Ohrid Summer festival opens 66th edition with gala concert

The 66th edition of North Macedonia’s Ohrid Summer cultural festival opened on 12 July at the Ancient Theatre in Ohrid with the gala concert “Love”. The concert featured Albanian soprano Ermonela Jaho, American tenor Charles Castronovo and Italian conductor Marco Boemi, backed by the National Opera and Ballet orchestra, under the direction of festival director Gjorgi Cucovski.

The 40‑day program will present about 50 events ranging from classical music, jazz, ballet and theatre, involving more than 700 artists from 24 countries. Highlights include celebrations of the 100th anniversary of opera diva Ana Lipša Toffović and the 60th anniversary of Skopje’s Faculty of Music Arts, as well as themed evenings dedicated to various European nations and an “EU Night”. Jazz concerts are scheduled for 13‑16 August at the Dolni Saray venue and the St Sofia church.

The festival, described as a bridge between cultures, attracted over 10,000 visitors last year. It is supported by President Gordana Siljanovska‑Davkova, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, and sponsored by A1 Macedonia, among other partners.