Anno Domini 925. King Tomislav (premiere)
Orchestra and Choir of Croatian National Theater Opera in Zagreb; Jonathan Griffith Singers (USA); Matej Meštrović, libretto and music; Dražen Klarić, monolog author; Dragan Despot, narrator; Jonathan Griffith, conductor; Matej Meštrović, piano; Tena Lebarić, text adaptation for choral passages
Who is Tomislav?
The first Croatian king. A victor over the mighty Bulgarians and Hungarians, the Pope's ally and protector of the Church. A ruler in the time of the sword and faith, epic battles and great empires. At the intersection of East and West, between Byzantium and Rome, in rugged lands and impregnable mountain forts, a legend of a powerful Croatian ruler is born. A historical figure who wisely exploited the weaknesses of the two empires, Frankish and Byzantine, and founded a kingdom. Beneath all the titles and legends, shrouded in a cloak of silence for centuries, remains a character around which stories, myths and folklore intertwine. One of them has been fashioned into a musical homage – the oratorio Anno Domini 925. King Tomislav for large choir and orchestra, by Matej Meštrović.
Written in Croatian and Latin, the oratorio was created on the occasion of the 1100th anniversary of the coronation of King Tomislav and represents a blend of historical vision and spiritual inspiration.
Meštrović wrote the music and libretto, an authorial text in which the secular and sacral aspects of the ruler's life are intertwined with liturgical Latin texts such as Pater Noster, Dies Irae and Gloria, as well as original parts in Croatian.
Dražen Klarić, the author of the monologs – the narrative parts of the oratorio, guides us by means of both scholarly and poetic texts which in every way intertwine with Meštrović’s libretto, as dialog and echo, with Klarić’s words often melding into the beginnings of choral passages – as if the Narrator’s voice (Dragan Despot) opens doors to the musical answer.
From Tomislav's imaginary pilgrimage to Rome, through victories on the battlefield and the Split Church Councils, to the magnificent coronation, this oratorio seeks to revive not only history, but also the soul of the first Croatian king.
M. Meštrović: Anno Domini 925. King Tomislav, oratorio
Note:
In case of unfavorable weather conditions, the event will take place the following day.
