Tonight’s ninth concert at Svrza’s House officially concludes the summer concert series “Sevdah by Damir Imamović at Svrza’s House”, which brought the audience a unique experience of musical heritage in the heart of Sarajevo during July and August. This project combined tradition and modernity through the space of the National Monument of Bosnia and Herzegovina, where stories, emotions and top-notch musical interpretations alternated every Wednesday.
The Federal Minister of Environment and Tourism, Nasiha Pozder, emphasized that such events have a special significance for tourism in Bosnia and Herzegovina. “These are events that make a difference when it comes to tourism in our country. I think we all enjoyed Damir Imamović’s interpretation and we really only have words of praise for what has been done. The results achieved are impressive, and events like this extend the season and bring new content to both us and tourists,” said Pozder, adding that more than five million KM in requests for support for content in the field of tourism in the Federation that were received in response to this year’s public call show that there is interest and that we have something to offer.
The Director of the Sarajevo Museum, Indira Kučuk Sorguč, emphasized that this project goes beyond the framework of an ordinary event and brings new value to the cultural life of Sarajevo. “These two months were special and I think that everyone who came as an audience felt it. It was a transmission of spirit, sevdah and intangible heritage. When I was browsing the Museum’s archive, I realized that nothing like this had been done before. This event is original, authentic and unique. At the concerts, we were able to see for ourselves that Damir is not only a top performer but also a storyteller, author and professor. For all of us who participated in this project, it is significant that we created new value with this concert series,” said Kučuk Sorguč, adding that she believes that the Sarajevo Museum will continue such projects and that they will become a tradition, and that sevdalinka will gain its rightful and deserved place through permanent performance in this space.
The Director of the Sarajevo Navigator Foundation, Nedim Lipa, emphasized that the results of the project confirm its importance and justification. “The concerts were attended by 1,988 visitors, of which 1,488 tickets were sold in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and 678 in Sarajevo. More than 544 visitors came from outside Bosnia and Herzegovina. When you look at the overall structure, about a third of the audience was made up of visitors from Sarajevo, the rest of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and abroad. We had a total of nine sold-out concerts, and the last two concerts were sold out even 20 days before they took place,” said Lipa and added that this was the right thing to do. at the right time and in the right place and thus a peculiar return of everyone home.
The author and interpreter of sevdalinka, Damir Imamović, emphasized that Svrza’s house is a unique space where tradition naturally comes alive. “Thank you to everyone who contributed and supported this project. There are spaces where, when you enter, you immediately feel like playing music, and Svrza’s House is exactly that space. Tourism has always been a guide in the presentation of local culture – when guests come to us, we always try to present ourselves in the best light. Realistically, the audience nowhere prefers the most traditional music, but tradition survives and lives precisely because it interests guests and tourists. This project is a promotion of traditional music of this area, but it is also an experiment, because tradition needs to be challenged and placed in new contexts in order to create new value,” said Imamović, emphasizing his belief that this project has created something valuable and long-lasting, with a sincere intention behind it, while the ultimate goal is not material.
The project was implemented in cooperation with the Sarajevo Navigator Foundation and the Sarajevo Museum, with the support of the Ministry of Civil Affairs of BiH, the Federal Ministry of Environment and Tourism, the Ministry of Culture and Sports of the Sarajevo Canton, the City of Sarajevo, the Stari Grad Municipality, Mastercard, Klas and the Sarajevo International Airport.
