On Friday, June 26, 2026, in the square in front of the parish church of St. Vid in Podnanos, a recital titled “Poets Between Rivers and Lagoons” was held, treating the audience to an evening of poetry, music, and appreciation for the shared cultural heritage of the cross-border region.
In the first part of the evening, members of the “Ga Pihnemo” theater group from Podnanos and the “Danica” cultural association from Savogna d’Isonzo performed a selection of poems by lesser-known poets whose work has left a mark on this shared region. The selection of poems was curated by Jurij Rosa, a historian, archivist, and local scholar, while the selection of works by poets Franjo Rojec and Peter Butkovič Domen was curated by Viljena Devetak, president of the “Danica” Cultural Association of Savogna d’Isonzo.
Among others, we heard readings of poems by Fran Žgur, Janez Krhnet, Radoslav Silvester, Stanko Premrl, Peter Butkovič Domen, Franjo Rojec, Ida Semenič, and others. A special moment of the evening was the performance by Alenka Skupek, who presented her poem to the audience. The evening concluded with a collective recitation of France Prešeren’s “Zdravljica,” performed by all the artists in attendance.
Although singer-songwriter Ditka had initially been announced to provide the musical finale for the evening, she had to cancel her performance due to illness. She was replaced by the renowned opera singer Jure Počkaj, accompanied on the piano by the young pianist Ivo Gustinčič.
Jure Počkaj enriched the evening with excellent renditions of the Slovenian national anthem “Zdravljica”—which he regularly performs at major national ceremonies both at home and abroad—and selections from the first Slovenian musical by Miroslav Vilhar, composed during the same period when Prešeren wrote “Zdravljica.” With his powerful voice, musicality, and extraordinary stage presence, he captivated the audience, bringing the cultural evening to a wonderful close.
The young pianist Ivo Gustinčič also generated particular enthusiasm; with his virtuosic piano accompaniment, he contributed significantly to the evening’s excellent musical quality. As he continues his studies abroad, we sincerely wish him every success, valuable musical experiences, and happiness for his future.
The recital confirmed once again that poetry and music transcend borders and remain important vehicles for cultural memory and unity among people.
The event was organized by the TRG Vipava Tourism Board as part of the BEroots – Between Rivers and Lagoons: Artistic Routes project, co-funded by the European Union under the Interreg Italy–Slovenia program.
