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News & Photos
Concert Choir Tours Croatia
“All I could think of was how many people walked on the roads before
me,” Ana R., ’08, reflected on McDonogh Concert Choir’s recent tour of
Croatia. Without question, Croatia’s natural and manmade beauty astonished
everyone on tour. The country’s location, across the Adriatic Sea from Italy,
has made it a crossroads of vastly different cultures for centuries. Along the
coast, the majestic Dinaric Alps rise from the pristine sea providing a
stunning backdrop for the seaside cities. Each city has its own unique
combination of architecture, ranging from Roman palaces to medieval and
Renaissance city walls.
The trip was the sixth in a series of biannual tours for the choir, all of
which have been led by music director Philip Olsen. On June 23rd, the choir
arrived in the nation's capital, Zagreb, where it gave two performances in a
historic city convent. After a full concert on Saturday evening, the choir
returned the next morning to sing for Mass. Moving south, the choir stopped
in Plitvice Lakes National Park, famous for its abounding lakes and waterfalls.
From there, the choir moved south along the Adriatic coast; the choir
performed in Zadar, Split, and Dubrovnik, while making stops in historic
Sibenik and Trogir. The tour lasted eleven days and included four concerts
and two Masses.
Even after dealing with temperatures in the high 90s, demanding
performances, early wake up calls, and hours of travel time, members of the
choir sustained an eager attitude to experience as much as possible. Every
morning, there were walkers and runners exploring each city’s cobblestone
alleys, old town markets, and seaside views. On free evenings, students went
into town to hear live music and enjoy decadent gelato. In Split, a pickup
game of soccer in the city park drew the attention of some young Croats.
Interacting with the locals was hardly a problem as most spoke English
relatively well, and any attempt on an American’s part to speak Croatian was
appreciated. The most meaningful communication, though, came through
music. Every performance was well attended and extremely well received.
Audiences gave standing ovations and greeted the singers after the concerts
with the warmest thanks.
View Photos
“All I could think of was how many people walked on the roads before me,” Ana R., ’08, reflected on McDonogh Concert Choir’s recent tour of Croatia. Without question, Croatia’s natural and manmade beauty astonished everyone on tour. The country’s location, across the Adriatic Sea from Italy, has made it a crossroads of vastly different cultures for centuries. Along the coast, the majestic Dinaric Alps rise from the pristine sea providing a stunning backdrop for the seaside cities. Each city has its own unique combination of architecture, ranging from Roman palaces to medieval and Renaissance city walls.
The trip was the sixth in a series of biannual tours for the choir, all of which have been led by music director Philip Olsen. On June 23rd, the choir arrived in the nation's capital, Zagreb, where it gave two performances in a historic city convent. After a full concert on Saturday evening, the choir returned the next morning to sing for Mass. Moving south, the choir stopped in Plitvice Lakes National Park, famous for its abounding lakes and waterfalls. From there, the choir moved south along the Adriatic coast; the choir performed in Zadar, Split, and Dubrovnik, while making stops in historic Sibenik and Trogir. The tour lasted eleven days and included four concerts and two Masses.
Even after dealing with temperatures in the high 90s, demanding performances, early wake up calls, and hours of travel time, members of the choir sustained an eager attitude to experience as much as possible. Every morning, there were walkers and runners exploring each city’s cobblestone alleys, old town markets, and seaside views. On free evenings, students went into town to hear live music and enjoy decadent gelato. In Split, a pickup game of soccer in the city park drew the attention of some young Croats. Interacting with the locals was hardly a problem as most spoke English relatively well, and any attempt on an American’s part to speak Croatian was appreciated. The most meaningful communication, though, came through music. Every performance was well attended and extremely well received. Audiences gave standing ovations and greeted the singers after the concerts with the warmest thanks.