National Theatre in Belgrade
Encyclopedia
The National Theatre was founded in the latter half of the 19th century. It is located on Republic Square, in Belgrade
, Serbia.
The National Theatre was declared a Monument of Culture of Great Importance in 1983, and it is protected by the Republic of Serbia.
from Novi Sad
(then the capital of Serbian culture
in Austria-Hungary
) performed in Belgrade
(then the capital of the Principality of Serbia). Prince Michael
, impressed by the performances he experienced, invited Jovan Đorđević (the founder of the Novi Sad Serbian National Theatre) to found a similar institution in Serbia. Having accepted, Jovan Đorđević came to Belgrade with half of his company of actors and founded the National Theatre in Belgrade, seven years after having founded the Novi Sad theatre.
, Milan
, with regard to its Renaissance
conception and the decorative finish. Later, reconstructions completely changed the original appearance. The heavy reconstruction was made in 1986 when the theatre regained the 1922 look and an annex was built towards Braće Jugovića Street. Beside theatrical purposes, the hall has been used for charity balls and concerts during the 19th century. The Great Constitutional Assembly adopted the famous 1888 Constitution in this building.
, plays were performed to the public.
’s popular short stories: Zona Zamfirova and Ivkova Slava.
In the first two decades of the 20th century the broadening of subject matters was noticeable. Beside Branislav Nušić
others like Simo Matavulj
, Vojislav Jovanović Marambo
, Mirabo and Milivoj Predić must be mentioned. Koštana by Borisav Stanković
was first shown at the very beginning of the 20th century and it has remained the cult performance of this theatre till this day. In the first stage on the repertoire of the National Theatre were plays written by the most significant writers of all periods: from the earliest (Sophocles
), to Shakespeare, Calderon, Molière
, Racine
, Goldoni, Rostand
, Gete
, Ibsen, Strindberg
, Gogol, Ostrovsky, Chekhov
and Gorky
.
Between the two world wars, speaking of domestic dramaturgy, the plays of Jovan Sterija Popović
, Branislav Nušić
, Milutin Bojić, Borisav Stanković
, Ivo Vojnović, Milan Begović, Ivan Cankar and Todor Manojlović were staged.
In the period from 1945 till 1953 the plays with clear political message were played. Political changes and certain liberalization characterise the relationship towards the foreign dramaturgy and discovering of the American drama and the works of Jonesco and Becket
.
The seventies and eighties were marked by plays of Borislav Mihajlović Mihiz, Aleksandar Popović, Žarko Komanin, Ljubomir Simović
and Jovan Hristić. The National Theatre opened its door to the contemporary world dramaturgy. Plays by Martin Mcdona, Erich Emanuel Schmidt, Nina Valsa, Jasmina Reza, Pavel Kohout are played and plays by Serbian contemporary writers Siniša Kovačević
, Vida Ognjenović
, Jelena Kajgo, Miloš Nikolić, Stevan Pešić can be seen on the stage of the National Theatre.
As an independent ensemble, the Opera of the National Theatre began its work in 1919. On 11 February 1919, under the leadership of the first music director of the Opera Sector of the National Theatre, Stanislav Binički
, a conductor, the opera “Madam Butterfly” by Giacomo Puccini
, was performed. The first opera performances were received very favourably, most of them were the operas by Italian composers (Rossini
, Verdi
), and Serbian music was represented by the works of Stevan Hristić
(The sunset), and Petar Konjović (Prince of Zeta).
The ten years (1924 until 1933) Stevan Hristić was the director of the Belgrade Opera were marked by expansion of the repertoire and the first tour abroad. Conductors like Lovro Matačić, Ivan Brezovšek, directors Branko Gavela and Josip Kulundžić were quite notable in the period between the two wars. Russian singers prevailed in the ensemble, but there were some very good creations of Serbian singers like Bahrija Nuri-Hadžić, Zdenka Zikova, Melanija Bugarinović and Nikola Cvejić.
After the Second World War, conductor Oskar Danon quickly renewed the activities of the Opera as its general manager. Special attention was dedicated to the domestic opera composers.
‘The golden period’ of the Belgrade Opera is an exceptionally significant period in development and international affirmation of the Serbian operatic art. That period started in 1954 with a very successful performance of “Boris Godunov” by Modest Mussorgsky in Switzerland
as a part of a concert cycle “Clubhouse” and recording gramophone records of seven major Russian operas for “Decca”.
The culmination of “The golden period” was an outstanding presentation of “Mazzepa” by Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky on the stage of the “Theater das Westerns” in West Berlin
. The most eminent foreign critics pointed out the wholeness of the performance, good teamwork and the beauty of the performing, outstanding soloist creations, acoustic superiority, the homogeneity of the choir and the professional playing of the orchestra of the National Theatre from Belgrade.
. Famous Ukrainian ballet dancer Konstantin Kostjukov is the head of the ballet administration at the National theatre in Belgrade.
There are 3 balconies at the theatre with the first one being the most expensive out of the three.
Large operas, dramas and ballets are played out at the grand hall.
Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
, Serbia.
The National Theatre was declared a Monument of Culture of Great Importance in 1983, and it is protected by the Republic of Serbia.
History
In 1868, the Serbian National TheatreSerbian National Theatre
The Serbian National Theatre , located in Novi Sad, is one of the major theatres of Serbia...
from Novi Sad
Novi Sad
Novi Sad is the capital of the northern Serbian province of Vojvodina, and the administrative centre of the South Bačka District. The city is located in the southern part of Pannonian Plain on the Danube river....
(then the capital of Serbian culture
Serbian culture
Serbian culture refers to the culture of Serbia and of ethnic Serbs.The Serbian culture starts with that of the South Slavic peoples that lived in the Balkans. Early on, Serbs may have been influenced by the Paleo-Balkan peoples...
in Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary , more formally known as the Kingdoms and Lands Represented in the Imperial Council and the Lands of the Holy Hungarian Crown of Saint Stephen, was a constitutional monarchic union between the crowns of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary in...
) performed in Belgrade
Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
(then the capital of the Principality of Serbia). Prince Michael
Mihailo Obrenovic III, Prince of Serbia
Mihailo Obrenović was Prince of Serbia from 1839–1842 and again from 1860–1868. His first reign ended when he was deposed in 1842 and his second when he was assassinated in 1868.-Early life and first reign:...
, impressed by the performances he experienced, invited Jovan Đorđević (the founder of the Novi Sad Serbian National Theatre) to found a similar institution in Serbia. Having accepted, Jovan Đorđević came to Belgrade with half of his company of actors and founded the National Theatre in Belgrade, seven years after having founded the Novi Sad theatre.
Building
The National Theatre Belgrade was built in 1869 according to the design of Aleksandar Bugarski, the most productive architect of Belgrade in the 19th century. The decision to construct a special building for the theatre was made by Knez Mihailo Obrenović. The building was a typical theatre building at the time and was particularly reminiscent of La ScalaLa Scala
La Scala , is a world renowned opera house in Milan, Italy. The theatre was inaugurated on 3 August 1778 and was originally known as the New Royal-Ducal Theatre at La Scala...
, Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
, with regard to its Renaissance
Renaissance
The Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...
conception and the decorative finish. Later, reconstructions completely changed the original appearance. The heavy reconstruction was made in 1986 when the theatre regained the 1922 look and an annex was built towards Braće Jugovića Street. Beside theatrical purposes, the hall has been used for charity balls and concerts during the 19th century. The Great Constitutional Assembly adopted the famous 1888 Constitution in this building.
1999
During one of the toughest times in Serbian history, which is the 1999 NATO bombing, this theatre was the only one to open its doors to the public during the 78-day air raids. For only 1 dinarYugoslav dinar
The dinar was the currency of the three Yugoslav states: the Kingdom of Yugoslavia , the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia between 1918 and 2003. The dinar was subdivided into 100 para...
, plays were performed to the public.
Drama
The activity of Drama of the National Theatre can be viewed as a development in four stages: from 1868 till 1914, from 1918 till 1941, from 1945 until 1991, and from 1991 till today. The first stage is marked by many tragedies and enactments inspired by medieval and modern history, like The Death of Uroš V by Stefan Stefanović. The characteristic of the repertoire of the National Theatre, especially at the end of the 19th century were plays with singing like dramatizations of Stevan SremacStevan Sremac
Stevan Sremac was a Serbian realist and comedy writer. He is considered one of the best truly humorous Serbian writers.-Biography:...
’s popular short stories: Zona Zamfirova and Ivkova Slava.
In the first two decades of the 20th century the broadening of subject matters was noticeable. Beside Branislav Nušić
Branislav Nušic
Branislav Nušić was a Serbian novelist of Aromanian descent, playwright, satirist, essayist and founder of modern rhetoric in Serbia. He also worked as a journalist and a civil servant.- Biography :...
others like Simo Matavulj
Simo Matavulj
Simo Matavulj was a Serbian novelist, a representative of lyric Realism, especially in short prose. He is best known for employing his skill in holding up to ridicule the peculiar foibles of the Dalmatian folk...
, Vojislav Jovanović Marambo
Vojislav Jovanović Marambo
Vojislav Jovanović Marambo was a well known Serbian scholar. versatile personality, diplomat and scholar...
, Mirabo and Milivoj Predić must be mentioned. Koštana by Borisav Stanković
Borisav Stankovic
Borisav "Bora" Stanković was a Serbian writer belonging to the school of realism. His novels and short stories depict the life of people from South Serbia...
was first shown at the very beginning of the 20th century and it has remained the cult performance of this theatre till this day. In the first stage on the repertoire of the National Theatre were plays written by the most significant writers of all periods: from the earliest (Sophocles
Sophocles
Sophocles is one of three ancient Greek tragedians whose plays have survived. His first plays were written later than those of Aeschylus, and earlier than or contemporary with those of Euripides...
), to Shakespeare, Calderon, Molière
Molière
Jean-Baptiste Poquelin, known by his stage name Molière, was a French playwright and actor who is considered to be one of the greatest masters of comedy in Western literature...
, Racine
Jean Racine
Jean Racine , baptismal name Jean-Baptiste Racine , was a French dramatist, one of the "Big Three" of 17th-century France , and one of the most important literary figures in the Western tradition...
, Goldoni, Rostand
Edmond Rostand
Edmond Eugène Alexis Rostand was a French poet and dramatist. He is associated with neo-romanticism, and is best known for his play Cyrano de Bergerac. Rostand's romantic plays provided an alternative to the naturalistic theatre popular during the late nineteenth century...
, Gete
Gete
The Gete is a river in Belgium which flows south to north. It is a left tributary of the Demer.The Gete is formed by the confluence of the rivers Grote Gete and Kleine Gete near Budingen. From Budingen the river continues for 12 km to the city of Halen, where it flows into the Demer...
, Ibsen, Strindberg
Strindberg
Strindberg may refer to:People* August Strindberg , Swedish dramatist and painter* Nils Strindberg , Swedish photographer* Anita Strindberg , Swedish actor* Henrik Strindberg , Swedish composerOther...
, Gogol, Ostrovsky, Chekhov
Anton Chekhov
Anton Pavlovich Chekhov was a Russian physician, dramatist and author who is considered to be among the greatest writers of short stories in history. His career as a dramatist produced four classics and his best short stories are held in high esteem by writers and critics...
and Gorky
Maxim Gorky
Alexei Maximovich Peshkov , primarily known as Maxim Gorky , was a Russian and Soviet author, a founder of the Socialist Realism literary method and a political activist.-Early years:...
.
Between the two world wars, speaking of domestic dramaturgy, the plays of Jovan Sterija Popović
Jovan Sterija Popovic
Jovan Sterija Popović was a Serbian playwright, poet and pedagogue who taught at the Belgrade Higher School. Sterija was recognized by his contemporaries as the one of the leading Serbian intellectuals...
, Branislav Nušić
Branislav Nušic
Branislav Nušić was a Serbian novelist of Aromanian descent, playwright, satirist, essayist and founder of modern rhetoric in Serbia. He also worked as a journalist and a civil servant.- Biography :...
, Milutin Bojić, Borisav Stanković
Borisav Stankovic
Borisav "Bora" Stanković was a Serbian writer belonging to the school of realism. His novels and short stories depict the life of people from South Serbia...
, Ivo Vojnović, Milan Begović, Ivan Cankar and Todor Manojlović were staged.
In the period from 1945 till 1953 the plays with clear political message were played. Political changes and certain liberalization characterise the relationship towards the foreign dramaturgy and discovering of the American drama and the works of Jonesco and Becket
Becket
Becket or The Honor of God is a play written in French by Jean Anouilh. It is a depiction of the conflict between Thomas Becket and King Henry II of England leading to Becket's murder in 1170. It contains many historical inaccuracies, which the author acknowledged.-Background:Anouilh's...
.
The seventies and eighties were marked by plays of Borislav Mihajlović Mihiz, Aleksandar Popović, Žarko Komanin, Ljubomir Simović
Ljubomir Simović
Ljubomir Simović is a Serbian poet. He is a member of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts.- External links :*...
and Jovan Hristić. The National Theatre opened its door to the contemporary world dramaturgy. Plays by Martin Mcdona, Erich Emanuel Schmidt, Nina Valsa, Jasmina Reza, Pavel Kohout are played and plays by Serbian contemporary writers Siniša Kovačević
Siniša Kovačević
Siniša Kovačević playwright, professor of the Belgrade Academy of Arts, is a Serbian author.Born in 1954 in the village of Šuljam in Serbia, Srem. He graduated dramaturgy at the Faculty of Dramatic Arts in Belgrade. He is a professor on Academy of Arts in the case dramaturgy. He writes for...
, Vida Ognjenović
Vida Ognjenovic
Vida Ognjenović is a famous Serbian theater director, playwright, writer, drama professor and diplomat....
, Jelena Kajgo, Miloš Nikolić, Stevan Pešić can be seen on the stage of the National Theatre.
Opera
The music ensemble of the National Theatre in Belgrade were trying very hard to become the professional opera ensemble since 1882.As an independent ensemble, the Opera of the National Theatre began its work in 1919. On 11 February 1919, under the leadership of the first music director of the Opera Sector of the National Theatre, Stanislav Binički
Stanislav Binicki
Stanislav Binički , was a Serbian composer, conductor, and pedagogue.Binički, who was born in Jasika, Kruševac, is considered to be one of the most famous representatives of Serbian classical music...
, a conductor, the opera “Madam Butterfly” by Giacomo Puccini
Giacomo Puccini
Giacomo Antonio Domenico Michele Secondo Maria Puccini was an Italian composer whose operas, including La bohème, Tosca, Madama Butterfly, and Turandot, are among the most frequently performed in the standard repertoire...
, was performed. The first opera performances were received very favourably, most of them were the operas by Italian composers (Rossini
Gioacchino Rossini
Gioachino Antonio Rossini was an Italian composer who wrote 39 operas as well as sacred music, chamber music, songs, and some instrumental and piano pieces...
, Verdi
Giuseppe Verdi
Giuseppe Fortunino Francesco Verdi was an Italian Romantic composer, mainly of opera. He was one of the most influential composers of the 19th century...
), and Serbian music was represented by the works of Stevan Hristić
Stevan Hristic
Stevan Hristić , , was the most popular Serbian composer of the first half of the 20th century, remembered best for his technically cultivated compositions in the Neoromanticist, veristic, and Romanticist-Impressionist styles.-Biography:He conducted his primary studies in Leipzig, but also in...
(The sunset), and Petar Konjović (Prince of Zeta).
After the Second World War, conductor Oskar Danon quickly renewed the activities of the Opera as its general manager. Special attention was dedicated to the domestic opera composers.
‘The golden period’ of the Belgrade Opera is an exceptionally significant period in development and international affirmation of the Serbian operatic art. That period started in 1954 with a very successful performance of “Boris Godunov” by Modest Mussorgsky in Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
as a part of a concert cycle “Clubhouse” and recording gramophone records of seven major Russian operas for “Decca”.
The culmination of “The golden period” was an outstanding presentation of “Mazzepa” by Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky on the stage of the “Theater das Westerns” in West Berlin
West Berlin
West Berlin was a political exclave that existed between 1949 and 1990. It comprised the western regions of Berlin, which were bordered by East Berlin and parts of East Germany. West Berlin consisted of the American, British, and French occupation sectors, which had been established in 1945...
. The most eminent foreign critics pointed out the wholeness of the performance, good teamwork and the beauty of the performing, outstanding soloist creations, acoustic superiority, the homogeneity of the choir and the professional playing of the orchestra of the National Theatre from Belgrade.
Ballet
Ballet has always been a big part of the National Theatre Belgrade. One of its most important and most watched ballet performances is the Swan LakeSwan Lake
Swan Lake ballet, op. 20, by Pyotr Tchaikovsky, composed 1875–1876. The scenario, initially in four acts, was fashioned from Russian folk tales and tells the story of Odette, a princess turned into a swan by an evil sorcerer's curse. The choreographer of the original production was Julius Reisinger...
. Famous Ukrainian ballet dancer Konstantin Kostjukov is the head of the ballet administration at the National theatre in Belgrade.
Main Stage
The Grand Hall has 3 levels. The ground level has 219 seats in total with the seats at the front being most expensive.There are 3 balconies at the theatre with the first one being the most expensive out of the three.
Large operas, dramas and ballets are played out at the grand hall.
Raša Plaović Stage
Raša Plaović has 281 seats. It is much smaller and less beautiful then the grand hall. It does not have balconies and minor dramas are played out on stage here.See also
- Monuments of Culture of Great Importance
- Tourism in SerbiaTourism in SerbiaSerbia stretches across two geographic and cultural regions of Europe: Central Europe and Southeast Europe. This boundary splits Serbia roughly in a ratio of 1:2 alongside the Danube and Sava rivers. The northern parts of the country are Central-European lowlands while the southern and central...