An Unusual Fusion of Baroque, Rock Music, Montenegrin Youth, and World-Renowned Artists
On August 2nd, Porto Montenegro will host a unique and high-quality event at the Porto Montenegro Auditorium, beginning at 9:00 p.m. The concert, titled California Dreaming, is a co-production between the Tivat Music Festival and KotorArt. The performance will feature American and Montenegrin musicians coming together as one orchestra, led by internationally acclaimed conductor Nir Kabaretti. The prestigious violinist Gilles Apap, renowned for his authentic and creative style, will perform as a soloist.
The orchestra will include distinguished American musicians from leading California orchestras, such as the Los Angeles Philharmonic (LA Phil.), LA Opera, and the Santa Barbara Symphony Orchestra. Featured musicians include violinists Jessica Guideri and Ina Veli, violist Erik Rynearson, and cellist Trevor Handy.
The Festival’s orchestra, composed of talented young Montenegrin musicians, has already performed at two concerts, on July 19th at the Church of Our Lady in Prčanj and on July 25th at the Tivat Cultural Center. These performances featured challenging musical works and innovative concert concepts.
“This time, young Montenegrin musicians will have the opportunity to learn from world-renowned artists and share the stage with them, significantly contributing to their growth and development. We would not have been able to organize this event without the exceptional support of our long-time partners: Porto Montenegro, Henley & Partners, Montenegro Sotheby’s Realty, and Regent Porto Montenegro. We sincerely thank them for their shared goals, values, and ongoing support,” said the Festival’s PR team.
Nir Kabaretti, after graduating from the University of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna, was appointed conductor and personal assistant to Zubin Mehta in Florence. He made his debut in 2004 conducting The Nutcracker by Tchaikovsky at La Scala Theater in Milan and has since built an impressive reputation worldwide conducting symphonic, opera, and ballet repertoires. Kabaretti has collaborated with artists such as Plácido Domingo, Itzhak Perlman, Lang Lang, Vadim Repin, Elīna Garanča, and Joyce DiDonato. He currently serves as the Music and Artistic Director of the Santa Barbara Symphony Orchestra in California.
Gilles Apap, who also chose California as his home, shares this connection with Nir Kabaretti, and from this shared base, the concert California Dreaming was conceived. In addition to performing, Apap is holding masterclasses for violinists as part of the KotorArt Academy from July 28th to August 1st. On August 1st, the participants will perform for the public at the Church of the Holy Spirit at 7:00 p.m., and entry is free of charge.
After participating in the 1985 International Menuhin Competition, Apap established a lifelong collaboration and friendship with Yehudi Menuhin, who once described him as “a true violinist of the 21st century.” Together, they worked on Apap’s famous cadenza for Mozart’s Third Violin Concerto. Known internationally for his virtuosity, Apap has a unique approach to musical interpretation, blending the classical repertoire with jazz and folk music, thereby breaking boundaries between musical styles. In addition to his performances and collaborations with major orchestras, Apap and his quartet, The Colors of Invention, present chamber music that fuses Vivaldi, Ravel, and Bartók’s classical works with traditional folk melodies. One of his recent projects is the ethno-jazz band Meduoteran, with which he performs at jazz and ethno music festivals across Europe. He is also the founder of the crossover music ensemble The Transylvania Mountain Boys, with whom he has recorded three albums for Sony Classical.
