August 31, 2005

Together with the pianist Mario Šoša, Mihael Paar gave three remarkably successful recitals at the International Festivals on the Croatian part of the Adriatic coast this summer (2005). The performances at the Omiš Summer Festival (July 26), Biograd Summer Festival (July 29) and Korčula Summer Festival (August 28) left the audiences with an overwhelmingly positive impression. Their ovation elicited the inspired performance of Schubert’s Ave Maria, a work not listed in the concert program. Since the concert of the Pressler-Paar-Kemperle Trio scheduled for August 7 on the Island of Ugljan had been cancelled, and because of the repeated requests by the organizer, Mihael Paar took on the challenge of having a non-accompanied recital. In the period of just a few days, he prepared a virtuoso program containing works by Bach (Partitas) and Paganini (Cappricies), solo pieces by Stravinsky and Grgin, as well as well known themes which he arranged himself. An additional treat for the spectators was a surprise turn in the program where he presented himself as a bas-clarinetist, performing a potpourri of well-known themes, whereas in the last composition – Amazing Grace – he showed his aspiration towards blues and improvisation. Finally, by playing an encore – a famous Early Croatian song Fala (Croatian: Thank You) – he sincerely thanked the audience who described the performances of the last two compositions as being transcendent.