From the press (Cantus Ensemble in Osor)

Cantus Ensemble had the pleasure to perform last on this year’s Osor Musical Evenings and in its special way to close the festival that was this year at last recognized to be of the national value and importance, and in that way its permanent mission of caring for the Croatian musical heritage and production is finally formally acknowledged.

At 9 pm in the Cathedral of the Mary’s Assumption on 28^th of August, approx. 250 people in the audience had one of the most beautiful musical experiences in the little island town of Osor.   

Here are some excerpts from the music critics:

At the concert on Sunday, 28^th of August, Cantus Ensemble and its guests, mezzo sopranos Marta Babić and Dubravka Šeparović-Mušović, but also the pianist and composer Bruno Vlahek, with their top performances closed the 36^th Osor Musical Evenings in the most beautiful way.

(…)

For this closing concert, Cantus Ensemble, under the leadership of artistic director and conductor Berislav Šipuš, who is also the artistic director of the Osor’s Festival, has prepared an extremely attractive program.

The concert began with Claude Debussy’s “Prelude a l'apres-midi d'un faune”, in Arnold Schönberg’s arrangement which brings a little bit more of the chamber sound than the original. Very exposed flute part played by the, as always excellent and confident, Dani Bošnjak. The Ensemble produced a translucent and light texture, playing very intensively, but carefully with different levels in the dynamic, emerging on the surface only in the right moments. In the first part of the concert Cantus Ensemble also performed “Memorie for voice and ensemble” by Frano Parać. (…) The young and very perspective mezzo soprano Marta Babić, with her interpretation gave a nuance of the gentle lyricism to the piece, with sophisticated expression and warmth that corresponded to the atmosphere of the work, although in some parts she was not able to cope with the sound of the entire ensemble.

The second part of the concert began with the premiere performance of the composition by one more perspective and young artist, Bruno Vlahek. The 24- year old pianist and composer, who already has more than 40 opus numbers, played the solo part in his own piece “Concerto da camera for piano and 10 instruments”, presenting himself also as a great virtuoso. Vlahek’s three-movement-piece is an interesting compendium of composer’s different interests which produces a colourful sound collage, which connects elements and influences of different poetics of music of the 20^th century, jazz and film music. Outer movements have their accent on the rhythm elements, while the middle movement is more melodic and emotional, with the exposed lyric theme that goes through all instrumental parts in the ensemble, but in some moments sounds a little bit too pathetic.

The last piece of the concert left us in awe. Mezzo soprano with the worldwide career and principal soloist of the Croatian National Theatre in Zagreb, Dubravka Šeparović Mušović was brilliant in the performance of Mahler’s song cycle for mezzo soprano and orchestra “Rückert Lieder“.  The impressive interpretation of these five songs, amazing control of the tone and a singer who simply attracts attention, left the audience without a word.

The Ensemble was also excellent, with an especially warm and rounded sound of the string corpus.
This beautiful evening ended with the long applause and loud approval from the audience.

(Marija Saraga, from: Vjesnik, 31^st August 2011)