Kultura / Culture
What’s being prepared on the ballet scene? “First and foremost, this year is dedicated to celebrating and com- memorating the centenary of the existence of Serbian ballet at the National Theatre, or to marking a century of the continuous exist- ence of a permanent ballet ensem- ble and repertoire. Ballet is the per- sonal I.D. card of every great city; the most beautiful thing that a theatre can offer. The great names of our ballet, the personalities who marked classical ballet titles on stage, as well as tutors and choreographers, will be prominently featured in 2023. These are the artists we have to thank for the existence of today's ballet scene, a legacy that demands respect, because it is thanks to this that we are today raising the curtain on new, young dancers. The first ballet premiere was in March and represented the peak of ballet romanticism, Le Corsaire by Adolphe Adam, which marks the launch of celebrations of the cente- nary of ballet. That great, significant and demanding ballet spectacle, rep- resenting a story of privateers, ro- mantic pirates, was performed on the stage of the National Theatre for the first time.” And the opera ensemble? “New titles are being prepared for the opera. It was in December that we had the successful premiere of Puccini’s wonderful opera Turandot,
civil society, with which a new era in the world was launched and still con- tinues, connecting the whole plan- et. Culture and art know no borders and create bridges.” What connected your career to this theatre before you became its director? “I also had the opportunity to perform here in my career. More than that, as a colleague, but also as an au- dience member, I am connected by the good shows of the National, by great theatre, opera and ballet events, which serve to confirm the might and importance of the National Theatre in the history of our theatre scene. The National Theatre is a beacon, a reference point of our culture. Dur- ing my career, I’ve had the oppor- tunity to serve as president of the Association of Dramatic Artists of Serbia, director of Terazije Theatre, director of Theatre Vuk and now as the director of the National Theatre in Belgrade. The stage is common to everything and connects everyone.” Where is the National Thea- tre’s place today in relation to similar theatres abroad? “In 2022, we reached agreement with the theatres of the countries of the Open Balkan zone, i.e., Albania and North Macedonia. We have been implementing the “Open Balkan The- atre” initiative since October 2022, with guest performances of principal opera players from Tirana and Skop- je in the opera La bohème. Cooper- ation is planned through the guest performances of our ballet shows, as well as our artists in Tirana and Skopje, but also through the estab- lishing of a joint Open Balkan festi- val. We’ve also signed memoranda of cooperation with national theatres from Sofia, Zagreb, Ljubljana and Bu- charest. We will continue expanding the boundaries of our international cooperation in the seasons ahead, but also cooperation with national and regional institutions. We see this as being a significant task and an impor- tant parameter of the success of the National Theatre in Belgrade, which - through international cooperation - must serve as a worldwide ambas- sador of our culture.”
which is an exceptional work that I recommend to everyone. Prepara- tions are underway for the operas Falstaff and Rigoletto. Our opera has brilliant artists whose performanc- es will be enjoyed by the audience.” What’s included in the dra- ma repertoire? “The drama department is pre- paring two new plays. Rehearsals are underway for the new adaptation of the novel Fathers and Forefathers by our classic contemporary Slobodan Selenić, under the direction of Vel- jko Mićunović, while we are also pre- paring the play Our Class by Polish writer Tadeusz Słobodzianek, direct- ed by Tatjana Mandić Rigonat, which is an exceptional work about respon- sibility, freedom and today’s world.” The Theatre has endured and remained in existence for 150 years. Are you im- pressed by all that history? “A theatre ritual exists and en- dures around the entire world. Thea- tre is an indispensable, key element of our civilisation. This is proven by the written vestiges of the earliest societies. Every society had a need to reflect on its own existence, and different rituals had the function of unifying people, spreading common themes, connecting and promoting social closeness. The theatre is today a highly aestheticised mirror of every society. The National Theatre used culture to launch the formation of
different content to improve our re- lationship with the public and devel- op interest among new audiences. As a project, the “Open Doors” pro- gramme forms part of such an ap- proach. The audience has an oppor- tunity to see how the theatre looks behind the scenes, the costume de- partment, workshops etc.; how a the- atre show is created, and to familiar- ise themselves with the rich history of one of our oldest cultural institu- tions. Through digital communica- tions, we are advancing the National Theatre’s social media presence and growing the number of followers we have. This is particularly important in the context of nurturing new au- diences. We are improving the sys- tem of ticket sales by following new trends. We are trying, in the aim of re- vitalising our work, to enable young- er generations to reach the stage as soon as possible.”
Svetislav ‘Bule’ Goncić, actor The National Theatre is a beacon of our culture Alongside all modern technologies, the theatre will always remain a place for the audience and artists to come together. It will never disappear, because we all feel a need to share the same air, to together enjoy the direct creative act, to together experience catharsis and await Godot
Narodno pozorište imalo je predstave koje su sigurno obeležile određeno vreme i zauvek ostale u sećanju. Neke se igraju i danas, poput baleta „Ko to tamo peva“ The National has had plays that certainly marked certain periods and have remained forever etched in memory. Some such shows are still being performed today, like the ballet Who’s Singin’ Over There
Serbian theatre veter- an Svetislav ‘Bule’ Goncić received a new professional and act- ing guild challenge in late 2022: to work with his team to preserve the grand tradition and, with high qual- ity new additions, inscribe the mod- ern chapter of the country’s most important national theatre institu-
tion, which opened on 22 nd Novem- ber, 1868. That’s why we start this in- terview by asking him what’s being prepared in the work of the National Theatre under his administration... “Apart from improving the tech- nical base, this summer we will rear- range the entire auditorium, all the seating, while we are also planning
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Theatre » Pozorište | 53
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