The Croatian Smaregliana Association from Pula was a guest for the first time at the Bloomsady festival in Dublin on June 15, 2024, where they presented their work to the Irish audience and introduced them to the work of the composer Antonio Smareglia, who was a close friend of James Joyce during their joint stay in Trieste.
In addition to the musical part in which the Maltese pianist Charlene Farrugia-Božac and the Croatian soprano Sofija Cingula performed pieces from Smareglia's operas
Caccia lontana, Nozza Istriana and
Oceana, introductory lectures on the connection and friendship between Smareglia and Joyce were held by Vito Paoletić PhD (University of Pula) and Juliana Licinic van Walstijn PhD (Queen's University Belfast), president of the Smaregliana Association.
Berislav Živković, Minister Counsellor, also gave a short welcome speech, in which he expressed a pleasure that the Embassy of Croatia in Ireland has for the first time cooperated with the Smaregliana Association and the James Joyce Center. He emphasised the event strengthened the relations between Croatia and Ireland and created a perspective for additional research into cultural ties and more intensive cooperation.
The concert was organized by the Smaregliana Association in cooperation with the University of Pula and the James Joyce Center under the patronage of the Embassy of the Republic of Croatia in Dublin. After the concert, a reception was organized for a large audience, among which there were representatives of the diplomatic community, the Croatian diaspora, but also the local audience, who were delighted by Smaregla's music and the friendly relationship he had with the iconic writer of Ireland.
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