Running time: 90 minutes

Joe Lovano, saxophone; Melissa Aldana, saxophone; Nduduzo Makhathini, piano; Linda May Oh, bass; Jeff »Tain« Watts, drums 

On the centenary of the birth of the legendary saxophonist, composer, and activist John Coltrane, a new project was born that brings together a lineup of creative musicians and embodies Coltrane’s message of inclusivity and respect for all voices.

All the artists involved in the project share a personal connection to John Coltrane or his music. The group is led by Grammy-winning artist and one of the most acclaimed saxophonists in modern jazz, Joe Lovano, for whom Coltrane’s music is a guiding light, akin to a holy grail. Lovano is joined by the irrepressible young force Melissa Aldana, raised in Chile on Coltrane’s music and today personifying a contemporary voice with a distinctive narrative identity, while maintaining a deep respect for the jazz canon; South African pianist of remarkable musical and spiritual breadth, Nduduzo Makhathini, whose discovery of John Coltrane’s seminal album A Love Supreme played a formative role in inspiring his love for jazz; Linda May Han Oh, a bassist and composer whose oeuvre spans music written for small ensembles, orchestras, and film – created in the post Coltrane tradition, her work draws on a modal, expressive, and exploratory language informed by his musical corpus; and finally, noted authority on drums Jeff "Tain" Watts, whose connection to Coltrane’s enduring legacy is reflected in numerous collaborations with musicians from his extended “orbit,” including performances with ensembles led by Alice and Ravi Coltrane.

The assembled group of innovative artists will present contemporary interpretations of John Coltrane’s classic works from various periods of his career, alongside original compositions inspired by his monumental musical legacy. As Joe Lovano has stated, “This quintet will honor Coltrane’s compositions as a springboard to explore and express ourselves. We do not seek to recreate, but rather to create in the spirit of Coltrane.”
 

Kulturno umetniško društvo Mladost (The Cultural and Artistic Association Mladost) was founded in 2001 with the mission of preserving Serbian culture, traditions, and customs through dance and performance. Through its dedication and passion for folklore, the association has, for many years, brought generations together and passed on a rich cultural heritage to younger members.

Today, the association brings together around 270 active dancers across 11 sections. As it proudly celebrates its 25th anniversary, it will mark this milestone with a special performance for a wider audience.

Performed in the original language (no English translation).

Bilal, vocals;  Randy Runyon, guitar; Conley “Tone” Whitfield, bass; Joseph Grissett aka Joe Blaxx, drums

Although working across a variety of genres – from neo-soul to rock – Bilal says he is “a jazz musician first.” One only needs to experience one of his live performances to understand why: his shows are always partly improvised and never the same twice, something relatively uncommon among vocalists. Furthermore, the core of his musical expression, rests on a solid foundation. He studied jazz at the New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music in New York, where – perhaps more importantly than the degree he never completed – he met Robert Glasper, a frequent collaborator, through whom Bilal became involved with artists such as Q-Tip and Mos Def.

A singer, songwriter, multi instrumentalist and producer considered one of the United States’ most distinctive musicians at the intersection of contemporary R&B, neo soul and jazz, Bilal is a key innovator in contemporary African American music. Acclaimed for his wide vocal range and improvisational skills, as well as his ability to blend and seamlessly transition between genres, he has garnered particular praise for his unique, unforgettable live performances.

His debut album, 1st Born Second (2001), was released under the guidance of producers including Dr. Dre, James Poyser, and J Dilla. Any attempt to list all of his collaborators would be needless, but it remains important to note that during the pivotal late 1990s, Bilal was deeply immersed in New York’s vibrant rap and neo soul scene. His invaluable dedication earned him a place in the experimental collective The Soulquarians – a group of artists blending jazz, soul, and hip hop influences (alongside D’Angelo, Erykah Badu, Questlove, Mos Def, Talib Kweli, J Dilla, and Raphael Saadiq, among others). This truly unique, if not revolutionary, collective redefined American Black popular music and left an enduring legacy of musical innovation.
As a featured artist on Kendrick Lamar’s song These Walls (as well as several other tracks on the album To Pimp a Butterfly), Bilal shares a Grammy Award for Best Rap/Sung Performance, while his performance with The Roots is widely regarded as one of the most engaging in the entire Tiny Desk series. His most recent album, Adjust Brightness, came out last year. While all of this already sounds impressive, it offers only a brief glimpse into the remarkable credentials of this singular artist.

This year’s annual production, marking the 77th anniversary of the Folklore Group ŽKUD Tine Rožanc, is dedicated to the Pannonian Plain - a region where, for centuries, different peoples, languages, and religions have met and interacted, shaping a rich and diverse cultural landscape.

Drawing on this historical and social context, the performance reflects on coexistence, movement, and the interweaving of identities that have defined this space.

The full-length performance will bring together more than one hundred performers on stage. Three generations of dancers from the Tine Rožanc Folklore Group, along with their various musical ensembles, will be joined by the vocal-instrumental group Katanja.

In Slovenian, without translation.

In the Izštekani series, Liamere will venture into new, even richer sonic territories. The arrangements for the string section of the RTV Slovenia Symphony Orchestra will be written by one of today’s most exciting young artists working at the crossroads of musical genres, Leon Firšt. As customary, the concert will include a Q&A hosted by the show’s creator and presenter, Jure Longyka, with the audience also invited to ask questions. Those unable to get tickets for Izštekani — which always sell out in a flash — are invited to follow the live radio broadcast or online video stream on Val 202.

Tommy Emmanuel is widely regarded as one of the finest acoustic guitarists in the world and one of the greatest guitar virtuosos of our time. He began playing music at a very young age, picking up the guitar as a child and performing professionally even before starting school.

His distinctive style is based on fingerstyle technique, allowing him to simultaneously play melody, bass lines, and rhythm - creating the impression of multiple guitarists performing at once. A major influence on his musical development was the legendary Chet Atkins, who later awarded him the prestigious CGP (Certified Guitar Player) title - an honour reserved for only a select group of exceptional guitarists.

Throughout his remarkable career, Tommy Emmanuel has built a global reputation through constant touring and the release of numerous studio and live albums. His music spans a wide range of genres, including country, jazz, blues, rock, and pop, and he is renowned for his technical precision, speed, and extraordinary musicality.

A Grammy Award winner, he has collaborated with an impressive array of artists such as Stevie Wonder, Eric Clapton, Mark Knopfler, George Harrison, Billy Strings, Michael McDonald, Jorma Kaukonen, and many others. A special place in his discography is held by the album Accomplice Two, which features a series of collaborations with outstanding musicians from various genres.

Beyond his technical mastery, Emmanuel is deeply respected for his dedication to the instrument and to music itself. His approach is rooted in the idea that the guitar can serve as a complete orchestra, and his work is often considered a benchmark for contemporary acoustic guitarists worldwide.

Today, Tommy Emmanuel is regarded as a living legend of the acoustic guitar and one of the most influential instrumentalists of his generation.

Running time: The performance lasts approximately 3 hours and 40 minutes with intermission.

In the wider region surrounding us, it would be hard to find a place that saw the magical promise of industrialisation and progress morph into its total opposite more painfully. What had enthusiastically provided the daily bread later turned out to be poison. In many cases of industrial devastation, the poison is metaphorical, but in the case of Anhovo, where children played with the white asbestos residue, it is quite literal. A single asbestos fibre is enough to make a person sick. It has taken many lives and decades after being banned it continues to take them. Many are battling the disease it has caused and many others wait, in uncertainty, if a similar fate will befall them. The valley paid dearly for those breadcrumbs, but the story of Anhovo, tragic as it is, does not end with the production of asbestos roofing. In the 1990s, its production was briefly replaced by the production of, also cancerogenic, styrene. Soon, the co-incinerating of toxic waste entered the story, as well as extensive digging of ore from the local quarry and unregulated water distribution system into which water, poisoned with heavy metals, recently broke.

But Anhovo is not only a story of the many facets of ecologic destruction and the rule of the capital over people's health. It is also a story of resistance, courage, resilience, solidarity and persistence. The documentary piece Anhovo by the successful young author and director Žiga Divjak and the author Katarina Morano, for whom this was their Nova Gorica debut, will try to listen to this valley that can teach us so much in the uncertain times that are coming.

We would like to thank: Association Društvo EKO Anhovo in dolina Soče, Bogomir and Slavka Bavdaž, Helena Markič, dr. Metoda Dodič Fikfak, Milovan Bertoto, Lilijana Pulec, Branko Skok, dr. Nevenka Mlinar, dr. Nada Merljak, Zlatko Kumar, Anja Medved, Sabina Maver, Mojca Dumančič, and everyone who shared their stories with us.

They say there exists a moment in the year when the boundary between worlds fades. When reality withdraws and the void is filled with Paradise – that mysterious realm where nothing is forbidden and freedom is boundless.

From high-mountain gorges where echoes of eternity resound, to bourgeois salons, laced with seduction…

When Lucys bring the light and Jurek (Green George) awakens the green blood of the earth…

Join the Academy Folklore Group France Marolt as we step through the gateway to a world where time stands still and the mask becomes your only true face. Immersed in this enchanted revelry, we will mingle with supernatural forces, explore the boundaries between safety and danger, and welcome the arrival of spring.

Embark on an unparalleled journey to Paradise, where transforming the self is a privilege, where those who dare to dance with their own destiny reign supreme – in revelry, no one seeks the truth, only a shared rhythm… until the music stops.

Lea Ypi is an Albanian-born political theorist and Professor of Political Theory at the London School of Economics, and one of the most compelling voices in contemporary political thought. 

She rose to international prominence with Free: Coming of Age at the End of History, an acclaimed memoir of growing up in communist Albania, translated into more than 30 languages worldwide. 

On the occasion of the Slovenian publication of her most recent book Indignity by Mladinska knjiga, we invite you to a conversation with Lea Ypi on her work. 

In Indignity, she reconstructs the life of her grandmother Leman Ypi, tracing a journey through war, migration, love and ideological upheaval in 20th-century Europe. Blending philosophy with intimate family history, the book confronts questions of dignity, moral responsibility, and the power of political judgment. 

The conversation at Critical Cabaret with Srećko Horvat will extend beyond the book to our contemporary world and why these questions matter now. This is a rare opportunity to hear one of today’s most important thinkers in conversation.

The second concert in the spring season of the Izštekani series at Cankarjev dom will present the enchanting indie rock band Before Time from Kamnik. Just over a month after releasing their second album, Vse Kar Smo, they are embarking on a new challenge: an acoustic reinterpretation of their music, enriched with orchestral colours, featuring string quartet, piano, and percussion.