Ohrid Summer Festival 66th edition opens with Ermonela Jaho and Charles Castronovo

The 66th edition of the Ohrid Summer International Festival opened on Thursday night in the Ancient Theatre of Ohrid, North Macedonia. Over 4,000 spectators attended a sold‑out gala concert titled “Love”, a week after tickets had been fully booked. The program featured Albanian soprano Ermonela Jaho and American tenor Charles Castronovo, accompanied by the National Opera and Ballet Orchestra under Italian conductor Marco Boemi. Festival director Gjorgi Cucovski said, “This was an evening that will be remembered,” and highlighted the event’s 66‑year tradition as a bridge between cultures. President Gordana Siljanovska‑Davkova, the festival’s patron, reiterated its role in cultural diplomacy. The 40‑day season will host around 50 performances, involving more than 700 artists from 24 countries, and will mark the 100th anniversary of soprano Ana Lipša‑Tofić and the 60th anniversary of the Faculty of Music in Skopje. The opening ceremony underscored the festival’s continued significance for tourism, regional cultural exchange, and the promotion of Macedonian heritage.