected from winds that could interfere with acoustics during performances. The audience enjoys a breath-taking panoramic view over the Ohrid lake as the natural background to the scene of the ancient open-air theatre.

This year on 12 July, the Ohrid Summer Festival was opened by composer Ennio Morricone with his music from the movie "Once Upon a Time in America," played by the Hungarian Gy?r Philharmonic Orchestra and a Macedonian opera and ballet choir. This year's festival hosted artists from 17 countries around the world. The festival closed on 20 August, with a final concert by Edin Karamazov, one of the world's foremost lutenists, known for his cooperation with the rock-star Sting.

As well as offering music, theatre is equally important to the festival. A local theatre troupe performed "Krpen Život" (“Patched Life)”, after a work by Stale Popov. The public rehearsal of the play was held in the deserted village of Manastir in the Mariovo Area, near the place where the writer Popov was born. The play's director Vlado Cvetanovski said that he wanted the play to mirror the former spirit of the region and remind people that life in villages in this picturesque area is gradually dying out.

Ohrid 2009 hosted also an array of foreign theatre productions. One of them was "Class Enemy", directed by Sarajevo-born Haris Pašović, whose pieces – according to the festival organisers – "reign over stages around the world."

The Ohrid Summer Festival has since long established itself as one of the leading theatre and music festivals in Southeast Europe. People from all around the world flock to see some of largest international stars perform in one of the most unique locations in the world. For those who have already savoured the experience and for those who have recognised its special charm, the anticipation for next year’s 50th anniversary of the Festival has already begun.

 

**The European Commission does not accept or recognise in whatever form or content a denomination other than “the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia”. All references, direct or indirect, to this country used in this article are those of its author.