Before the City Wakes: Ana Rucner Welcomes Summer from Srđ
There are mornings in Dubrovnik that belong to silence, music and the first light of day, and the first day of summer on Srđ is one of them.
To wake up before dawn, leave the sleeping city behind and head up to Srđ while the first light slowly appears over the horizon is already a special experience. Add the sound of Ana Rucner’s cello, the stillness before sunrise and the view of Dubrovnik below, and it becomes one of those moments that stays with you long after summer has begun.
This Sunday, 21 June, at exactly 5:04 am, the traditional “Pozdrav ljetu” / “Greeting to Summer” concert returns to the amphitheatre on Srđ, marking the arrival of the longest day of the year and celebrating World Music Day.
A Tradition Above Dubrovnik
Now in its 16th edition, Ana Rucner’s sunrise concert has become one of Dubrovnik’s most poetic summer rituals. Over the years, “Pozdrav ljetu” has gathered those willing to rise before the city wakes — locals, visitors, photographers, music lovers and early risers — all drawn by the same promise: to greet the first rays of summer from one of the most beautiful viewpoints above Dubrovnik.
Last year, the concert marked 15 years of this special tradition, confirming its place among those Dubrovnik moments that are difficult to describe, but easy to remember. In previous editions, the early-morning performance created some of the city’s most atmospheric summer images: the Old City still quiet, the sea slowly changing colour, the islands in the distance and music spreading through the morning air.
It is not a classic concert experience, but a meeting of place, season and sound.
Ana Rucner’s Music Between Classical Elegance and Contemporary Energy
Ana Rucner is one of Croatia’s most recognisable cellists, known for a performance style that brings together classical music, contemporary sound, strong visual expression and the energy of live performance.
Her concerts often move beyond the traditional stage, bringing the cello into open spaces, striking landscapes and moments where music becomes part of the setting itself. In Dubrovnik, this approach feels especially natural. On Srđ, at sunrise, her music does not simply accompany the landscape — it becomes part of it.
That is why “Pozdrav ljetu” has grown into more than an annual concert. It is a personal artistic signature, a summer ritual and a musical postcard from above the city.
A New Musical Beginning
This year, the programme brings a special artistic premiere. In the first part of the concert, Ana Rucner will present her new project and album, “Concert Meditation 432 Hz”, released by Hit Records.
The project is conceived as a calm and immersive musical experience, inspired by sound, harmony and the idea of returning to inner balance. Performed at dawn on Srđ, it will open the morning in a more meditative and intimate tone, inviting the audience to experience the beginning of summer through stillness, music and light.
The second part of the programme will bring Ana’s cello into an emotional musical dialogue with acclaimed accordionist Martina Jembrišak, creating another musical postcard from above Dubrovnik.
The First Rays of Summer
“Pozdrav ljetu” has always been more than a concert. It is a quiet celebration of the city, the season and the moment when night gives way to the first summer morning.
For visitors staying in Dubrovnik, it offers a different way to experience the city, away from the midday rhythm, crowds and heat. For locals, it is one of those traditions that feels deeply connected to Dubrovnik’s landscape and spirit.
After the concert, all visitors will also have the opportunity to enjoy a free visit to Dubrovnik Skyview, the newly built viewpoint located below the cross at the top of Srđ.
For anyone spending June in Dubrovnik, this may be one of the most beautiful ways to begin the first day of summer – above the city, with music, silence and the first light of the season.
