Advent in the Heart of the City

Just like during the previous years, only more varied and eventful than ever, holiday festivities will take place in the city center of Zagreb throughout the period of Advent.

Advent in the Heart of the City is a traditional happening which leads up to Christmas. In the very city center, at Ban Jelačić Square, various musical events and performances bring the spirit of Advent and Christmas to the citizens of Zagreb and their guests. Throughout the entire month of December, those who find themselves in the main square will be entertained by various cultural and artistic groups, children’s choirs, dance groups, concerts, arts and traditional crafts workshops, all under the watchful eye of Father Christmas. Zagreb officially kicks off its festive season with the lighting of the first Advent candle at Manduševac Well. As this year’s program is indeed varied and rich, it is extremely difficult to single out any particular event, but you can be sure there will be a lot of concerts and entertainment for every age and interest.

An entertaining show is expected from French singer Jean-Marc Lexlerque – JoMo who holds the Guinness record for singing in over 22 different languages. JoMo is coming to Zagreb as a guest of the Student's Esperanto Club to mark the 50th anniversary of the club. He is scheduled to perform at 7:30 p.m. on 10 December at Ban Jelačić Square. 

On Sundays, the performances will start as early as 11 o’clock with programs for children, and on other days, the programs will go on between 5 in the afternoon and 9 in the evening. For the whole month, the central city square will be the most attractive stage in town. 

In addition to the rich open-air programs which will take place on the squares and in the streets, the countdown to Christmas will be accompanied by a number of theater, opera and ballet performances that have been announced by the popular theater houses in Zagreb. On 7 December 2007 at 07:30 p.m, the Croatian National Theater is to stage the premiere of Georges Bizet’s Carmen (libretto based on Mérimée by H.Meilhac and L.Halévy). On Saturday, 15 December 2007 at 6 p.m. Piotr Iljitsj Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker returns to the repertoire of the Croatian National Theater. The ballet premiered on 11 December 2004, paying homage to the famous choreographer, Waczlaw Orlykowski, and his 1970 choreography based on the original Günter Schneider - Siemssen’s scenography, with costumes by Ika Škomrlj and Diana Kosec-Bourek, and quotations by Lee Bei. There will be several repeat performances before the end of the year.
The clarinetist, Radovan Cavallin, and the pianist, Maja Bakrač, are scheduled to perform a concert under the name Piano Pianissimo in the Illyrian Hall of the National Palace on 19 December. The following evening, the Croatian National Theater from Osijek will be making a guest appearance at the Vatroslav Lisinski Concert Hall with the operetta, The Merry Widow. 
The other stages in Zagreb will also adapt their programs to the merriment of the festive season.