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The incomparable Divna Ljubojević and her ethereal interpretations of Byzantine sacred music are among Serbia's most significant cultural ambassadors. The singer will perform in Hong Kong in October with her choir Melodi Ensemble for the concert "The Soul of Orthodox Chant", in which the pure beauty of her sublime voice will reflect the spiritual essence of Orthodox music.
Divna Ljubojević started her vocal training at the century-old Vavedenje monastery in Belgrade at the age of 10. Later, she served as choirmaster, inheriting her reverential appreciation of Byzantine sacred music from Russian nuns keen to preserve and cherish the tradition. Divna's gift for leading other musicians was spotted at an early age, and she became the youngest conductor to serve in the now 160-year-old First Belgrade Singing Society.
In 1991, the singer founded Divna and Melodi to raise awareness of sacred singing and extend the art form, injecting new vitality into ancient Byzantine culture and traditional Serbian, Russian and Byzantine chant. The choir has given more than 600 concerts in Europe, performing at major sacred music and arts festivals in Greece, France, Spain, Switzerland, Italy, Germany, Belgium, Austria, Romania, Russia, Portugal and the UK.
"The Soul of Orthodox Chant" by Divna and Melodi is one of the programmes of "World Cultures Festival 2013 - Lasting Legacies of Eastern Europe" presented by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department. It will be held at 8pm on October 31 at the Hong Kong City Hall Concert Hall. A meet-the-artist session will be held after the performance. Tickets priced at $150, $250, $350 and $450 are available at URBTIX.
Half-price tickets are available for full-time students, senior citizens aged 60 and above, people with disabilities and their minders, and Comprehensive Social Security Assistance recipients. Other booking discounts of up to 20 per cent are available.
Programme brochures are available at URBTIX outlets or at the festival website www.worldfestival.gov.hk.
For programme enquiries, please call 2370 1044. Internet bookings can be made at www.urbtix.hk . Telephone credit card bookings can be made on 2111 5999.
Ends/Tuesday, October 22, 2013
Issued at HKT 16:25
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