Page 231 - Weiss, Jernej, ur./ed. 2021. Opereta med obema svetovnima vojnama ▪︎ Operetta between the Two World Wars. Koper/Ljubljana: Založba Univerze na Primorskem in Festival Ljubljana. Studia musicologica Labacensia, 5
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oper etta in sar ajevo between the two wor ld wars
ber 1924), Audran’s La mascotte (26 March 1925) and the comic opera On i
njegova sestra by conductor Rožđalovski (11 June 1925).14
Theatre critics described Đukić’s move as causing a decline in the qual-
ity of the repertoire, and a concession to audiences.15 On the other hand, the
audiences showed their love for operetta, which developed as early as in the
Austro-Hungarian period,16 with overcrowded halls and numerous repeat
performances.17 Indeed, bad reviews did not impede the push for the oper-
etta “in both artistic and technical terms”. During the 1924/1925 season, af-
ter Branislav Nušić (1864–1928) was appointed theatre manager,18 operetta
firmly established itself in the repertoire, the result of Nušić’s persistent ef-
forts to meet the requests of the majority of the ticket-buyers. Nušić re-
placed the former amateur choir with a professional one, encouraged co-
operation with Sarajevo composers Jungić, Matĕjovský, and Rožđalovski,
hired another full-time conductor Otmar Hofer, and the opera director and
singer Vojislav Turinski from Belgrade.19
In the 1925/1926 season, five operettas premiered in the National Thea-
tre: two by Leo Fall, Die Dollarprinzessin (17 October 1925) and Die Rose von
Stambul (21 November 1925), The Geisha by Sidney Jones, Gräfin Maritza
by Emmerich Kálmán (18 February 1926) and Zigeunerliebe by Franz Lehár
(11 April 1926) which, together with three repeat performances (Mam’zelle
Nitouce, La poupée and On i njegova sestra) meant there were eight in the
repertoire.20 In this season, the Sarajevo operetta company gave visiting
performances in Mostar (April 16–25, 1926) and Niš (31 May–11 June, 1926).21
The operetta repertoire relied upon several professional singers while
supporting and bit roles were “covered” by actors. Popular pieces with
singing that made up the backbone of the theatre repertoire included song
and dance, and actors were therefore required to both act and sing. How-
ever, the introduction of operetta required hiring professional singers.
14 Lešić, Sarajevsko pozorište između dva rata, vol. 2, 314–7.
15 Lešić, Sarajevsko pozorište između dva rata, vol. 1, 165.
16 The theatrical life of the Austro-Hungarian period was characterised by lively ac-
tivity by visiting theatre troupes, which offered contents of Orphic character (musi-
cal burlesques, farces, and operettas). Cf. Josip Lešić, Pozorišni život Sarajeva (1878–
1918) (Sarajevo: Svjetlost, 1973), 237–47.
17 Lešić, Sarajevsko pozorište između dva rata, vol. 1, 165.
18 Three managers acted at the head of National Theatre in the 1924/1925 season: Dušan
Đukić, Stevan Brakus and Branislav Nušić.
19 Lešić, Sarajevsko pozorište između dva rata, vol. 1, 210–1.
20 Lešić, Sarajevsko pozorište između dva rata, vol. 2, 317–9.
21 Lešić, Sarajevsko pozorište između dva rata, vol. 1, 224.
229
ber 1924), Audran’s La mascotte (26 March 1925) and the comic opera On i
njegova sestra by conductor Rožđalovski (11 June 1925).14
Theatre critics described Đukić’s move as causing a decline in the qual-
ity of the repertoire, and a concession to audiences.15 On the other hand, the
audiences showed their love for operetta, which developed as early as in the
Austro-Hungarian period,16 with overcrowded halls and numerous repeat
performances.17 Indeed, bad reviews did not impede the push for the oper-
etta “in both artistic and technical terms”. During the 1924/1925 season, af-
ter Branislav Nušić (1864–1928) was appointed theatre manager,18 operetta
firmly established itself in the repertoire, the result of Nušić’s persistent ef-
forts to meet the requests of the majority of the ticket-buyers. Nušić re-
placed the former amateur choir with a professional one, encouraged co-
operation with Sarajevo composers Jungić, Matĕjovský, and Rožđalovski,
hired another full-time conductor Otmar Hofer, and the opera director and
singer Vojislav Turinski from Belgrade.19
In the 1925/1926 season, five operettas premiered in the National Thea-
tre: two by Leo Fall, Die Dollarprinzessin (17 October 1925) and Die Rose von
Stambul (21 November 1925), The Geisha by Sidney Jones, Gräfin Maritza
by Emmerich Kálmán (18 February 1926) and Zigeunerliebe by Franz Lehár
(11 April 1926) which, together with three repeat performances (Mam’zelle
Nitouce, La poupée and On i njegova sestra) meant there were eight in the
repertoire.20 In this season, the Sarajevo operetta company gave visiting
performances in Mostar (April 16–25, 1926) and Niš (31 May–11 June, 1926).21
The operetta repertoire relied upon several professional singers while
supporting and bit roles were “covered” by actors. Popular pieces with
singing that made up the backbone of the theatre repertoire included song
and dance, and actors were therefore required to both act and sing. How-
ever, the introduction of operetta required hiring professional singers.
14 Lešić, Sarajevsko pozorište između dva rata, vol. 2, 314–7.
15 Lešić, Sarajevsko pozorište između dva rata, vol. 1, 165.
16 The theatrical life of the Austro-Hungarian period was characterised by lively ac-
tivity by visiting theatre troupes, which offered contents of Orphic character (musi-
cal burlesques, farces, and operettas). Cf. Josip Lešić, Pozorišni život Sarajeva (1878–
1918) (Sarajevo: Svjetlost, 1973), 237–47.
17 Lešić, Sarajevsko pozorište između dva rata, vol. 1, 165.
18 Three managers acted at the head of National Theatre in the 1924/1925 season: Dušan
Đukić, Stevan Brakus and Branislav Nušić.
19 Lešić, Sarajevsko pozorište između dva rata, vol. 1, 210–1.
20 Lešić, Sarajevsko pozorište između dva rata, vol. 2, 317–9.
21 Lešić, Sarajevsko pozorište između dva rata, vol. 1, 224.
229
