On Friday, 28 June the Križanke Summer Theatre will host an unforgettable concert of evergreen classics and chansons. Rade Šerbedžija, who says that music and songs have been part of him for as long as he can remember, has entertained audiences in Slovenia on numerous previous occasions with his group Zapadni Kolodvor. This time, on the occasion of the 72nd Ljubljana Festival, he will present a wide selection of songs from a career dating all the way back to 1974. His songs talk about love, friendship and emotions. Or, in the words of the artist: “Music is powerful. When it is right and touches the sublime, it is like the proverbial opium of the masses.”

For this concert, Šerbedžija and the band – consisting of Antun Stašić, Mario Igrec Purić, Marjan Krajna, Dario Hleb and Borna Sercar – will be joined by other remarkably talented and versatile musicians from a range of backgrounds. They include pianist, composer, arranger, producer and educator Vasil Hadžimanov; guitarist, composer, improviser and educator Miroslav Tadić; and violinist, vocalist, composer and poet Yvette Holzwarth. Also appearing as a guest will be Damir Urban, a former member of the band Laufer who has been a solo musician since 1996 and is one of the key figures in the regional modern rock scene.

As an interesting fact, we can add that Rade Šerbedžija also has Slovenian citizenship. He received it under an extraordinary naturalisation process through which citizenship has been granted to a number of eminent artists, athletes and medical professionals. Slovenian citizenship can be obtained under this process by individuals who have made a significant contribution in scientific, economic, cultural, national and other fields. Other citizens include the director Ivana Djilas, the athlete Merlene Ottey and the basketball players Anthony Randolph and Shante Evans.