Source: dubrovnik.net
Andro Vidak, the man who turned thorns and brushwood into Orsula, one of the most beautiful music stages in Croatia.
Lately, ahead of the season, he spends his days doing physical labor at Orsula and his nights handling administration. And while Orsula might bring him nothing but restlessness, everyone who knows him is well aware – he can’t live without it, no matter what he says. And honestly, one has to wonder if Orsula would even still exist without him.
Are you welcoming the second “comeback” edition of Ljeto na Orsuli with a bit less stress and uncertainty?
The program is excellent! Was it complicated to put together, and were the usual good “connections” still crucial this year?
– When I’m putting together the program, I feel like a kid in a candy shop, only nowadays it feels more like stuffing overpriced items into a shopping cart at Studenac. I’m very exposed and have to do things right. People have come to accept that I’m a seasoned veteran in this business and that I’ve earned my position through hard work and effort. No one’s giving me a hard time – quite the opposite, the collaboration is very professional, which is why the program is so good.
By the way, speaking of good collaboration, I already pushed last autumn for them to set up a bus stop at Vidikovac for Libertas line 10 and other suburban eastern lines so people can easily reach Orsula for a walk or a concert. That’s crucial for our survival, especially now that a new special traffic regime around the Old Town has been announced. Orsula is very inaccessible. The well-known long orange vehicle that stops at Vidikovac every 30 minutes is a lifesaver for many of our problems – and the best part is, it costs nothing. I’ve been promised the stop, and I’m waiting for it like the frostbitten wait for the sun… I’d like to use this opportunity to thank the responsible parties, and I hope we’ll get it marked before the season starts.
What does good music mean to you, and how do you choose performers?
– Good music, to me, is exclusively music created for the sake of music, not money. A musician who makes good music and happens to earn well from it has simply touched the hearts of more people than another equally talented musician. That second one is actually closer to my heart because I too belong to that “unlucky” group – but lately, as a program organizer, I’ve been choosing the former. Because I’m not here to play for the rocks – I want to play for a dense crowd of satisfied people. And not just any random crowd, but one that knows exactly what they came for. That’s the pinnacle. That’s how I choose.
Is Orsula a place of peace or unrest for you?
– Orsula is complete unrest for me. It drains every atom of strength and doesn’t let me sleep. In the mornings I’m doing heavy physical labor – dusty work – and in the afternoons too, this time of year. Then at night, I’m up late doing admin. It’s a form of asceticism that, in my case, results in a self-sustaining spiritual fulfillment. I’m grateful I have the opportunity to bring joy to dear people from time to time. I honestly don’t know what I’d do with a black limo – I need a pickup truck every day.
Do you have a team to carry out the “season” and how hard is it to carry this whole project on your back?
– The team is mostly made up of the youth squad, with a few trusted old friends who help selflessly. I’ll burn myself out, but we’ll get it done. My closest team includes my loyal children, and that’s worth more than a whole brigade!
How involved is the City, to whom you pay the concession, in maintaining the Orsula space?
– The City isn’t involved in any maintenance processes – all obligations have transferred to me under the lease agreement, along with all the responsibility. That’s fine. Since we resolved the space tender, everyone knows their role and everything works as it should.
What comments do you hear most often from first-time visitors to Orsula?
– People are amazed… without exception.
What motivates you to keep going, to stay persistent, not to give up… on Orsula, on music, on your fellow citizens who found themselves in your festival?
– I’m most motivated by the support and approval of a large number of amazing and accomplished people. I love seeing those people at Orsula… I practically tremble with happiness when I see they’re enjoying themselves and coming back.
Support from family… can you do without it?
– You can’t do without love from those closest to you – everything else you can.
What’s going on with the Acoustic City project you teased this winter, promising art in the streets of Dubrovnik?
– Acoustic City is a new parallel project connected to our stage, which will develop long-term and serve as an incubator for producing programs from our own resources. We spent the entire winter working on programming and internationally promoting the platform, which is now attracting and gathering fascinating artists from all over the world! The response is amazing, and we’re very pleased. Many talented dancers, magicians, acrobats, musicians, etc. are joining our platform: www.acousticcity.org/artists, hoping we’ll give them a chance to bring their art to the streets and stages of our City.
At the moment, it’s administratively hard to also be active in the streets, since we’re preparing for the season and have too much work, so we’ll host some of the artists from our list at Orsula as part of the “sunset shows” program, which starts on June 5th with the opening of Ljeto na Orsuli 2025. In the fall, we’ll head back down into the City…
What do you think of Marko Bošnjak being chosen as Croatia’s Eurovision representative?
All Markos are good Markos!
Would you dare organize a concert for half a million people?
– A singer good enough to draw that kind of crowd costs 10 million – and I’m just a small-town Sisyphus barely managing tens of thousands!
Are you following the campaign and what do you think about our politicians on TikTok?
– I steer clear of politics… and TikTok.
Are you a complicated collaborator?
– Yes, I’m complicated as a collaborator. I’ve never been a team player. From a young age, I’ve always found myself in solo runs. I dribble a lot and rarely pass because my teammates are barely visible on the field and always seem to be tightly marked. Once I’m just an old, grumpy coach yelling from the sidelines, maybe it’ll be easier for them…
