She was only seven years old when she first performed in the hall of the Croatian Music Institute in 1947. She then played works by composers Bach, Beethoven, Mozart, Škerjanc, Lipovšek, Kozina and Šivic.

Accompanied by the Chamber Orchestra of the Zagreb Philharmonics, conducted by maestro Vladimir Kranjčević, the Slovene virtuoso performed on the closing night of this year’s St. Marko Festival. She performed Woflgang Amadeus Mozart’s Concerto for a piano and orchestra No. 26 in D major, as well as Andante Spianato and Grand Polonaise Op. 22 by Frederic Chopin.

She also received the Neven Prize, awarded for the greatest artistic contributions to the festival since 2013. The prize is named after the deceased director of the festival, the renowned Croatian baritone Neven Valent.

The 19th edition of the festival was held between the 25th of April and the 8th of May. It featured a number of excellent chamber musicians, like for example the Hungarian oboist Zoltan Hornyanszky and the French organist Thomas Ospital.

Dubravka Tomšič Srebotnjak, one of the most successful concert pianists in the world, was born in 1940 in Dubrovnik. During her career, which spans over seven decades, she staged more than 4,000 performances, thrilling audiences in the greatest halls and music centres on all continents. Her repertoire encompasses the most significant piano literature from different style periods.
M. K.; translated by K. J.