Over three vibrant days, hundreds of visitors were mesmerized by world-class jazz performances from award-winning musicians.

For the past three days, Lopud has pulsed with the sounds of jazz, as internationally acclaimed artists delivered their finest performances—authentic and inspiring creative music. The Rector’s Place on the island became a hub for masterclasses where knowledge and experience flowed freely, while the garden of the Grand Hotel, a true gem of Lopud, transformed into a stunning stage for unforgettable jazz evenings.

Antonio Mazzei, Michael League, Thana Alexa, Antonio Sánchez

This year’s Ponta Lopud Jazz Festival concluded with a powerful concert by the festival’s co-founder and artistic director, Thana Alexa, who was joined on stage by Antonio Sánchez, Michael League, and Antonio Mazzei in the packed garden of the Grand Hotel. Alongside favourites from Alexa’s Grammy-nominated album ONA, the audience was treated to the premiere of music from her upcoming release. A special highlight of the evening was a surprise performance by Kenny Werner, the jazz master of this year’s festival. After the concert, visitors were once again captivated by a jam session featuring the PL Jazz Participant House Band, made up of talented young festival participants from Croatia, the region, and beyond. As in previous nights, their mentors—world-renowned jazz musicians—joined them on stage. The festival’s final song, performed by Alba Nacinovich, Grammy winner Nicole Zuraitis, and the artistic director of the festival, Thana Alexa, was met with resounding enthusiasm.

Kenny Werner with participants of the festival

“I’m filled with incredible positive energy! Over these three days, we’ve uncovered so much about music and the industry, and this year’s masterclasses have deepened our collective love for jazz. I want to express my heartfelt thanks to everyone who selflessly contributed to making this event a reality once again,” said Thana Alexa, artistic director and co-founder of the Ponta Lopud Jazz Festival.

Thana Alexa i Kenny Werner

The daytime program on the festival’s final day featured two lectures by top-tier, multi-award-winning musicians. This year’s jazz master, the renowned pianist and composer Kenny Werner, delivered his third lecture of the festival, followed by a session on musical storytelling led by four-time Grammy winner and composer of the Oscar-winning film Birdman, Antonio Sánchez.

Ponta Lopud Jazz Festival mentors

“This festival succeeded because of the incredible passion the organizers put into ensuring everything was perfect. You could see it in every moment of the festival, from the outstanding masterclasses and sound checks to the beautiful concerts,” said Sánchez.

Thana Alexa, Nicole Zuraitis, Alba Nacinovich

“I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to all our partners, sponsors, donors, the media, friends, and our families, with a special mention to our Ponta Lopud Club. My deepest thanks also go to the production team and volunteers—who are friends—who generously dedicated their time, expertise, and efforts to make this festival a success. Most importantly, I want to express my profound appreciation to the musicians: the performers, masterclass participants, those who joined the jam sessions, all the bands, and the incredible technical team,” concluded Tilda Grossel Bogdanović, founder of the Ponta Lopud Creative Platform.

Ponta Lopud Creative Platform hosts and presents three summer cultural programs in 2024, welcoming all art lovers, especially those passionate about film, music, and literature. Ponta Lopud Summer Screenings, celebrating the art of film, was the first of three events held from June 27 to 29. The second event, which brought music lovers to the island from August 29 to 31, is the popular Ponta Lopud Jazz Festival. The third, new addition to the creative platform is the Ponta Lopud Book Bridge, a festival running from September 27 to 29, rounding off the summer festivities and closing Lopud’s cultural-artistic season.

For more information about the program, schedule, and screenings, visit jazz.pontalopud.hr and follow the Ponta Lopud Jazz Festival on social media.