Rossi fest Belgrade

The seventh edition of Rossi Fest has the honor to announce the premiere of the famous baroque opera Rinaldo by George Frideric Handel, produced by the New Belgrade Opera, which will be held in Belgrade at the Jewish Cultural Center on Tuesday, January 30, 2024, as well as in synagogue in Novi Sad on Wednesday, January 31, 2024. The premiere of the Opera Rinaldo Georg Friedrich Handel Belgrade, January 30, 2024, Jewish Cultural Center, 8:00 p.m Novi Sad, January 31, 2024, Synagogue, 8:00 p.m The seventh edition of Rossi Fest has the honor to announce the premiere of the famous baroque opera Rinaldo by George Frideric Handel, produced by the New Belgrade Opera, which will be held in Belgrade at the Jewish Cultural Center on Tuesday, January 30, 2024, as well as in synagogue in Novi Sad on Wednesday, January 31, 202 4. This masterpiece is H andel's first opera for a London audience and represents one of the pinnacles of Baroque musical dramaturgy and art. Under the direction of Sreten Manojlović, conducted by Predrag Gosta, the ensemble New Trinity Baroque, and international soloists, participants of the Belgrade Baroque Academy will present themselves with a baroque orchestra on historical instruments. The vocal soloists are participants of the 22nd Belgrade Baroque Academy, who, accompanied by a baroque orchestra on historical instruments, will perform this opera between January 22 and 29, with the support of mentors recognized in the world of early music - vocal coach and countertenor Nicholas Clapton from Great Britain, our conductor and harpsichordist Predrag Gosta, our acclaimed bass-baritone Sreten Manojlović, who will be the director of the show for this occasion. The orchestral accompaniment, under the direction of Predrag Gosta, is entrusted to the participants of the Baroque workshop for instrumentalists, led by violinist Adrian Butterfield from Great Britain, with the support of the great ensemble "New Trinity Baroque", which recently celebrated its 25th year. The realization of the opera was helped by the Vojvodina Association for Early Music, Studio for Early Music Belgrade, New Belgrade Opera, Musical Youth of Novi Sad, Italian Institute in Belgrade, and Rossi-fest. Tickets for the concert can be purchased via GIGS Tix-a . Participants: New Trinity Baroque Ensemble Belgrade Baroque Academy Rinaldo: Lia ng Yu (South Africa/Germany), Sofia Romanova (Russia) Goffredo: Leo Zappitelli (Italy/Germany), Alina Sivitskaya (Bielorussia/Italy) Almirena: Silvija Radjen Kumar (Croatia), Ida Magarašević (Serbia/Hungary) Armida: Veronica Ruello (Russia/Switzerland), Anja Papa Peranović (Croatia) Argante: Aleksa Jevtić (Serbia/Austria) Conductor: Predrag Gosta Stage d director: Sreten Manojlović Vocal Coaching: Nicholas Clapton (UK) and Predrag Gosta (Serbia/Croatia/USA/UK) Baroque Strings/Orchestra: Adrian Butterfield (UK) Predrag Gosta, conductor and harpsichordist Conductor and harpsichordist PREDRAG GOSTA studied in Great Britain, America, Russia, and Serbia. He has collaborated with many renowned artists and ensembles specializing in Baroque music. He has conducted with famous orchestras such as the London Symphony Orchestra, the Russian National Orchestra, the National Philharmonic in Washington, and opera houses in Switzerland, Germany, Bulgaria, the USA, and Serbia. He has received numerous awards and honors, including the UMUS Award for Best Concert in 2017 (for the opera "L'Orfeo"). In addition to the New Trinity Baroque and the Belgrade Baroque Academy, he is the artistic director of the New Belgrade Opera and the Early Music Festival. He has recorded around 20 compact discs. Currently, he is completing research on 18th-century English opera as a doctoral candidate at the University of Oxford. Sreten Manojlović, bas-bariton He was born in Belgrade, and he gained his vocal education at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna. His interest in early music initially developed through collaboration with the Belgrade Baroque Academy, further expanding through collaboration with early music centers such as the Royaumont Foundation, the Early Music Festival in Innsbruck, the Jardin des voix project of Les Arts Florissants ensemble, etc. His performances have taken him to stages of concert halls like the Paris Philharmonic, Berlin Philharmonic, and Luxembourg Philharmonic, the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, the Tonhalle in Zurich, the Tchaikovsky Hall in Moscow, the Barbican Centre in London, as well as theater stages such as Theater an der Wien, theaters in Lille, Compiegne, Nantes, Aachen, Wiesbaden, etc. Last season, he appeared as Figaro in "The Marriage of Figaro", Delone in Cesti's "Orontea" at the theater in Aachen, Polifemo in the opera of the same name by Porpora at the Theater an der Wien, Concertgebouw Amsterdam, and the theater in Wiesbaden, and Euthyphron in "The Stone of Wisdom" — an opera written by a group of composers including Mozart, at the Mozart Festival in Würzburg. At the Baroque Music Festival in Bayreuth, he performed as Lotario in Handel's opera "Flavio", and with Les Arts Florissants, he interpreted the role of Simon in Joseph Haydn's "The Seasons". With this production, he also presents himself as a director. New Trinity Baroque ensemble Hailed by the critics as “Atlanta’s most adventurous early music ensemble” (The Atlanta Journal-Constitution), NEW TRINITY BAROQUE is recognized as one of the leading early music ensembles today. Founded by Predrag Gosta in London in 1998, NTB was initially established as an ensemble of international musicians, and they continue to maintain this presence through collaborations with U.S. and international artists: past soloists include soprano Evelyn Tubb, recorder player Marion Verbruggen, violinists Ingrid Matthews, Florian Deuter, Bojan Cicic and John Holloway, harpsichordist Steven Devine, and others. Each season, the ensemble presents over thirty concerts and educational events in Atlanta and other cities throughout the U.S. and in Europe, performing on period instruments of the 17th and 18th centuries. The group’s repertoire ranges from chamber to orchestral, from cantatas to operas, and its styles from Renaissance to Classical. Belgrade Baroque academy It was founded in 2013. To date, it has organized twenty-two master workshops for the interpretation of 17th and 18th-century music, to educate young solo singers and instrumentalists in Belgrade under the mentorship of recognized foreign and domestic experts in the historical interpretation of Baroque music. In addition to harpsichordist, baritone, and conductor Predrag Gosta, who is the conceptual founder and artistic director of the Belgrade Baroque Academy, previous mentors have included soprano Evelyn Tubb (UK), countertenor Marijana Mijanović (Switzerland), baritone Christian Hilz (Germany), Baroque violinists Adrian Butterfield (UK), Florian Deuter (Germany), Ilia Korol (Austria), Bojan Čičić (UK), Simone Pirri (Italy), Christi Park (USA), Zoran Kostadinović, and Katarina Đorđević; Baroque violist William Bauer (USA), Baroque cellists and gambists André Laurent O'Neil (USA) and Srđan Stanić, lutenist Darko Karajić, cornettists Jeremy West (England) and David Brutti (Italy), Baroque trumpeter Siegfried Koch (Austria), flutists Rachel Brown (UK), Karolina Bäter (Germany), and Meila Tomé (Brazil), oboist Isabella Mercuri (Italy), and many others. Joining this academy is countertenor Nicholas Clapton (UK).

This concert, which is held every January 27th, marking the World Holocaust Remembrance Day, is a result of the Open Call for Young Composers we have founded four years ago. Concert: Portraits and Remembrance Thursday, January 27th, 8 P.M. Belgrade National Museum At the festival's opening concert, on January 27, the works of the five finalists of the fifth Competition for young composers "Portraits and Memories" will be presented - on January 27th, commemorating World Holocaust Remembrance Day. The pieces from this year's edition of the competition are mostly inspired by the story and letters of Hilda Deich, which give a new perspective on the general social situation at her time and her experience in the Sajmište camp. By putting the spotlight on this topic, Rossi Fest continues its cultural mission and makes a significant contribution to the world's cultural heritage in the field of preserving the culture of memory. The finalists of the Competition, selected by the Artistic Committee of the Festival, come from four countries, and the fantastic Aratos Trio will perform their pieces in the Atrium of the National Museum in Belgrade. PROGRAM: Gavin Sol Goodrich (SAD): Hilda and Mirjana’s Last Encounter Lazar Marić (Srbija): The cry of Hilda Dajč Zach Gulaboff Davis (SAD, Makedonija) : Unfurl Lazar Đorđević (Srbija): Letters from Semlin Braha Bdil (Izrael) : Metamorphosis on the Theme of Hava Nagila Performers: Aratos trio: Katarina Popović, violina Mihailo Samoran, klarinet Vanja Šćepanović, klavir Hilda Dajč - Jelena Puzić, glumica Režija – Ana Grigorović Aratos trio Aratos Trio was formed in 2014. by Katarina Popović (violin), Mihailo Samoran (clarinet) and Vanja Šćepanović (piano). As already individually accomplished professional musicians, trio members have enrolled in artistic doctoral studies at the Faculty of Music, University of Arts in Belgrade (Serbia) being gathered around the idea of promoting the clarinet trio as a full-fledged and, in a way, 'standard' chamber music ensemble, different but equal to the more traditional ensembles such as piano trio or string quartet. The trio has been engaged in the artistic research of clarinet trio repertoire with a special focus on music written in the late 20th and 21st centuries, especially music composed by Serbian authors. Their repertoire includes a number of pieces, including the most important early works written for clarinet trio by composers such as Bela Bartok, Igor Stravinsky, Aram Khachaturian, Gian Carlo Menotti, Darius Milhaud, Alexander Arutiunian, etc., some of which are considered to be the most significant pieces in chamber music history. Next to performing already existing pieces by Ivan Brkljačić, Vladimir Tošić, Milana Stojadinović Milić, Dragana Jovanović, Isidora Žebeljan, Ante Grgin (who dedicated his Trio for clarinet, violin, and piano to Aratos Trio) and other Serbian composers. Aratos Trio is investigating possibilities for the newest additions to the clarinet trio repertoire through collaboration with various contemporary composers. Since its inception, Aratos Trio has presented at least 15 clarinet trio pieces for the first time in front of a Serbian audience, thus positioning itself as a fresh and innovative ensemble on the Serbian classical music scene. The performances of the Aratos Trio were observed in concert podiums throughout Serbia and Italy. In August 2017, Aratos Trio participated at the International Music Festivals Nei Suoni dei Luoghi and Carniarmonie, both in Italy. Recognized as the best ensemble by the director of the festival and famous cellist, Mr. Enrico Bronzi, Aratos Trio was honored to close the Nei Suoni dei Luoghi Festival in Giuseppe Verdi Theatre in Trieste - Italy, in November 2018. Aratos Trio's projects are recognized and supported by SOKOJ and the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Serbia. Gavin Sol Goodrich - Hilda and Mirjana’s Last Encounter Gavin Sol Goodrich is a composer and concert pianist. Hailing from Washington State, his works have been performed by Ekmeles, International Contemporary Ensemble, and Vibraphone Project Inc. He graduated from Columbia University with honors with degrees in mathematics and music. Under the advisement of Georg Friedrich Haas, his senior thesis focused on writing 15th-century polyphony in microtonal systems. He is currently working in Spain on a Fulbright grant. Hilda and Mirjana’s Last Encounter I wrote this work when my mom was dying, after she lost her ability to speak, and all I could do was hold her hand in silence. This trio is my attempt at understanding Mirjana’s thoughts as she met Hilda for the last time, knowing she was meeting a dying loved one and doing her best to comfort her without words. This piece is me trying to glimpse into one of the saddest moments of a stranger’s life and attempting to see through my own grief by connecting with Mirjana’s wordless goodbye. Lazar Marić - The cry of Hilda Dajč Lazar Marić (2001) is a composition student at the Faculty of Music in Belgrade. He received his primary musical education at the "Stevan Hristić" music school in Kruševac. After that, he enrolled in the "Stevan Mokranjac" high school of music in Kraljevo in the instrumental department - majoring in piano. He graduates high school as the best student of his generation and he enrolls in composition studies at the Faculty of Music in the class of professor Dragan Latinčić. His pieces were performed at concerts and festivals, such as KoMA'17, KoMA'18, and FESTUM. The cry of Hilda Dajč The cry of Hilde Dajč is an instrumental piece inspired by Hilda Dajč letters in which she described the suffering of innocent civilians in a Nazi concentration camp. Through the sound of the clarinet, violin, and piano, as well as in complex compositional and technical procedures, all the suffering, perseverance, and personal struggle of a young Jewish woman are depicted. The description of the struggle of a young Jewish woman is reflected, both in terms of form, as well as on the harmonic-melodic level, which is the result of deep research into the sound possibilities of instruments. Zach Gulaboff Davis - Unfurl Described as “beautiful, lyrical” and brimming with “unexpected harmonic shifts,” the music of Macedonian-American composer Zach Gulaboff Davis centers on the expressive and dramatic possibilities of compositional narrative. A 2023 MacDowell Fellow, Zach maintains an active schedule as a composer and collaborator across the globe. Zach has partnered with a plethora of organizations and performers ranging from NASA’s Space Science Telescope Institute, the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, to NYC’s Apotheosis Opera, and has completed residencies at the Kimmel Harding Nelson Center for the Arts, Atlantic Center, Brevard Institute, Bowdoin International Music Festival, and Canada’s Arcady Ensemble, most recently serving as the Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation Creative Fellow for Composition at Millay Arts. Unfurl This work was penned as a homage, honoring the remembrance of World War II while providing a ray of hope and optimism for a brighter future. It is my dream that this work serves not only as a marker of the past but inspires some small spark of hope for a trajectory toward peace. As the work unfolds, listen for changes in texture and character, eventually returning to a climax reminiscent of the opening. Lazar Đorđević - Letters from Semlin Lazar Djordjevic was born in 1992 in Kragujevac. The compositions by Lazar Djordjevic were performed several times in the country and abroad. He was a participant in many festivals such as the International Review of Composers in Belgrade, Rossi fest, KOMA festival (for young authors), Festum, etc. For the composition Jednom sam negde čuo... for clarinet, accordion, and string quartet (2016) he received an international award for the best composition at the contest New Serbian Music for the Accordion at the International Festival of Accordions Eufonija. He is a prize-winner from the Stevan Hristic Foundation in 2015 and Josip Slavenski Foundation in 2017. He is the author of the first Serbian concerto for accordion and orchestra, which premiered in 2017. Lazar Đorđević is currently employed as an assistant at the Department of Music Theory at the Faculty of Music Arts in Belgrade. Letters from Semlin The piece Letters from Semlin for violin, clarinet, and piano was composed at the end of 2022 and is dedicated to the Aratos Trio and Rossi Fest. The main inspiration for the creation of the work was four letters written by Hilda Deich in December 1941. Letters assigned to friends Nada Novak and Mirjana Petrović are written evidence of the last months of the life of 20-year-old Hilda, who volunteered to work as a nurse in the camp at the Belgrade Sajmište. The musical narrative follows the content of the letters, therefore four larger units can be discerned when it comes to the musical form. The idea of the piece is to present the courage and humanity of young Hilda Deich through musical means and to once again revive the memory of the innocent victims of the Holocaust. Brcaha Bdil - Metamorphosis on the Theme of Hava Nagila Composer, conductor, and pianist has a Master's degree in Music Education and Composition from the Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance. Bracha was awarded the 2019-2020 ACUM Award, in Israel, won the first prize in the Wolf Durmashkin Composition Award, Germany (2018), and the first prize in the Yardena Alotin Composition Competition, Bar-Ilan University, Israel (2016). Her repertoire includes orchestral music, chamber, vocal and electronic music, as well as music for dance and theater. Metamorphosis of "Hava Nagila" (Let's Rejoice) The work seems to follow the caricature of the writings of Hilda Dajč, a Jewish girl, born in Belgrade, who perished in the Holocaust. Her first letter to her friend was optimistic as it was written the day before her exile to Sajmište camp, as well as the presentation of the melody "Hava Nagila" in a dance klezmer style. The following letters, which are addressed to various friends, contain impressions of the difficult camp life, and in accordance with their content - the music also becomes more expressive and dramatic and sometimes sounds like a kind of prayer. During the war, Hilda Dajč volunteered for nursing services on her own initiative, served as a nurse in the Jewish hospital in Belgrade, and despite the despair and anxiety - continued her activities in the camp as well. Metamorphosis of "Hava Nagila" - as a tribute to Dajč - strives to paint a portrait of memory interwoven with the hope, to perpetuate the Jewish-Hebrew heritage in an optimistic tone. Through the expressive variations, the dance melody alternately floats and rises and even signs the composition. Despite the many attempts at "final solutions" to the destruction of the Jewish nation – it is still alive, exists, and continues to draw its historical portrait.

The theme of the Call refers to the culture of remembrance of the World War II, Holocaust victims and the Righteous Among the Nations. portraits and remembrance Theme of the Call refers to the culture of remembrance of the World War II, Holocaust victims and the Righteous Among the Nations. Emerging composers have the opportunity to give their contribution to world heritage, by composing works based on historical, literary or other sources, as well as personal stories, deeds and events during World War II. This way Rossi Fest aims to encourage the young artists to research and interpret the historical events in their own personal way and to give an important contribution to the remembrance culture of the Holocaust. PROVIDED SUPPORT FOR THE SELECTED COMPOSERS The festival's Artistic Committee will select up to 7 pieces to be included in the Rossi Fest 2023 Programme. The composers whose pieces are selected will be provided with: Active contribution in music and stage rehearsals with performers and stage director Performance of the compositions as part of the concert Portraits and Remembrance Audio and video recording of the performance Media support and promotion Accommodation Certificate of participation in the festival CONDITIONS OF PARTICIPATION The Call is open to students of Composition and composers not older than 35 year of age. The work should fit the theme of the Portraits and Remembrance as explained above. Length of the work: up to 8 minutes. The piece should be written for the ensemble Aratos Trio - violin, clarinet, and piano In this edition the advantage is given to works that are inspired by the life experience and letters of Hilda Dajč. Letters can be downloaded here . In accordance with the theme of the concorso (letters by Hilda Dajč), soloists can be added: soprano, mezzo-soprano, tenor, baritones, or reciter; as well as: tape, electronics, ambient sounds, etc.* can be added * Kindly contact us if you have any further information regarding the options for performing ensemble. APPLICATION PROCESS The application is done by submitting the Application form, click here to apply. In order to apply it is needed to provide a short biography with the information about the education, prizes and awards, and professional activities, a high resolution headshot, score of the piece, and the artistic explanation for it. Call timeline: Opening: October July 10th 2022 Application deadline : November 10th, 2022 Announcement of the results: December 31st, 2022 Rehearsal period: 23-26 January 2023 Concert Portraits and Remembrance, the announcement of the winners, and the awards ceremony: 27 January 2023 ANY QUESTIONS? If you have any questions regarding the Call and the Festival, do not hesitate to write to us via the contact form on the website or by email (contact@rossifest.com ).

A charity event for children and youth, in cooperation with the National Theatre in Belgrade – an opera performance of Bastien and Bastienne. Opera: Bastien and Bastienne W. A. Mozart Sunday, January 24 National Theatre in Belgrade, Raša Plaović Stage, 19h Rossi Fest is organizing a charity event for children and youth, in cooperation with the National Theatre in Belgrade – an opera performance of Bastien and Bastienne. This initiative aims to raise awareness of the importance of music in childhood education and also to enable children to express their creative potential. One of the shortest operas written by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, one-act singspiel Bastien and Bastienne, was composed when he was only 12 years old and it is one of Mozart’s earliest operas. It was commissioned from young Mozart by an eccentric Viennese physician dr Franz Mesmer in 1768. Bastien and Bastienne, one of Mozart’s first operas, is ideal for introducing young audiences to the opera genre and therefore adapted into an interactive play for children. Bastien and Bastienne are engaged in love games created by Kolas, and to prove their mutual affection they even use social networks, which make them bond closer and drift apart simultaneously. Another participant in the game is also Kolina, who watches the play with the audience and reveals the secrets of opera to them. This libretto adaptation aims to make it contemporary for children and young people and introduce the opera genre to younger audiences with educational content through the character Kolina. How will this love story end? Is the magic of Kolas strong enough to reconcile the lovers after a quarrel? Or, perhaps, magic is not necessary for true love? Director - Ana Grigorović Conductor - Stefan Zekić Scenograf - Jasna Saramandić Kostim - Katarina Grčić Nikolić Bastienne - Mina Gligorić Bastien - Siniša Radin Colas - Miloš Milojević Collina - Bojana Bambić Mrs First violin - Edit Makedonska Mrs Second violin - Snežana Dragićević Mr Viola - Mirko Crnojević Mr Cello - Siniša Jovanović Mrs Oboa - Marija Lazić Mrs Piano - Nada Matijević

Ana Stefanović i Tijana Popović Mladjenović Since its first edition, Rossi Fest has included lectures (dedicated to the topics on the intercultural and interdisciplinary context of Salomone Rossi`s work, his time, contemporaries, and successors) in its program. This year, we will have the opportunity to hear two lectures on the topics: "Jewish Musicians in Belgrade Between the Two World Wars", by Maja Vasiljević and "Aron Marko Rothmüller, composer and opera singer of Jewish origin" lecture by Dora Lovrečić. Lecture by Maja Vasiljević National Theater Museum January 29, 2023, at 6:00 p.m Jewish Musicians in Belgrade Between the Two World Wars After research experience for her latest study Jewish Musicians in Belgrade: From the Balfour Declaration to the Holocaust (Jevrejski muzičari u Beogradu: Od Balfurove deklaracije do Holokausta, 2021), an author of this lecture will open a music map of the "Jewish" interwar Belgrade. In line with that, in the opening part of the lecture, a special focus will be put on the constant migration processes of Jews. Then, an overview of the presence of Belgrade Jews in all types of musical practices - classical, i.e. artistic, popular, liturgical, i.e. synagogue, and finally, folk practices, will be given. In the second part of the lecture, following the map of urban Belgrade, an overview of musical institutions founded by Jews will be mapped. Along with the leading music institution with a Jewish presence, special focus will be put on the Serbian-Jewish Singing Society, as one of the oldest Jewish choirs in the world. The lecturer will also dedicate attention to the extremely important and so far neglected, role of Jews in the history of popular music in Belgrade and the Kingdom of Yugoslavia. Therefore, the dance school of Rihard Rosenberg and the Music House "Harmony" led by Isak Armidi, one of the first music impresarios in our country at a time when musical life was planned ad hoc will be accessed. The final part of the lecture will be focused on the leading musicians of Jewish origin in the field of artistic and popular music and the evocation of leading concert performances by audio and visual examples. Maja Vasiljević (1980) holds a Ph.D. in sociology and a master's degree in musicology and works as a Research Associate at the History Department at the Faculty of Philosophy, University of Belgrade. Since 2003, she has been engaged in music criticism on the Second Program of Radio Belgrade, in the programs Classics Please, Cultural Circles, and How to Listen to Music, and she also acted as an expert consultant for historical issues in the Cultural and Educational Program on the National Television of Serbia. She completed studies in musicology at the Department of Musicology, Faculty of Music, University of Arts in Belgrade in 2007 and sociology at the Faculty of Philosophy in Belgrade. Permanently interested in the relationship between Nazism and music, after her master's thesis Treatment of degenerate music in the Third Reich, she obtained her doctorate in sociology on the related topic of the relationship between musical practice and discourse on biopolitics by Michel Foucault and Holocaust studies. Since 2012, she has been the secretary of the scientific journal Limes plus for social sciences and humanities and Acta historiae medicinae. She is consistently interested in the music of "problematic" and "excluded", i.e. minorities - Jews, Czechs, Russians, and others, as well as musical practices and musicians in dramatic periods of great social changes in European history - the Great War, the Cold War, and the Second World War. So far, the topics of her works have been musical practices at the border of sociology, musicology, and history with an emphasis on the relationship between music and politics. Recently, she has been expanding his interdisciplinary research through the research of populism in the territory of the former Yugoslavia as a researcher on the Horizon 2020 inter-consortium project about the populist rebellion in Central and Eastern Europe after the fall of the Berlin Wall. She was also part of the digitization projects of Jewish heritage in Vojvodina from the 18th to the 19th century. She is the author of two studies Jewish Musicians in Belgrade: From the Balfour Declaration to the Holocaust (Jevrejski muzičari u Beogradu: Od Balfurove deklaracije do Holokausta, 2021) and Film Music in the SFRY: Between Politics and Poetics (Filmska muzika u SFRJ: Između politike i poetike, 2016). Lecture by Dora Lovrečić National Theater Museum January 29, 2023, at 7:30 p.m Aron Marko Rothmüller, composer and opera singer of Jewish origin In the writings on Croatian music of the 20th century, Aron Marko Rothmüller (1908–1993) is frequently mentioned due to his international renown as a baritone singer. Nevertheless, his distinguished reputation completely overshadowed his efforts as a composer, despite the fact that he composed throughout his whole life. Although only a few writers have written about Rothmüller's works, two circumstances are never overlooked: on one side the fact that he was a student of Alban Berg and on the other that he composed „Jewish music“. In this lecture, coordinates that are relevant for his opus will be illustrated through the analysis of his music works and writings about music. Dora Lovrečić was born in Rijeka in 1993. She graduated piano in 2018 at the Zagreb Music Academy under the mentorship of Dalibor Cikojević and Filip Fak. In the year 2021, she finished musicology studies at the same institution under the mentorship of Dalibor Davidović. Her master thesis represents the first monography on Aron Marko Rothmüller as a composer. Currently, she is immersed in and occupied with the musical life of the city of Rijeka – through archival research, critiques, playing in ensembles, and pedagogy.

On the secon day of the festival, a concert named Kol ha'olam kulo was held in Concert hall of the Jewish Community Belgrade. The participants of this concert were three choirs: Adi Youth Choir (Jerusalem), Choir Hashira (Novi Sad) and Barch Brother Choir (Belgrade). 26. january 2018 Concert Kol Ha'Olam Kulo Jewish Community Belgrade 26. January 2018. On the second day of the festival, a concert named Kol ha'olam kulo was held in the Concert Hall of the Jewish Community Belgrade. The participants of this concert were three choirs: Adi Youth Choir (Jerusalem), Choir Hashira (Novi Sad), and Barch Brother Choir (Belgrade). Choir Hashira The Novi Sad Jewish Community Choir Hashira (the Hebrew word hashira means the song) was founded in 1993 and since then, it has been dedicated to cherishing Jewish synagogal and folklore music heritage. However, the choir performs almost every kind of choral music, singing in several languages (Hebrew, Yiddish, Ladino, Serbian, Spanish...). It has won numerous awards at local and international festivals. Some of them are: two golden medals won at the choral competition in Ruma, a silver medal and the special award for the conductor Vesna Kesic Krsmanovic achieved in Slovakia, a bronze medal from Ohrid, two silver medals won in Italy and Greece, and the silver plaque earned at the Choir competition in Germany. The Baruch Brothers Choir The Baruch Brothers Choir from Belgrade was established as the Serbian-Jewish Singers Society in 1879, to cherish and perform the cultural and artistic heritage and tradition of the Jewish people which lives in these parts. The Society changed its name in 1952 to the current name in commemoration of the three brothers from the progressive revolutionary Jewish family of Baruch, members of the resistance movement who were killed during the pogroms of the Nazi regime during the Second World War. Joshua Jacobson (Boston, USA), conductor and a renowned researcher in the field of Jewish music, has concluded that this choir is the oldest active Jewish choir in the world. From the year of its foundation until today, the choir has held numerous concerts and participated in many competitions and festivals in the former Yugoslavia (Yugoslav Choral Festivities in Nish, Mokranjac’s Days in Negotin, BEMUS, BELEF, Choirs among the Frescoes in Belgrade and others), as well as abroad (Israel, USA, France, Italy, Austria, Switzerland, Greece, the Netherlands, Hungary, Spain, UK and others). Among the most important performances of the choir, we would like to mention the concert in Carnegie Hall in 1978, as well as the attendance of our choir on numerous occasions at the most important Jewish choir festival Zimriya in Jerusalem. Our ensemble has gradually perfected its performance under the conductorship of the most eminent conductors and composers of our country (S. S. Mokranjac, J. Marinković, S. Hristić, B. Babić, B. Pašćan, A. S. Vujić, et al.), having gained under their guidance a high level of artistic interpretation and superb discipline in stage performance. The repertory of the choir consists of representative works of musical literature from both Jewish and Serbian composers, as well as all the most important works of the classical choir repertory of all styles and epochs and the works of modern composers. The Baruch Brothers Choir has been awarded two times for the cultural affirmation of its country by the presidency of Serbia, and in the past five years, the choir won many significant awards. The choir’s admirable success was largely achieved by the contribution of its conductor, Stefan Zekic, and the president, Branka Cvejic-Mezei. The Adi Choir About Adi choir and their concert in Novi Sad, can be read here . 1/1

In the museum of the National Theater, on January 29, as part of the scientific part of the festival in this edition, Rossi Fest has the honor of hosting a musicologist from the Academy of Music in Zagreb, Ivan Ćurković, with the theme of War and Peace in G. F. Handel's oratorios. Lecture On January 29, within the scientific segment of the festival's current edition, Rossi Fest proudly hosted a musicologist from the Academy of Music in Zagreb, Ivan Ćurković, at the National Theater Museum. The distinguished guest delved into the captivating theme of "War and Peace in G. F. Handel's oratorios," captivating the audience with his insights and expertise. Dr. sc. Ivan Ćurković was born in Novi Sad in 1980. He graduated from the University of Zagreb in musicology at the Academy of Music (2005) and comparative literature and Hungarian studies at the Faculty of Philosophy (2007). He is pursuing his doctoral studies at the Institute of Musicology of the Faculty of Philosophy of the University of Heidelberg, where he obtained the title of Doctor of Science in 2017 with a dissertation titled The Vocal Duet and G. F. Handel's Italian Contemporaries. An Attempt at a Comparison. Since 2007, he has been employed at the Department of Musicology of the Academy of Music, University of Zagreb, since 2023 as an associate professor. In the period 2018-2021, he held the position of head of the Department of Musicology. He is a participant in several scientific conferences in the country and abroad, and he was also the president of the program and organizational committee of the international scientific conference Musicology and Its Future in Times of Crises organized on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Department of Musicology of the Academy of Music in 2020, and a member of the organizational committee of the scientific conference The Blasphemous in Music in Sound held at the Department of Musicology in 2023. He is the author of the monograph The Vocal Duets of G. F. Handel and His Italian Contemporaries (1706-1724), several scientific and professional articles as well as music and theater criticism, and he also works as a part-time associate of the Lexicographic Institute Miroslav Krleža. Since 2022, he has been a member of the management board of the international networking project, the so-called COST Action A new ecosystem of early music studies financed by the European Cooperation in Science and Technology. His areas of scientific interest are vocal music of the 18th century with special emphasis on the work of G. F. Händel, performance practice of the past and present, and the application of various cultural theories in historical musicology. War and peace in the oratorios of G. F. Handel January 30, 2024, at 6 p.m., Jewish Culture Center Abstract: Although the war theme is an integral part of the opera librettos set to music by G. F. Händel, with frequent dynastic struggles characteristic of the opera series of that time, only the composer's vocal music in the English language could fully correspond with the wartime - or peaceful - reality of the United Kingdom. The English oratorio genre was invented primarily to morally educate the audience, and many authors such as Ruth Smith have pointed out the importance of interpreting these Handel works in the context of the time of their creation and the intellectual climate that surrounded them. At the same time, the reception of biblical oratories tended to identify the British nation with the chosen people, since the Old Testament war conflicts and their resolution could be seen in their own political everyday life. The lecture will consider those Handel oratorios in which the theme of war and peace plays a more important role and find a balance between the meanings they could have taken on at the time of their creation to their relevance today. Most of the presentation will focus on case studies from two groups of oratorios. The first includes works such as Deborah, Belshazzar, and, to a certain extent, Alexander Balus, which thematize the events of the war with the procedures of classical dramaturgy in which the conflict arises from the conflict between the warring parties, while the musical face takes on individual soloist roles, as well as choral parts of the opposing parties ( ethnic) groups. Judas Maccabaeus and Joshua are primarily in the second group, and the "enemy" in the musical and dramaturgical sense does not appear in them at all. Together with them, we should also consider Solomon, one of the rare oratorical thematizations of political stability and peace.

Baroque interpretations of Psalm 137 (By the rivers of Babylon) by prof. Ana Stefanović Lecture by Prof. Ana Stefanović Tuesday, January 26th Online event, 19h Psalm 137 in Baroque musical interpretations The theme of this lecture is baroque interpretations of Psalm 137 (By the rivers of Babylon ). It is the only psalm from the Book of Psalms that describes the exile and captivity of Jewish people in Babylon after the defeat of Jerusalem and the fall of the First Temple in the 6th century BC. The text of this psalm is attributed to King David and Prophet Jeremiah in different sources, and it is a regular part of the liturgy in both Jewish and Christian traditions. The complexity of its meaning, representing a communal lament, has been a source of inspiration for classical music composers since the Renaissance, until the 20th century. The musical setup of Psalm 137 by composer Salomone Rossi from his collection HaShirim asher li-Shlomo (1620/1623) will present a kind of historical and contextual axis for insight into psalm interpretations of composers before and after Rossi, namely, in the period of High Renaissance and middle and high Baroque period in Italy and also in France and northern Europe. Providing a historical lineage of musical setups of Psalm 137 enables us, on the one hand, to trace the changes in the form of the motet, which is a common musical form for psalms, and on the other hand, a kind of musical exegetical study, additional interpretative layer in musical fiber which illuminates the theological and philosophical implications of its meaning. Prof. dr. Ana Stefanović Musicologist, Professor at the University of Arts, Faculty of Music (Department of Musicology), in Belgrade, and Associate Researcher at IreMus, Paris. She received her MA degree at the Faculty of Music in Belgrade and her Ph.D. in musicology at the University Paris IV Sorbonne. The main areas of her research are baroque opera, solo song, the relation between music and text, as well as questions of musical style and stylistic analysis. She is engaged in several international and national projects in musicology and is the author of a large number of studies and articles published in reviews for musicology and music theory, and in collected papers. She edited several issues of collected papers and organized several international conferences. She published the books: La musique comme métaphore. La relation de la musique et du texte dans l’opéra baroque français: de Lully à Rameau , Paris, L’Harmattan, 2006; Temporality and Narraivity in Music Drama , Beograd, FMU, 2017. She is also the author of the Anthology of Serbian Art Song I–VI, Belgrade, UKS, 2008–2014.

Program and participants of the third edition of the festival that will be held between 25. - 29. January 2022. The sixth edition of Rossi Fest January 27th - February 6th 2023 European premiere of the lost oratorio Ester, works by young composers and lectures by musicologists At the festival's opening concert, on January 27 , the works of the five finalists of the fifth Competition for young composers "Portraits and Memories" will be presented - on January 27th, commemorating World Holocaust Remembrance Day. The pieces from this year's edition of the competition are mostly inspired by the story and letters of Hilda Deich, which give a new perspective on the general social situation at her time and her experience in the Sajmište camp. By putting the spotlight on this topic, Rossi Fest continues its cultural mission and makes a significant contribution to the world's cultural heritage in the field of preserving the culture of memory. The finalists of the Competition, selected by the Artistic Committee of the Festival, come from four countries, and the fantastic Aratos Trio will perform their pieces in the Atrium of the National Museum in Belgrade. In the educational part of the festival program eminent musicologists Maja Vasiljević (Serbia) and Dora Lovrečić (Croatia) will hold lectures on the topics: "Jewish musicians in Serbia (from the Balfour Declaration to the Holocaust)" and "Aron Marko Rothmüller, composer and opera singer of Jewish origin" - on January 29th, in the museum of the National Theater, As the crown of this year's program, we would single out the European premiere of the oratorio "Esther" on February 6th, which will be performed in Europe for the first time after more than 200 years. The oratorio will be staged at the Grand stage of the National Theater in Belgrade, under the baton of festival director Stefan Zekić, directed by Ana Grigorović, and performed by our eminent artists in the main roles: Aneta Ilić (soprano), Sofija Pižurica (soprano), Marko Živković (tenor), Vuk Zekić (baritone); as well as the acclaimed instrumental in the instrumental solo parts: Mina Mendlsson (concertmaster), Ladislav Mezei and Milan Popović (continuo), together with Baruch Brothers Choir and the Jewish Chamber Orchestra. The scenography is signed by Dunja Kostić and the costumes are created by Sara Blam. The score of the oratorio "Esther" (1774) by the Italian composer Christian Giuseppe Lidarti was rediscovered only in 1997 and is still considered one of the richest and most monumental works of Jewish art music of the 17th century, and the 18th century. Saravalo's libretto, based on the text of the second version of Handel's oratorio (1732), "remained without music" until November 7, 1997, when Richard Andrews, a librarian at the University of Cambridge, found a handwritten score by Christian Giuseppe Lidarti called oratorio "Esther," in 1774. He then began to work on the reconstruction of the work, which resulted in the world premiere of the oratorio in May 2000 in Jerusalem, while the Belgrade audience will have the opportunity to attend the European premiere of this work. This edition of the Festival is supported by The Buki Finci Fund, the Jewish Municipality of Belgrade, the Ministry of Culture and Information, the Vlatacom Institute, Teri Engineering, the Italian Cultural Center, and the Belgrade National Theatre. Program 2023 January 27, Friday Atrium of the National Museum 20:0 0 Concert: Portraits and Remembrance Concert of the finalists selected at the international competition for young composers of the same name, dedicated to commemorating the International Holocaust Day organized in cooperation with Memorial Center "Staro sajmište" January 29, Sunday National The ater Museum 18:00 Lecture by Maja Vasiljević: Jewish musicians in Serbia (from the Balfour Declaration to the Holocaust) 19:30 Lecture by Dora Lovrečić (Croatia): Aron Marko Rothmüller, composer and opera singer of Jewish origin February 6, Monday National Theater, Main Stage 19:30 Oratorio Ester European premiere Portraits and Remembrance Lectures Esther Oratorio

The third edition of the Rossi Fest Summer Opera Academy will be rounded off by the performance of Mozart's one-act opera, "Der Schauspieldirektor" ("The Impresario"). SUMMER OPERA ACADEMY 1 - 7 August 2023, Belgrade Rossi Fest, this time in cooperation with the organization Grand Stage International, organized the third edition of the Summer Opera Academy, during which intensive trainings were held for young solo singers from the country and abroad, with excellent vocal pedagogues and coaches. For the third time, Rossi Fest had the honor of collaborating with Olga Makarin, a longtime soprano of the Metropolitan Opera, and also with the conductor Adi Bar Soria. Apart from this team, the young singers also had the opportunity to work with excellent conductors and vocal coaches - Vlad Iftinca and Ugo Mahieux, who actively collaborate with the biggest opera names of today. Rosi Fest owes great thanks to the friends of the festival for their support: the Jewish Municipality of Belgrade, the Ministry of Culture, and the Legate of Josip Slavenski. Artistic team: Olga Makarina soprano, vocal coach Adi Bar Soria conductor Vlad Iftinca conductor Stefan zekić conductor Ugo Mahieux vocal coach Ana Grigorović stage director 23L Direktor pozorista Opera Revue Der Schauspieldirektor W. A. Mozart August 7, 2023 at 8 p.m Jewish Cultural Center Der Schauspieldirektor (The Impresario ) Mozart's short comic opera, presents the life of opera artists behind the scenes. To create a new production, the theater management organizes an audition for singers. Behind-the-scenes actions determine the fate of the play and the theater. The Rossi Fest Summer Academy participants present themselves differently through the opera Theater Director. Performers: Director: Ana Grigorović Musical preparation: Stefan Zekić Production: Rossi Fest Vuk Zekić, director Pavle Zharkov, assistant Ana Cvetković, Madam Sara Stefanović, debutante The Baruch Brothers Choir Participants of the Rossi Fest Summer Opera Academy: Marina Yureva (Russia) Rakefet Shik (Israel) Maria Mel (Israel) Nika Yankelevich (Israel) Ida Magarašević (Serbia) Eden Almog (Israel) Jovana Kovačević (Serbia) Olivera Gočanim (Serbia) Piano accompaniment: Vlad Iftinca (Romania / USA) Ugo Ma h ieux (Italy / France) Concert of the Opera Academy participants August 7, 2023 at 7 p.m Legacy of Josip Slavenski Program: Spiel ich die Unschuld Arija iz operete Slepi miš J. Strauss Rakefet Sik Porgi, amor, qualche ristoro Arija iz opere Figarova ženidba V. A. Mocart Jovana Kovačević Batti batti o bel Masetto Aria iz opere Don Đovani V. A. Mocart Eden Almog Der Hölle Rache Arija iz opere Čarobna frula W.A.Mozart Ida Magarašević Sull'aria Duet iz opere Figarova ženidba V. A. Mocart Maria Mel i Eden Almog Ecco respiro appena Arija iz opere Adrijana Lekuvrer F. Čilea Nika Jankelevič O mio babbino caro Arija iz opere Đani Skiki Đ. Pučini Maria Mel Жизнь за царя Arija iz opere Ivan Susanjin M. I. Glinka Marina Jureva Belle nuit Duet iz opere Hofmanove priče Ž. Ofenbah Maria Mel i Nika Jankelevič Тихо над рiчкою Ukrajinska narodna pesma ar. G. Verovki Maria Mel i Nika Jankelevič 23L Koncert polazika