The Christmas and New Year's Concert by the Slovenian Armed Forces Orchestra, conducted by Mitja Dragolič, promises to delight and cater to the tastes of both music connoisseurs and a wider audience. It will showcase the quality of the orchestra and its guests in the best possible light.

In the Viennese tradition, the orchestra will perform lively yet nostalgic music from the extensive repertoire of Johann Strauss Jr. and his contemporaries, featuring powerful overtures, graceful waltzes, and playful polkas.

When joined by the members of Trio Vivere, the Mediterranean melodies, imbued with optimism and hope, will further brighten the festive December atmosphere.

One of the world's most popular musicals, The Phantom of the Opera, is making its spectacular Slovenian debut this coming summer at Cankarjev dom from 9 to 20 July for a limited season.

The Phantom of the Opera is Andrew Lloyd Webber’s famous musical, has won over 70 major theatre awards, including four Olivers and seven Tonys. Seen by over 160 million people worldwide in 41 countries, 186 cities and 18 languages, this haunting love story continues to take the world by storm.

Based on the novel by Gaston Leroux, The Phantom of the Opera takes place in nineteenth-century Paris, where a musical genius known only as “The Phantom” lurks deep beneath the Paris Opera House. Mesmerised by the talent and beauty of a young soprano named Christine Daaé, The Phantom attempts to lure her into becoming his protégé. Can she resist the mystery of the Phantom of the Opera, or will she be drawn into his world of obsession, darkness and betrayal?

Festival Ljubljana, Cankarjev dom, VignaPR/Koda Events and Broadway Entertainment Group bring this latest production to Ljubljana, with a star cast from the West End and beyond. 
 

Symphony Orchestra Cantabile
Marjan Grdadolnik, Conductor
Neža Nahtigal, Concertmaster

Ana Plahutnik, Mezzo-soprano
Estera Stojko, Vocalist
Peter Grdadolnik, Baritone
Luka Vovk, Clarinet

Folk group Gugutke and the Bird Studio Choir

United Youth Choirs
MlPZ GŠ Logatec / MlPZ KUD Adoramus / Church Youth Choir Rovte

The Symphony Orchestra Cantabile marks its 10th anniversary of performances on the stage of the Gallus Hall at Cankarjev dom in Ljubljana with this year’s concert Christmas in Ljubljana 2024. Continuing its tradition as the central holiday concert, this year’s event is dedicated to the memory of composer Avgust Ipavec, recently deceased director and choreographer Henrik Neubauer, and Jože Gregorič, the late parish priest of Brezovica, who passed away a decade ago.

The concert program spans from Tchaikovsky’s timeless The Nutcracker to Gomez’s Ave Maria and music from the animated film The Polar Express, culminating with Krečič’s arrangement of Gruber’s Silent Night. The orchestra will also present the world premiere of an orchestral arrangement of the hymn for the Jubilee Year 2025, which Pope Francis will proclaim the day after the concert in Vatican City.

Joining the exceptional musicians of the Symphony Orchestra Cantabile will be soloists: mezzo-soprano Ana Plahutnik, vocalist Estera Stojko, baritone Peter Grdadolnik, clarinetist Luka Vovk, and members of the united youth choir. In the grand finale, the acclaimed folk ensemble Gugutke, accompanied by the Bird Studio Choir, will transport the audience into the enchanting spirit of the holiday season with arrangements of traditional carols.

The entire program will be conducted by the orchestra’s founder and artistic director, Marjan Grdadolnik.

Join us for this extraordinary concert, where we will bring together the finest talents for an unforgettable musical experience. Together, we’ll create memories to cherish for years to come.

Program:
A. Modic, T. Slakan, M. Krečič, P. I. Tchaikovsky, W. Gomez, J. Rutter, E. Robertson
M. Nahtigal, F. Meneghello, N. Poljanec, F. Gruber

Featuring: Ana Bezjak, Jadranka Juras, Veronika Strnad
Conductor: Sigi Feigl

This year's Christmas concert of the RTV Slovenia Big Band and Symphony Orchestra promises to be a particularly special event! The combined strength of the two acclaimed orchestras will add extra spice to the festive mood.

Under the baton of the renowned Austrian conductor Sigi Feigl, the orchestras will delight the audience with elegant arrangements of evergreen Christmas songs, interlaced with elements of jazz and classical refinement.

Giving extra sparkle to the occasion, the vocal soloists Jadranka Juras, Ana Bezjak and Veronika Strnad, the talented young singer gifted with an angelic voice, will create an unforgettable musical experience. 

The orchestra and soloists will take you on a heart-warming journey into a musical wonderland, bringing a touch of magic to the festive season.
 

The tribute band Piece of Maiden, accompanied by the Muzikon Symphony Orchestra, will perform at Cankarjev dom, offering a true celebration for all fans of the legendary English band in honor of their 50th anniversary.

On this special night, guitars will blend with cellos and drums with trumpets, delivering the timeless and unmatched hits of the original Iron Maiden lineup in a fresh, symphonic arrangement. Long-loved classics like Aces High, The Trooper, Fear of the Dark, Run to the Hills, and Hallowed Be Thy Name will be reimagined, along with other songs that beautifully suit a symphonic setting.

Special guests for the concert include the original heavy metal band Centurion.

Running time: Concert lasts approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes

Oj, ta noč, milobe polna*
*O this night, full of grace / Ivan Cankar / Erotika

Join us on New Year’s Eve for an unforgettable musical experience, a harmonious synthesis of Slovenian folk music, poetry and contemporary musical creations. Under the artistic direction of accordionist and composer Janez Dovč, the Sounds of Slovenia ensemble’s new project blends rich musical tradition with new musical settings of poems by Slovenia’s greatest poets, including Simon Gregorčič, Ivan Cankar, Oton Župančič, Lili Novy, Srečko Kosovel, Edvard Kocbek and many others.

Musicians: Metod Banko (vocals, sound objects), Klemen Bračko (violin), Rudi Bučar (vocals, guitar), Sabina Cvilak (soprano), Janez Dovč (accordion, electronics), Klemen Kotar (saxophones, flute), Laura Krajnc (vocals, violin), Kristijan Krajnčan (drums, cello), Goran Krmac (tuba, bass, electronics), Petra Vidmar (marimba, percussion), Gregor Volk (vocals, guitar), Tomaž Zevnik (clarinets, reeds) and the vocal group Maroltovke.
 

Sounds of Slovenia, an ensemble bringing its special take on folk music in modern arrangements to local and global audiences since 2008, have once again come up with a special programme. The concert is an opportunity to experience the exquisite beauty of musical expressions, interweaving acoustic, vocal and electronic elements topped off by a mesmerizing lighting design.

According to 20th-century Russian composer Igor Stravinsky, “A real tradition is not the relic of a past that is irretrievably gone; it is a living force that animates and informs the present…”

"Tradition is progress preserved, and progress is tradition continued," understood Edvard Ravnikar, the giant of Slovenian Modernism who designed the building of Cankarjev dom.

Join us for this special event and usher in the New Year with music that seamlessly blends the past, present and future...

Libretto: Carl Haffner, Richard Genée after the play Le Réveillon by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy

Conductor: Ayrton Desimpelaere
Director: Krešimir Dolenčič
Choreographer: Lukas Zuschlag
Set Designer: Andrej Stražišar
Costume Designer:  Alan Hranitelj
Lighting designer: Andrej Hajdinjak
Slovene National Theatre Opera and Ballet Ljubljana soloists, choir, corps de ballet and orchestra 

Die Fledermaus (The Flittermouse or The Bat), a high-spirited tale of intrigue, disguise, surprising twists and denouements in lavish costumes, is an operatic gem, the famous masterpiece of "the Waltz King", Johann Strauss II. It has received thousands of performances all over the world, there is probably not an opera stage that has not featured this portrayal of the epicurean Viennese bourgeoisie in all its old splendour.

Johann Strauss II or Strauss The Son (1825–1899) was encouraged to try his hand at operettas by Jacques Offenbach himself, who thought that the king of Austrian light music was practically destined for this new entertainment genre. Not yet an elitist institution, 19th-century theatre attracted audiences across all classes. Strauss's first attempt received favourable reception: his operetta Indigo und die vierzig Räuber premiered in 1871, was restaged in Paris (1875), and presented in London (1877) and New York (1891). 

This was followed by Der Karneval in Rom (The Roman Carnival), which was written for the Vienna World Exhibition in 1873. It took European stages by storm despite the escalating economic depression the world was facing at the time. Among his stage works, Die Fledermaus became the classical example of Viennese operetta. It is based on a French text: the comedy Le Réveillon by the famous Meilhac-Halévy duo, who also wrote the libretto for Bizet's Carmen, opened at a Parisian theatre in 1872. In Vienna, the play was snapped up by the Carltheater, an opera house that favoured new Parisian works. 

Meilhac and Halévy's play was translated into German by Karl Haffner with an Austrian "health resort in the vicinity of a big city" as its setting (Haffner was probably referring to Bad Ischl). Then the text somehow found its way to Maximilian Steiner, impresario of the rival Theater an der Wien. Ultimately, the publishing agent Gustav Lewy thought it would be best to rework it into an operetta and offer it to Johann Strauss. Everything started to happen at lightning speed.

As theatres were facing financial constraints in the aftermath of the economic downfall of the Habsburg Monarchy, Richard Genée immediately signed a contract to finalise the text, and Strauss secluded himself in his villa in Hietzing for six weeks to compose the famous operetta. The first performance at the Theater an der Wien (5 April 1874) received lukewarm response, even being labelled a potpourri of waltzes and polkas. The Berlin performance in June enjoyed much greater success. Die Fledermaus received its New York premiere that same year. Recognised as a great masterpiece, the operetta finally won the hearts of audiences across the world.